1811 .] 
to the Biographer of •FranshaMl 
ate, who were generally censured for 
believing too rnuch rather than too little. 
What I have said of the immoral ten¬ 
dency of infidel literature seems to be 
in part admitted by the biographer; 
though he says there is no necessary con- 
Tiection between libertinism and infide¬ 
lity, yet he acknowledges, in a softened 
manner, that aatichristian philosophers 
have not taught austerity, though they 
might have done so; hence he infers, 
that the literature of infidelity is an in- 
expeflient doctrine for the married and 
feminine classes ol society. I leave your 
readers to make their comments upon 
this concession. With respect to the 
biographer's reply to my remarks upon 
the frankness of infidelity, or rather the 
specimens given, ol the contrary, I ob¬ 
serve he regards the conduct of D'Alem¬ 
bert as an instance of frankness. Here 
w’e differ in our ideas. Icall it impudence 
for a man to tell a he and then boast of 
it. But my opponent chooses to view 
the matter in the light which best suited 
lus purpose. The deceit and falsehood 
consisted in tins, that oi\e of these phi¬ 
losophers commissioned the other to 
propagate a falsehood, and tlie latter 
agreed to execute the commission, with 
a view to deceive the public; whether 
this is frankness or not 1 cheeriully leave 
to your readers to, decide ; nor should I 
think it frankness in a Cliristian to use 
the words whicli the biographer puts 
into his mouth, if iie knew the contrary 
to bo a fact. As I do not wish to extend 
tins letter further than necessary, I pass 
on to notice what the biographer says^ 
upon what he calls a strong instance of 
the want of moral courage in Christians# 
The strength of this instance depends 
upon begging the question. He takes 
for granted that commentators are con¬ 
vinced that the passages he quotes from 
Hebrews and John, enjoin persecution ; 
whereas, though there may he such, I 
have never met with a single Christian 
commentator who appears to understanfi 
them in such a sense. I'ossibly they did 
not know that such a meaning was put 
Upon them before it appeared in tire 
biographer's reply. J tiis may account 
for’ihe fact that no Christian commen-* 
tator has reprehended these passages 
without supposing a w'ant of moral cou^ 
rage. On the other hand, where is tbs 
moral courage of infidels w'hen their 
principles expose them to death f How 
many Christians liave avowed their prin¬ 
ciples, and defended them at the risk 
of tfieir lives, yielding themselves to 
most excruciating torments rattier than, 
deny the truth? Can the literature of 
infidelity record any number of instances 
of such moral courage in the cause of 
deism ? 
What the biographer has said of my 
views, in objecting to some passages irt 
bis Memoirs, is a matter of small con¬ 
cern to me. To use reproachful epi¬ 
thets, and to charge me with intolerance, 
is a mode of writing which reflects more 
upon himself than me. I have disa¬ 
vowed a persecuting spirit, and it re¬ 
mains with him to prove the contrary if 
lie can. It does not follow that, l.iecause 
I controvert a particular class of senti¬ 
ments, I do not tolerate them. 
Oct. 14, 1811. CHPasTi.4NU5 = 
MEMOipS AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS. 
Characters of persons^ in 
TRANCE and ENCLANi). Sclcctedfrom 
the late Traveh of an American^ and 
published at Philadelphia. 
BONAPARTE. 
T he first wish of a stranger in Paris 
is to view the individual whose 
name is in every mouth, and whose image 
seems to be constantly present to every 
imagination. I sought with great eager¬ 
ness an opportunity of. inspecting the 
features of Bonaparte at my leisure, and 
was soon fully gratified in this respect. 
One of my friends procured for me a 
tigket of admission, or rather a formal 
imvitaiion, to iho piivate itnpcrtal thea-* 
tre of the palace of St. Cloud, which was 
then the residence of the court. The 
best actors and singers of tiie capital per¬ 
formed at this theatre twice a-week, for 
the entertainment of their imperial ma¬ 
jesties, who tbertiselves selected the 
pieces for representation, and rarely 
failed to attend. I arrived at St. Cfoud 
in good time, and procured a seat in the 
third row of boxes, which w'ere appro- 
lariated to such of liie spectators a.s had 
not been introduced at court. Tire pic 
was crowded vvith generals covered with 
gold lace, and with the grand dignitaries 
of the empire dressed in their richest cos¬ 
tume. The ladies of the court, the fo¬ 
reign smbassadors, &c« oesupi'ed ihs 
3 M 8 
