* $21 .j Practicability of 
most powerful passions of our nature 
may be confronted by the proper exer¬ 
cise or the social affections, and the 
right use of our rational powers, Ua- 
o'er therr influence we have seen man¬ 
kind unit© together, and form them- 
seHes into families—we have seen fa¬ 
milies form communities, and commu¬ 
nities constitute large governments; 
and this has not been accomplished by 
any sudden effort, but by . slow and al¬ 
most imperceptible gradations, accord¬ 
ing as the influence of just principles 
and sound sense make their way 
amongst mankind. And is it likely 
that the course of human improvement 
will stop here ? Has Heaven pre¬ 
scribed this as tie utmost efforts of the 
human faculties ? Have we reconciled 
man to man, family to family, and pro¬ 
vince to province, so as to live in peace 
and security under the same govern¬ 
ment ; and shall we confess our ina¬ 
bility to proceed further at the precise 
point when its importance is so incal¬ 
culably increased ? Shall we suppress 
the hope that the time may arrive when 
the very same principles which have 
induced mankind to unite in society, 
and which have their foundation in 
miman interests, no less than in human 
affections, may be extended to a still 
wider circle ? 
Vv ar is, therefore, not inevitable, but 
might be avoided, if mankind would 
consent to be restricted in public affairs 
withm those limits of justice and mo¬ 
deration, to which they have already 
consented to submit themselves in pri¬ 
vate life. Is there in this any thing be¬ 
yond the limits of the human faculties— 
or would it be extraordinary or unsafe in 
any nation that might venture to adopt 
it ? Is it prudent to claim, in all cases, the 
right of judging forourselves ?—to turn 
a deaf ear to the arguments of our op¬ 
ponent to endeavour to carry our 
cause either by right or wrong, and 
when \ie cannot convince him by argu¬ 
ment, to silence him by force? What 
would be thought of a person who 
should thus conduct himself in private 
society? Would he not be deservedly 
shunned, and merit the hatred and re¬ 
sentment of all who knew him ? If, 
then, the human race are to be consi¬ 
dered as rational beings, if they are en¬ 
dowed with intellectual and moral fa¬ 
culties which elevate them above the 
ferocious instincts of brutes, on what 
gieatei occasion can that reason be ex- 
erted,.than on such as influence the fate 
of nations, and involve the welfare of 
abolishing War. j ( j 
the habitable globe? If we still doubt 
of the possibility of exciting a just ab¬ 
horrence against the odious, irrational, 
immoral practice of war—if we concei ve 
that peace on earth is only the delusive 
promise of weakness and superstition, 
let us cast our retrospect into former 
ages, and from seeing the enormous 
errors, the dangerous follies, the incre¬ 
dible absurdities, the sanguinary super¬ 
stitions to which the human race have, 
at different periods, been subjected, and 
Of which they have divested themselves, 
let us carry our views into futuritv, 
and endeavour to perceive the probable 
consequences of a strenuous persever¬ 
ance in the same course. Through 
successive ages, the existence, the ge¬ 
nealogies, the freaks, the follies, and 
the crimes of the Pagan deities were 
the subjects of uni versal belief, admira¬ 
tion, and respect. 
By the rites and dogmas of a super¬ 
stitious mythology, the intellect of the 
northern nations was bound in a still 
more terrific chain; yet these, after 
having retained their influence through 
successive ages, have passed away so 
completely, that it might almost be 
doubted whether they had ever been so 
universally established, were it not for 
some remains in art, in language, and 
in manners, which serve to occupy the 
curiosity of the present day. As we 
trace the descent of ages, we perceive 
other abuses, not, indeed, of such uni¬ 
versal extent, but sufficient to excite 
the reprobation, the aversion, or the 
wonder of our own times. The de¬ 
grading submission of emperors and 
kings to the Papal See; the absurd pre¬ 
tensions and atrocious cruelties of the 
inquisition; the superstitious belief 
injudicial astrology, witches, and su¬ 
pernatural agency,— the abominable 
traffic in our fellow men,—all these 
have, in their turns, exercised an abso¬ 
lute control over public opinion, and it 
would not only have been considered 
as irrational, but would in many cases 
have been unsafe, to have attempted to 
demonstrate their absurdity. And to 
what are we indebted for the clearer 
lights which we now enjoy ? Has it 
not been by the diffusion of purer prin¬ 
ciples in religion, in morals, and in phi¬ 
losophy—by the fair exercise of the 
rational powers, the lessons of experi¬ 
ence, and the dictates of common sense? 
When we look back on these events, 
where is the folly or the improbability, 
in supposing that nations and states 
may in time perceive the wickedness, 
inutility, 
