74 THE LAWS OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY 



evils wliicli were formerly produced by a monopoly of religious 

 and political power. Is it possible to imagine any religious 

 tyranny more execrable than that which existed before the 

 Eeformation ? Priests were then the jailors of the human 

 mind; they wielded power so enormous, that the greatest 

 monarchs of the earth trembled before them. When first 

 attacked, terrible were the struggles of this religious des- 

 potism ! What brute force was employed ! What disgraceful 

 and cruel persecutions ! Who originated the Inquisition with 

 its hellish tortures, and dungeons with walls built purposely 

 thick to deaden the shrieks of suffering men and women? 

 The philosopher Copernicus witholding his discoveries through 

 terror of this tyranny, during his life-time, from mankind, and 

 only consenting to their publication on his death-bed ! And 

 the venerable Galileo imprisoned and compelled to abjure as 

 errors, what are now known to be truths'! Keligious liberty ! at 

 what an immense sacrifice of life has this precious element of 

 human happiness been purchased ! Happily, the monopoly of 

 religious power has been broken down, and the utmost diver- 

 sity of religious belief now prevails. The claims of different 

 opposing religious sects are carefully examined, and men are 

 becoming daily more tolerant and less fanatic. 



Not less instructive is History in reference to that monop- 

 oly of political power which formerly prevailed. What num- 

 berless calamities has it showered down on the human race! 

 There was a time when the people were inherited like sheep, when 

 they had no significance as individuals. The interests of the 

 most industrious and useful portion of mankind were staked in 

 perpetual games of war, in order to build up the family of the 

 king of the country, and bring new territories under his yoke. 

 But after awhile the wealth produced by the toiling masses, 

 began to be so important to the comfort and enterprises under- 

 taken by these fighting monarchs, that they were forced grad- 

 ually to concede them a certain degree of political liberty which 

 they had not previously enjoyed. The grand idea of human 

 rights now forced its way into despotisms, and then came the 

 fierce struggle for political freedom, and on many a battle-field 

 patriotic blood was poured forth like water, the best and bravest 



