iinnzini !=!i:>i i^ ^^ommwi'^ "^^o-mmin^ ^smwrn"^ '^^/smm-': .^WE•UNIVER5•/A ^lOSANGElfj> '^/5a3AINn-3WV^ ^;5^l•LlBRARYQ^ ^UIBRAR^ '^MIWDJO'^ ^milV3- g .^\\EUNIVER% vvlOSANCEl% ^OFCALIFO/?^ ^OFCALIFC jNlLIBRAR' \o:inv3Jo'^ ^•OFCALIFO/?^ ^,OFCALIF( '^<:?AyvyaiH^^ ^^Abvaan .a\:.IIRPARV/0/ .v^?IIRRARV/Oy \\AFIJNIVER5'/A .vlOSANCE i Ml I Ml p^i 1^1 >&AavHaii-# >t?AavaaiH^^ •i^ilDNVSOl^ ]]AiNa]WV ^v^mmj^. ^(?Aiivaan# ^OFCAIIFO/?^ o ^c?AyvaaiT^^ ^ILIBRARYO^ ^UIBRARYOc ^({/OJIIVOJO'^ ^ "^AdaAiNamv^ -^ILIBRARYO^^ -^t-LIBRARYQ^ . ^\\E UNIVERy/A o .OFCAilFO/?^ AiNn]W^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ CD OS 11 / >.^ \ O ' ^ ALCIPHRON, OR THE MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. IN SEVEN DIALOGUES. CONTAINING AN APOLOGY FOR THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE CALLED FREE-THINKERS. 3. \^- By GEORGE BERKLEY, d. d. Author of a Treatife concerning the principles cf Human Knoivledge^ and various other Worksy chiefly in defence of CbrifHanity^ <^g°'i^fl Athe'fls and Jnfldds. They have forfaken me the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cifterns, broken citterns, that can hold no water. Jerem. ii. 13. Sin mortuus, ut quidam minuti Philofophi cenfent, nihil fentiam, non vereor ne hunc errorem meiim mortui Philofophi irrideant. Cicero. THE FIRST AMERICAN, FROM THE FOURTH LONDON EDITION. For increase COOKE & Co.^New-Haven, 6 CHARACTER OF THE WORK. THE MINUTE PHILOSOPHER is an able defence of Divine Revelation. The vvri- ter is the celebrated BERKLEY, Bifhop of Cloyne; univr.rfally confidered as one of the firft Philofophers, who have appeared in any age, or country. For the difcuffion of this fubjed he was better qualified than almoft any other man, by his pre-eminent talents, both natural and acquired ; particularly by his great learning and fingular powers of reafoning. This work is an illuftrious proof of thofe talents, and may be coniiddred as a ftore-houfe, whence many fucceeding writers have drawn their materials, and their arguments. The Minute Philofopher confids of a feries of dialogues, involving mod of the important topics in the debate between Chriilians and Infidels ; the principal arguments by v,-hich Chriftianity is defended, and the principal objedions with which it has been oppofed. The reafoning is clear, found, and conclufive ; and has never been anfwered. The charaders of the difputants are well chofen, and ably fupported ; and their converfation is fpirited and nr.tnral. The work is of courfe highly entertain- ing, as well as convincing. In the charader of Euphrannr, particularly, the wTiter has given, perhaps, the beft example of the Socratic manner of reafoning, which can^be found. Warton obferves, that the club, compofed of Pope, Swift, Bolingbroke, &c. re- garded this work, in fpiteof the prejudices of fome of them, as a mafterly performance ; not indeed, when firft prefented to them, for they did not underftand it ; but afterwards, when thoroughly explained by its Author, who knev^r more of this, and moil other moral fubjeds, than all of them united. In a word. The MLiute Pliilofopher may be confidently recommended, as a perform- ance of the firft merit, to all, who love to read the beft reafonings, on the moft im- portant fubjeds. TIMOTH'/ DWIGHT. Yale College,! Dec. 23, iSoz. ©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©30©©©©©©© 941CJ.9 ==*^ ADVE RTISEMENT ^ HE Author's defign being to confider the free- thinker'hi the various lights of ^.theift, libertine, enthufi- aft, fcorner, critic, metaphyfician, fatalift, and fceptic, it muft not therefore be imagined, that every one of thefe charaaers agrees with every individual free-thinker, no more being implied, than that each part agrees with fome or other of the feft. There may poiTibly be a reader who ihall think the charader of atheia agrees with none : But though it hath been often faid, there is no fuch thing as a fpeculative atheift •, yet we muft alldw, there are feveral atheifts wliu prctciad to fpeculation. This the author knows to be true ; and is well aflured, that nnp nf the moft noted writers againft chrlftianity in our times, declared he had found out a demonftration againft the being of a God, And he doubts not, whoever will be at the pains to inform himfelf, by a general converfation, as well as books, of the principles and tenets of our modern free-thinkers, will fee too much caufe to be perfuaded that nothing in the enfu- ing charaders is beyond the life. As the author hath not Confined himfelf to write againft books alone, fo he thinks it neceffary to make this decla- ration. It muft net therefore be thought, that authors are mifreprefented, if every notion of Aldphronox Lyf.cks ADVERTISEMENT. is not found preclfely in them. A gentleman, in private conference, may be fuppofed to fpeak plainer than others write, to improve on their hints, and draw concluGons from their principles. Whatever they pretend, it is the author's opinion, that all thofe who write either explicitly or by infmuation againft the dignity, freedom, and immortality of the hu- man foul, may fo far forth be juftly faid to unhinge the principles of morality, and deflroy the means of making men reafonably virtuous. Much is to be apprehended from that quarter againft the intercfts of virtue. Wheth- er the apprehenfion of a certain admired writer,* that the caufe of virtue is likely to fufFer lefs from its witty antago- nifts, than from its tender nurfes, who are apt to overlay it, and kill it with excefs of care and cherifhing, and make it a mercenary thing by talking fo much of its rewards : whether, 1 lay, this apprehenfion be fo well founded, the reader may determine. ^ * * ^Jfa^ on the freedom of -wit and fmmort Part II, Sed; 3. THE CONTENTS. ..<»<..<..<.....^^^>«....>..>~>..>" The first DIALOGUE. SECT. I. IntroduBion, ^. Aim and Endeavors of Free-thinkers, 3 . Oppofed by the Clergy. 4. Liberty of Free-thinking, 5. Farther Account of the VieivS of Free-thinkers, 6. The Progrefs of a Free-thinker toivards Atheifm, 7. Joint Impojiure of the Priejl and Magijirate, 8. The Free-thinker^ s Method in making Converts and Dif- coveries. 9. The Atheifl alone Free, His Senfe of natural Good and Evil. 10. Modern Free-thinkers more properly named Minute Philofophers. 1 1 . Minute Philofophers^ what fort of Men^ and how educated, 12. Their Numbers, Progrefs, and Tenets. 13. Compared with other Philofophers* 14. What Things and Notions to be efleemed Natural. 15. Truth the fame, mtivithflanding Diverfty of Opinion:. 16. Rule and Msafure of moral Truths. viii CONTENTS. ^ The second DIALOGUE. Se6t. I . Vulgar Error y That Vice is hurtful. 2. 'The Benefit of Drunkennefsy Gaming and Whoring. 3 . Prejudice againjl Vice ivearing off. 4. Its UJefulnefs illufirated in the Infiances of Callicles and Telefiila. 5. The Reafoning of LyGcles in behalf of Vice examined. 6. IVrong to punifh Acfions when the DoCirines whence the^ fionv are tolerated. 7. Hazardous Experiment of the Minute Philofophers, 8. Their DoFtrine of Circulation and Revolution, 9. Their fenfe of a Reformation. I o. Riches alone not the Public Weal. 11. Authority of Minute Philofophers : Their Prejudice agai?ifi Religion. 12. EffeBs of Luxury : Virtue, whether notional i' 1 3 . Pleafure of Senfe. 14. What fort of Pleafure mofl natural to Man. 15. Dignity of Human Nature. 16. Pleafure miftaken. 17. AmufementSy Mifery, and Cowardife of Minute Philo- fophers. 1 8. Rakes cannot reckon. 19. Abilities and Succefs of Minute Philofophers. 20. Happy EffeBs of the Minute Philofophy in particular Infiances, 21. Their free Notions about Goverfimetit. 22. England the proper Soil for Alinute Philofophy. 23. The Policy and Addrefs of its Profejfors. 24. Merit of Minute Philofophers towards the Public. 25. Their Notions and Character. 26. Their Tendency towards Popery and Slavery. The third DIALOGUE. Sect. I. Alciphron'j- account of Honor. 2. CharaBer and ConduB of Men of Honor. CONTENTS. IX 3 . Senfe of moral Beauty, 4. The Honejium or to kalon of the Ancients, 5. Tafle for moral Beauty whether a fure Guide or Rule. 6. Minute Philofephers ravijfjed ivith the Abjlradl Beauty of Virtue. 7. Their Virtue alone difinterefled and heroic. 8. Beauty of fenfthle ObjeBsy what, and how perceived* 9. The Idea of Beauty explained by Painting and Architect ture. '10. Beauty of the moral Syjlem^ wherein it confifls. 11. It fuppofeth a Providence. 12. Influence of to kalon and to prepon. 13. Enthuftafm o/'Cratylus compared with the Sentiments of Ariftotle. 14. Compared with the Stoical Principles. 15. Minute Philofephers y their Talent for Raillery and Rid- icule. 16. The Wifdom of thofe who make Virtue alone its own Reward. The fourth DIALOGUE. Se£t. I. Prejudices concerning a Deity. 2. Rules laid down by Alciphron to be cbferved in proving a God. 3. What fort of Proof he expeBs. 4. Whence we colkB the Being of other Thinking Indi- viduals. 5. The fame Method a ioxtion proves the Being of God. 6. AlciiphYon's fecond Thoughts on this Point. 7. Gcdf peaks to Men. 8. How Diftance is perceived by Sight. 9. The proper ObjeEls of Sight at no dlflance. 10. Lights y Shades^ and Colours^ varioufy combined form a Lan^uacre. 1 1. The Signification of this Langiinge learned by Experiejice. 1 2. God explaiTieth himfelfto the Eyes of Men by the arbitrary Ufe offenfble Signs. X CONTENTS. 13. The Prejudice and two-fold AfpeB of a Minute Phik" fopher, 14. Gcd prefentto Mankind^ informsyadmomfhesy and direBs them in afetftble manner. 15. Admirable Nature . Belief of the Trinity and other Myferies not abfiird. CONTENTS. xiii 9. Mijlakes about Faith an Occafion of profane Raillery. I o. Faith its true Nature and EffeBs, 1 1 . Illujlrated by Science. 12. By Arithmetic in particular. 13. Sciences converfant about Signs. 14. I7?e true End of Speech^ Reafony Science, and Faith. 1 5 . Metaphyfical Objections areJlro7ig againjl Human Sciences as Articles of Faith. 16. No Religion, hecaufe no Human Liberty » 17. Farther Pr-oof againjl Human Liberty. 18. Fatalijm a Confequence of erroneous Suppofttions. 19. Man an accountable Agent. 20. Inconfiflency, Singularity, and Credulity of Minute Phi- lofophers. 21. Untroden Paths and neiv Light of Minute Philofophers. 22. Sophijlry of the Minute Philofophers. 23. Minute Philofophers ambiguous, (Enigmatical^ unfathom^ able. 24. Scepticifm of the Minute Philofophers. 25. How a Sceptic ought to behave. 16, Minute Philofophers, why difficult to convince. 27. Thinking, not the epidemical Evil of thefe 'Times. 28. Infidelity, not an Effieci of Reafon or Thought, its true Motives affigned. 29. Variety of Opinions about Religion, Effects thereof. 30. Method for proceeding with Minute Philofophers. 31. Want of Thought and want of Education Defects of the prefent Age. THE MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. FIRST DIALOGUE. I. Introdu^ion, II. Aim and Endeavors of Free^ thinkers. III. Oppcfed by the Clergy, IV. Libera ty of Free-thinking, V. Farther Account of the Views of Free-thinkers, VI. ne Progrefs of a Free-thinker towards Atheifm, VII. ^oint Impof ture of the Friejh and Magijirate, VIII. The Free-thinker* s Method in making Converts and D if cover ies, IX. The Atheifl alone Free, His Senfe of natural Good and EviL X . Modern Free^ thinkers more properly named Minute Philofophers. XI. Minute Philofophers^ what fort of Men^ and how educated. XII. Their Numbers^ Progrefs and Tenets, XIII. Compared with other Philofophers* XIV. What Things and Notions to be efieemed nat^ ural, XV. Truth the fame, notwithftanding Di^ verfity of Opinions, XVI. Rule and Meafure of moral Truths. I FLATTERED myfelf, Theagesy that before this time I might have been able to have fent you an agreeable account of the fuccefs of the affair, which brought me into this remote corner of the country. But inltead of this, rfhould now give you the detail of its mifcarriage, if I did not rather choofe to entertain you,with fome amu- fing incidents, which have helped to make me eafy under a circumftance I could neither obviate nor forefee. Events i6 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] are not in our power ; but it always is, to make a good ufe even of the worft. And I muft needs own, the courfe and the event of this affair gave opportunity for reflexions, that make me fome amends for a great lofs of time, pains, and expence. A life of adlion which takes its iffue from the counfels, paflions and views of other men, if it doth not draw a man to imitate, will at leaft teach him to ob- ferve. And a mind at liberty to refle£t on its own obferv- ations, if it produce nothing ufeful to the world, feldom fails of entertainment to itfelf. For feveral months paft I have enjoyed fuch liberty and leifure in this diftant retreat, far beyond the verge of that great whirlpool of bufinefs, faftion, and pleafure, which is called the world. And a retreat in itfelf agreeable, after a long fcene of trouble and difquiet, was made much more fo by the converfation and good qualities of my hoft Euphranor, who unites in his own perfon the philofopher and the farmer : two charac- ters not fo inconfiftent in nature as by cuftom they feem to be. Euphranor^ from the time he left the univerfity, hath lived in this fmall town ; where he is poflefled of a convenient houfe with a hundred acres of land adjoining to it \ which being improved by his own labor, yield him a plentiful fubfiftence. He hath a good collection, chief- ly of old books, left him by a clergyman his uncle, under whofe care he was brought up. And the bufinefs of his farm doth not hinder him from making good ufe of it. He hath read much, and thought more : his health and ftrength of body enabling him the better to bear fatigue of mind. He is of opinion that he could not carry on his iludies with more advantage in the clofet than the field, where his mind is feldom idle while he prunes the trees, follows the plough, or looks after his flocks. In the houfe of this honeft friend I became acquainted with CritOy a neighboring gentleman of diftinguilhed merit and eftate, who lives in great friendlhip with Euphranor. Laft fum- mer, Cr'itOy whofe pari(h church is in our town, dining on a Sunday at Euphranor'' s^ I happened to inquire after his guefts whom we had feen at church with him the Sunday [Dial L] minute PHILOSOPHER. 17 before. They are both well, faid Crko, but, having once occafionally conformed, to fee what fort of aflcmbly our parifti could afford, they had no farther curiofity to gratify at church, and fo chofe to flay at home. How, faid Eu- phranor, are they then diffenters ? No, replied CritOy they are free-thinkers. Euphranor-y who had never met with any of this fpecies or fe£l: of men, and but little of their writings, fhewed a great defire to know their principles or fyftem. That is more, faid Critoy than I will undertake to tell you. Their writers are of different opinions. Some go farther, and explain themfelves more freely than others. But the current general notions of the itdi are beft learned from converfation with thofe who profefs themfelves of it. Your curiofity may now be fatisfied, if you and Dicn weuid fpend a week at my houfe with thefe gentlemen, who feem very ready to declare and propagate their opinions. Alclphron is above forty, and no ftranger either to men or books. I knew him firO: at the Temph, which upon an eftate's falling to him, he quitted, to travel through the polite parts of Europe. Since his return he hath lived in the amufements of the town, whicli being grown flale and taftelefs to his palate, have flung him into a fort of fplenetic indolence. The young gentleman, Lyftclesy is a near kinfman of mine, one of lively parts, and a general infight into letters ; who, after having paff- ed the forms of education and feen a little of the world, fell into an intimacy with men of pleafure and free-think- ers, I am afraid much to the damage of his conftitutiou and his fortune. But what I moil regret, is the corrup- tion of his mind by a fct of pernicious principles, which, having been obferved to furvive the paffions of youth, foreftal even the remote hopes of amendment. They are both men of faihion, and would be agreeable enough, if they did not fancy themfelves free-thinker.. But this, to fpeak the truth, has given them a certain air and manrxer, which a Httle too vifibly declare they think them.felves wl- fer than the reft of the v/orld. I fhould therefore be nof: C i8 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] •at all difpleafed if my guefts met with their match, where they lead fufpe6led it, in a country farmer. I fhall not, replied Euphranor, pretend to any more than barely to in- form myfelf of tlicir principles and opinions. For this end I propofe to-morrow to fet a week's talk to my labor- ers, and accept your invitation, if Dion thinks good. To which I gave ccnfent. Mean while, faid Crito, I fhall pre- pare mv guefts, and let them know that an honeft neigh- bor hath a mind to difcourfe with them on the fubje6t of their free-thinking. And, if I am not miftaken, they will pleafe themfelves with the profpe£i: of leaving a convert behind them, even in a country village. Next morning Enphranor rofe early, and fpent the forenoon in ordering his affairs. After dinner we took our walk to Crito^s which lay through half a dozen pleafant fields planted round with plane-trees, that are very common in this part of the country. We walked under the delicious fhade of thcfe trees for about an hour before we came to Critos houfe, which ftands in the middle of a fmall parkj beauti- fied with two fine groves of oak and walnut, and a wind- ing ftream of fweet and clear water. We met a fervant at the door with a fmall bafket of fruit which he was car- rying into a grovej where he faid his mailer was with the two ftrangers. We found them all three fitting under a fhade. And after the ufual forms at firft meeting, Eu- phranor and I fat down by them. Our converfation began upon the beauty of this rural fcene, the fine feafon of the year, and fome late improvemi:,*nt3 which had been made in tlie adjacent country by new methods of agriculture. Whence Alciphron took occafion to obferve, that the mod valuable improvements came latell. I fliould have fmall temptation, faid he, to live where men have neither polifh- ed manners, nor improved minds, though the face of the country were ever fo well improved. But Ihave long obferv- ed, that there is a gradual progrcfs in human affiiirs. The foil care of mankind is to fupply the cravings of nature : in the next place they iludy the conveniencies and comforts [Dial. I.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 19 of life. But the fubdulng prejudices and acquiring true knowledge, that Herculean labor, is the laft, being what de- mands the moll perfect abilities, and to which all ether advantages are preparative. Right, faid Euphrnmr, Alci- phron hath touched our true defect. It was always my opinion, that as foon as we had provided fubfiftence for the body, our next care ihouid be to improve the mind. But the defire of wealth ileps between and ingrofleth men's thoughts. II. Alciphron. — Thought Is that which we are told diftinguiflieth man from beall : and freedom of thought makes as great a difference between man and man. It is to the noble alTerters of this privilege and perfeiflion of human kind, the free-thinkers I mean, who have fprung up and multiplied of late years, that we are In;lebted for all thofe important difcoveries, that oceait of light which hath broke in and made its way, in fpite of flavery and fuperftition. Euphranor, who is a lincere enemy to both, tellified a great efteem for thofe worthies who had prefer- ved their country from being ruined by them, having fpread fo much light and knowledge over the land. He added, that he liked the name and charafter of a free- thinker \ but in his fenfe of the v/ord, every honed inquirer after truth in any age or country v/as intitled to it. He therefore delired to know what this fe£l: was that Alciphron had fpoken of as newly fprung up ^ what were their tenets ? what were their difcoveries ^ and wherein they employed themfelves, for the benefit of mankind ? Of all which, he fliould think himfelf obliged, if Alciphron would inform liim. That I fhaJl, very eafily, replied Alciphron^ for I profefs myfelf one of the number, and my moft intimate friends are fome of the moil confiderable among them. And perceiving that Euphranor heard him with refpe£l, he proceeded very fluently. You muft know, faid he, that the mind of man may be fitly compared to 2 piece of land. What 20 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] ftubbing, ploughing, digging, and harrowing, is to the one ; that thuiking, reflefting, examining, is to the other. Each hath its proper culture •, and as land that is fuffered to lie wade and wild for a long tra£l of time, will be over- fpread with brufli-wood, brambles, thorns, and fuch vegetables which have neither ufe nor beauty •, even fo there will not fail to fprout up in a neglected uncultivated mind, a great number of prejudices and abfurd opinions, which owe their origin partly to the foil itfeif, the pallions nnd impcrftclions of the mind of man ; and partly to thofe feeds which chance to be fcattered in it by every wind of do£lrine, which the cunnig of ftatefmen, the Angularity of pedants, the fuperflition of fools, or the im- pollure of priefts, fliall raife. Reprefent to yourfelf the mind of m.an, or human nature in general, that for fo many ages had lain obnoxious to the frauds of defigning, and the follies of weak men : Plow it muft be overrun with prejudices and errors ; what firm and deep roots they mufl have taken : and confequently how difBcult a talk it mufl: be to extirpate them : And yet this work, no lefs difficult than glorious, is the employment of the modern Free-thinkers. Alciphroti having faid this, made a paufe, and looked round on the company. Truly faid I, a very laudable undertaking ! We think, faid Euphranor^ that it is praife-worthy to clear and fubdue the earth, to tame brute animals, to falhion the outfidcs of men, pro- vide fuflenance for their bodies, and cure their maladies. But what is all this in comparifon of that mofh excellent and ufeful undertaking, to free mankind from their errors, and to improve and adorn their minds ? For things of lefs merit towards the world, altars have been raifed, and temples built in ancient times. Too many in our days, replied Aktphron^ are fuch fools as not to know their belt benefadiors from their worfl enemies : They have a blind iOc^v^tOi for thofe who inllave them ; and look upon their dciivcrers as a dangerous fort of men, that would under- mine received principles and opinions. [Dial. I.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 21 EupHRANOR. — It v/ere a great pity fuch worthy ingeni- ous men fhould meet with any difcouragenient. For my part I fhould think a man, wlio fpent his time in fuch a painful impartial fearch after truth, a better friend to man- kind than the greatefl ftatefman or hero ; the advantage of whofe labors is confined to a little part of the world, and a fhort fpace of time •, whereas a ray of truth may enlighten the whole world, and extend to future ages. Alc. — It will be fome time, I fear, before the common herd think as you do. But the better fort, the men of parts and polite education, pay a due regard to the patrons of light and truth. III. EuPH. — The clergy, no doubt, are on all occafions ready to forward and applaud your worthy endeavors. Upon hearing this, Lyficles could hardly refrain from bughing. And Alciphron^ with an air of pity, told Eu- pbi-d?iGr^ that he perceived he was unacquainted with the real chara(2:er of thofe men : For, faid he, you muft know, that of all men living they are our greateft enemies. If it were pofTible, they would extinguiili the very light of nature, turn the world into a dungeon, and keep mankind for ever in chains and darknefls. ■ EuPH. — I never imagined any thing like this of our proteftant clergy, particularly thofe of the eftablifhed church ; whom, if I may be allowed to judge by what I have feen of them and their writings, I fhould have thought lovers of learninirand ufeful knowledge. Alc. — Take my word for it, priefts of all religions are the fame : wherever there are priefts, there will be prieftcraft : and wherever there is prieQicraft, there will be a perfecu- tlng fpirit, whicli they never fail to exert to the utnioft of their power again il all thofe who have the courage to think for thcmfelves, and will not fubmit to be hoodwinked and manacled by their reverend leaders. Thofe great maftcrs of pedantry and jargon have coined feveral fyftems, which are all equally true, and of equal importance to the world. Ths contending feds are each ulikc fond of their own, and 22 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. L] alike prone to difcharge their fury upon all who difient from them. Cruelty and ambition being the darling vi- ces of priefts and churchmen ail the world over, they en- deavor in all countries to get an afcendant over the reft of mankind ; and £he magiftrate having a joint intereft with the prieft in fubduing, amuling, and fearing the people, too often lends a hand to the hierarchy ; who never think their authority and pofTeffions fecure, fo long as thofe who differ from them in opinion are allowed to partake even In the common rights belonging to their birth or fpecics. To reprefent the matter in a true light, figure to yourfelves a monPcer or fpe£lre made up of fuperftition and enthufi- afm>, the joint ilTue of ftatecraft and prieftcraft, rattling chains in one hand, and with the otherbrandifhing a flaming fword over the land, and menacing deftru6lion to all who fhall dare to folio v/ the dictates of reafon and common fenfe. Do but confider this, and then fay if there was not danger as well as difficulty in our undertaking. Yet, fuch is the gener- ous ardour that truth infpires, our free-thinkers are neither overcome by the one, nor daunted by the other. In fpite of both we have already made fo many profelytes among the better fort, and their numbers increafe fo faft, that we hope we fhall be able to carry all before us, beat down the bulwarks of tyranny, fecular or ecclefiaftical, break the fet- ters and chains of our countrymen, and reftore the origi- nal inherent rights, liberties, and prerogatives of mankind. Euphranor heard this difcourfe with his mouth open and his eyes fixed upon Alciphrouy who, having uttered it with no fmali emotion, ftopt to draw breath and recover him- felf : But finding that no body made anfwer, he refumed the thread of his difcourfe, and turning to Euphranor fpoke in a lower note what follows. The more innocent and honcil a man is, the more liable is he to be impofed on by the fpecious pretences of other men. You have probably met with certain writings of our divines that treat of grace, virtue, goodnefs, and fuch matters, fit to amufe and deceive a fimple honeft mind. But believe ms when I tell you [Dial. L] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 23 they are all at bottom (however they may gild their defigns) united by one common principle in the fame intereft. I will not deny there may be here and there a poor half-wit- ted man that means no naifchief ; but this I will be bold to fay, that all the men of fenfe among them are true at bottom to thefe three purfuits of ambition, avarice, and revenge. IV. While Alciphron was fpeaking, a fervant came io tell him and Lyficles^ that feme men who were going to London waited to receive their orders. Whereupon they both rofe and went towards the houfe. They were no fooner gone, but Enphranor addrefling himfelf to Crito faid, he believed that poor gentleman had been a great fufferer for his free-thinking : for that he feem.ed to exprefs him- felf with the paflion and refentment natural to men who have received very bad ufage. I believe no fuch thing, anfwered Crito^ but have often obferved thofe of his fe£b run into two faults of converfation, declaiming and banter- ing, juft as the tragic or the comic humor prevails. Some- times they work themfelves into high paffions, and are frightened at fpe£lres of their own raifmg. In thofc fits every country-curate pafles for an inquifitor. At other times they alTe^l a fly facetious manner making ufe of hints and allufions, exprefling little, infmuating much, and upon the whole feeming to divert themfelves with the fub- je£l: and their adverfarics. But if you would know their opinions, you muft make them fpeak out and keep clofe to the point. Perfecution for fjree-thinking is a topic they arc apt to enlarge on, thougli without any juft caufe, eve- ry one being at full liberty to think what he pleafes, there being no fuch thing in England that I know as perfecution for opinion, fentiment, or thought. But in every country^ I fuppofe, feme care is taken to reftrain petulant fpeech : and, whatever men's inward thoughts may be, to difcour- age an outward eoatempt of what the public edeemeth facred. Whether this care in Engla?id hath of late been 24 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] fo excefllve, as to diftrefs the fubje£ls of this once free and eafy government : whether the free-thinkers can truly complain of any hardfhip upon the fcore of confcience or opinion : you will better be able to judge, when you hear from themfelves an account of the numbers, progrefs, and notions of their fe£l : which I doubt not they will commu- nicate fully and freely, provided no body prefent feems (hocked or offended. For in that cafe it is pofiible good manners may put them upon fome referve. Oh ! faid Etiphranor, I am never angry with any man for Iiis opin- ion : whetlier he be Jeiu, Turk, or Idolater, he may fpeak his mind freely to me without fear of offending. I fliould even be glad to hear what he hath to fay, provided he faith it in an ingenuous candid manner. Whoever digs in the mine of truth, I look on as my fellow-laborer : but if, while I am taking true pains, he diverts himfelf with teiz- ing me and flinging dull in mine eyes, I fliall foon be tired of him. V. In tlie mean time Alaphron and Lyfides having dif- patched what they went about, returned to us. Lyficles fat down where he had been before. But Alciphron Rood over-againfl: us, with his arms folded acrofs, and his head reclined on the left fboulder in the pofture of a man medi- tating. We fat filent not to difturb his thoughts ; and after tv/o or three minutes he uttered thofe words, Oh truth ! Oh liberty ! after which he remained mufing as before. Upon this Eiiphramr took the freedom to inter- rupt Itim. Alc'iphroTi^ faid he, it is not fair to fpend your time in foliloquies. The converfation of learned and knowing men is rarely to be met with in this corner, and the opportunity you have put into niy hands I value too iTiUch, not to make the bed ufe of it. Alc— Are you then in earned a votary of truth, and is it poffible that you fliould bear the liberty of a fair in- quiry } EuPH. — It is what I defire of all things. [Dial. L] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. ' 25 Alc. — What ! upon every fubje61; ? upon the notions which you firft fucked in with your milk, and which have been ever fince nurfed by parents, paftois, tutors, religious aflembhes, books of devotion, and fuch methods of pre- poflefling men's minds ? EupH. — I love inform.ation upon all fubjecls that come in my way, and efpecially upon thofe that are mod im- portant. Alc. — If then you are in earned, hold fair and dand firm, while I probe your prejudices and extirpate your principles. Dum veteres avias tibi de pitlmcne revello. Having faid thus, Ak'iphron knit his brows and made a fliort paufe, after which he proceeded in the following manner. If we are at the pains to dive and penetrate into the bottom of things, and analyfe opinions into their fird principles, we fhall find that thofe opinions, v/hich ars thought of greated confequence, have the flighted origi- nal, being derived either from the cafual cudoms of the country where we live, or from early indru£lion indilied into our tender minds, before we are able to difcern be- tween right and wrong, true and falfe. The vulgar (by whom I underdand all thofe who do not make a free ufe of their reafon) are apt to take thefe prejudices for things facred and unquedionable, believing them to be imprinted on the hearts of men by God himfelf, or conveyed by rev- elation from heaven, or to carry with them fo great light and evidence as mud force an affent without any inquiry or examination. Thus the fliallow vulgar have their heads, furniftied with fundry conceits, principles, and doctrines, religious, moral, and political, all which they maintain with a zeal proportionable to their want of reafon. On the other hand, thofe who duly employ their faculties in the fearch of truth, take efpecial care to weed out of their minds and,extirpate all fuch notions or prejudices as were planted in them, before they arrived at the free and intire ufe of reafon. This difficult tallc hath been fuccefsfullv D 26 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] performed by our modern free-thinkers, who have not only difledled with great fagacity the received fyflems, and tra- ced every eftablifhed prejudice to the fountain head, the true and genuine motives of aflent : But alfo, being able to embrace in one comprehenfive view the feveral parts and ages of the world, they have obferved ?. wonderful variety of cuitoms and rites, of inPiitutions, religious and civil, of notions and opinions very unlike and even contrary one to another : A certain fign they cannot all be true. And yet they are all maintained by their feveral partizans with the fame pofitive air and warm zeal ; and if examined will be found to bottom on one and the fame foundation, the ftrength of prejudice. By the help of thefe remarks and difcoveries, they have broke through the bands of popular euftom, and having freed themfelves from impofture, do now generoufly lend a hand to their fellow-fubje61:s, to lead them into the fame paths of light and liberty. Thus, gen- tlemen, I have given you a fummary account of the views and endeavors of thofe men who are called free-thinkers. If in the courfe of what I have faid or fliall fay hereafter, there be fome things contrary to your pre-conceived opinions, and therefore ihocking and difagreeable, you will pardon the freedom and plainnefs of a phiiofopher ; and confider that, whatever difpleafure I give you of that kind, I do it in ftri^l: regard to truth and obedience to your own commands. I am very fenfible, that eyes long kept in the dark, cannot bear a fudden view of noon day light, but mufl be brought to it by degrees. It is for this rea- fon, the ingenious gentlemen of our profefTion are accuf- tomed to proceed gradually, beginning with thofe preju- dices to which men have the lead attachment, and thence proceeding to undermine the refl by flow and infenfible degrees, till they have demolifhed the whole fabric of hu- man folly and fuperftition. But the little time I can pro- pofe to fpend here obligeth me to take a fnorter courfe, and be more direcl and plain than poflibly may be thought 10 fuit with prudence and good manners. Upon this, we [Dial. I.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 27 afTured him he was at full liberty to fpeak his mind of things, perfons, and opinions without the lead referve. It is a liberty, replied Alciphron^ that we free-thinkers are equally willing to give and take. We love to call things by their right names, and cannot endure that truth fhoukl fufFer through complaifance. Let us therefore lay it dowh for a preliminary, that no oiFence be taken at any thing, whatfoever fhali be faid on either fide. To- which we all agreed. VI. In order then, faid Alciphron, to find out the truth, we will fuppofe that I am bred up, for inftance, in the Church of England : When I come to maturity of judgment, and reflect on the particular worfliip and opinions of this Church, I do not rem.ember when or by what means they firft took poiTeiTion of my mind, but there I find them from time immemori^d. Then calling an eye an the education of children, from whence I can make a judgment of my own, I obferve they are inftruft- ed in religious matters before they can reafon about them, and confequently that all fucli inftru6t:ion is nothing elfe but filling the fender mind of a child with prejudices. — I do therefore rejccl all thofe religious notions, which I confider as the other follies of my childhood. I am con- firmed in this way of thinking, when I look abroad into the world, where I obferve Papifls^and feveral feels of dilTenters, which do all agree in a general profeffion of belief in Chrift, but differ vaftly one from another in the particulars of faith and worfhlp. I then enlarge my view io as to take in Jews and Mahometans^ between whom and the Chrlftians I perceive indeed fome fmall agreement in the belief of one God ; but then they have each their diftin6l laws and revelations, for which they exprefs the fame regard. But extending my view fiill farther to hea- thenifii and idolatrous nations, I difcover an endlefs vari- ety, not only in particular opinions and modes of worfhip, but even in the very notion of a Deity, wherein they 28 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] widely difFeir one from anolher, and from all the foremen- tioned fe£ts. Upon the whole, iiillead of truth fimple and uniform, I perceive nothing but difcord, oppofition, and wild pretenfions,. all fpringing from the fame fource, to wit, the prejudice of education. From fuch reafon- ings and reflexions as tliefe, thinking men have concluded that all religions are alike falfe and fabulous. One is a Chriftian, another a Jew, a third a Mahometan, a fourth an idolatrous Gentile, but all from one and the fame rea- fon, becaufe they happen to be bred up each in his refpec- iive fe£l. In the fame manner, therefore, as each of thefe contending parties condemns tlie reft, fo an unpre- judiced ftander-by will condemn and rejeft them all to- gether, obferving that they all draw their origin from the fame fallacious principle, and are carried on by tJh^e fame artifice, to anfwer the fame ends of the prieft and the ma- giftrate. VII. EupH.— You hold then that the magiftrate con- curs with the prieft in impofing on the people ? Alc. — I do, and fo muft every one who confiders things in a true light. For you muft know, the magif-. trate's principal aim is to keep the people under him in awe. Now the public eye reftrains men from open of- fences againft the laws and government. But to prevent fecret tranfgreffions, ja. magiftrate finds it expedient that men fliould believe there is an eye of Providence watching over their private actions and defigns. And, to intimi- date thofe who might otherwife be drawn into crimes by the profpeft of pleafure and profit, he gives them to un- derftand, that whoever efcapes punifliment in this life will be fure to find it in the next ; and that fo heavy and laft- ing as infinitely to over- balance the pleafure and profit ac- cruing from his crimes. Plence the belief of a God, the im.mortality of the foul, and a future ftate of rewards and pimifnments, have been f fteemed ufeful engines of govern- ment. Ar.d to the end that thvfe notional airy dodrines [Dial. L] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 29 might make a fenfible imprefiion, and be retained on the minds of men, fkillful rulers have in the feveral civilized nations of the earth devifed temples, facrifices, churches, rites, ceremonies, habits, mufic, prayer, preaching, and the like fpiritual trumpery, whereby the prieft maketh temporal gains, and the magiftrate findeth his account in frightening and fubduing the people. This is the origirirJ of the combination betv/een church and ftate, of religion by law eftabhfhed, of rights, immunities, and incomes of priefts all over the world : There being no govern- ment but would have you fear God, that you may honor the king or civil power. And you will ever obferve that politic princes keep up a good underilanding with their clergy, to the end that they in return, by inculcating re- ligion and loyalty in the minds of the people, may ren- der them tame, timorous and flavifli. Crito and I heard this difcourfe of Alciphrofi with the ut- moft attention, though without any appearance of fur- prife, there being indeed nothing in it to us new and un- expected. But Euphraftor who had never before been prefent at fuch converfation, could not help fliewing fome aftonifliment ; which Lyficles obferving, aficed him with a lively air, how he liked Alciphrojis lecture. It is, faid he, the firft I believe that you ever heard of the kind, and required a ftrong ftomach to digeft it. EuPH. — I will own to you, that my dlgeftion is none of the quickeft ; but it hath fometimes, by degrees, been able to mafter things which at firft appeared indigeftible. At prefent I admire the free fpirit and eloquence of Alciphron ; but, to fpeak the truth, I am rather aftoniflied, than con- vinced of the truth of his opinions. How, (faid he, turn- ing to Alciphron) Is it then poflible you (hould not believe the being of a God ? Alc. — To be plain with you, I do not. VIII. But this is what I forefaw, a flood of light let in at once upon the m.lnd being apt to dazzle and difordci* 30 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I] rather than enlighten it. Was I not pinched in time, the regular way would be to have begun with the circumllan- tials of religion, next to have attacked the myfteries of chriftianity, after tliat proceeded to the pra6tic^l doctrines, and in the laft place to have extirpated that which of all other religious prejudices, being the firft taught, and baiis of the reft, hath taken the deepeft root in our minds, I mean, the belief of a God. I do not wonder it fticks with you, having known feveral very ingenious men who found it difficult to free themfelves from this prejudice. EuPH. — All men have not the fame alacrity and vigor in thinking : For my own part, I find it a hard matter to keep pace with you. Alc. — To help you, I will go a little way back, and re- fume the thread of ray reafoning, Firft I muft acquaint you, that having applied my mind to contemplate the idea of truth, I difcovered it to be of a ftable permanent, and uniform nature ; not various and changeable, like modes or fafhions, and things depending on fancy. In the next place, having obferved feveral fe — It is. EuPH. — Diverfity, therefore, of opinions about a thing, doth not hinder, but that thing may be, and one of the opinions concerning it may be true. Alc— This I acknowledge. G 50 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. L] EuPH. — It fhould feem, therefore, that your argument againll the belief of a God, from the variety of opinions about his nature, is not conclufive. Nor do I fee, how you can conclude againll the truth of any moral or religious tenet, from the various opinions of men upon the fame fubje£b. Might not a man as well argue, that no hiftori- cal account of a matter of fa£t can be true, when different relations are given of it ? or may we not as well infer, that becaufe the feveral fe£i:s of Philofophy maintain differ- ent opinions, none of them can be in the right, not even the Minute Philofophers themfelves ? During this converfation Lyficles feemed uneafy, like one, that wilhed in his heart there was no God. Alciphroriy faid he, methinks you fit by very tamely, while Euphranor faps the foundation of our tenets. Be of good courage, replied Alciphron^ a fkilful gamefter has been known to ruin his adverfary, by yielding him fome advantage at firfl. I am glad, faid he, turning to Euphranor^ that you are drawn in to argue and make your appeals to reafon. For my part, wherever reafon leads, I fhali not be afraid to follow. Know then, Euphranory that I freely give up what you now contend for. I do not value the fuccefs of a few crude notions, thrown out in a loofe difcourfe, any more than the Turlis do the lofs of that vile infantry, which they place in the front of their armies, for no other end but to wafte the powder, and blunt the fwords of their enemies. Be afTured, I have in referve a body of other- guefs arguments, which I am ready to produce. I will undertake to prove. EuPH. — O Alciphron ! I do not doubt your faculty of proving. But before I put you to the trouble of any far- ther proofs, I fhould be glad to know, whether the notions of your Minute Philofophy are worth proving. I mean, whether they are of ufe and fervice to mankind ? XVI. Alc. — As to that, give me leave to tell you, a [Dial. L] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 51 thing may be ufeful to one man's views, and not to anoth- er's : But truth is truth, whether ufeful or not, and mufl: not be meafured by the convenience of this or that man, or party of men. EuPHc — But is not the general good of mankind to be regarded as a rule or meafure of moral truths, of all fuch truths as dire61: or influence the moral actions of men ? Alc. — That point is not clear to me. I know, indeed, that legiflators, and divines, and politicians, have always alledged, that it is neceffary, to the well-being of mankind, that they fhould be kept in awe by the llavilh notions of religion and morality.* But granting all this, how will it prove thefe notions to be true ? convenience is one thing, and truth is another. A genuine Philofopher, therefore, will overlook all advantages, and confider only truth itfelf, as fuch. EupH. — Tell me, Akiphroriy is your genuine Philofopher a wife man, or a fool ? Alc. — Without queftion, the wifeft of men. EuPH. — Which is to be thought the wife man, he who a£ls with defign, or he who a£ts at random ? Alc. — He who a£i:s with deCgn. EuPH. — Whoever a£ts with defign, a£ts for fonic end. Doth he not .? Alc. — He doth. EuPH. — And a wife man for a good end ? Alc. — True. EuPH. — And he flieweth his wifdom, in making choice of fit means to obtain his end. Alc. — I acknowledge it. EuPK. — By how much, therefore, the end propofed is more excellent, and by how much fitter the means em- ployed are to obtain it, fo much the wifer is the agent to be efteemed. Alc. — This feems to be true. * The moral virtues are the political oflFspring, which flattery begot up- on pride. Fable of the Bees, part the firft p. 37. 52 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] EuPH.- — Can a rational agent propofe a more excellent end than happinefs ? Alc.--— He cannot. EuPH.— — Of good things, the greater good is mofl: ex- cellent. Alc. — Doubtlefs. EupH. — Is not the general happinefs of mankind a greater good, than the private happinefs of one man, or of fome certain men ? Alc. — It is. EupH. — Is it not, therefore, the moft excellent end ? Alc. — -It feems fo. EuPH.— — Are not then thofe who purfue this end, by the propereft methods, to be thought the wifeft men ? Alc. — I grant they are. EuPH. — Which is a wife man governed by, wife or fooiifh notions. Alc— 'By wife, doubtlefs. EuPH. — It feems then to follow, that he, who promotes the general well-being of mankind, by the proper neceifa- ry means, is truly wife, and acls upon wife grounds. Alc. — It fliould feem fo. EuPH. — And is not folly of an oppofite nature to wif- dom ? Alc. — It is. EuPH. — Might it not, therefore, be inferred, that thofe men are fooiifh, who go about to unhinge fuch principles, as have a neceflary connexion with the general good of mankind ? Alc. — Perhaps this might be granted : but, at the fame time, I mult obferve, that it is in my power to de- ny it. EuPH. — How ! you will not furely deny the conclu- lion, when you admit the premifes. Alc. — I would fain know upon what terms we ar- gue ', v/hethcr, in this progrefs of queilion and anfwer, [Dial. I.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 53 if a man makes a flip, it be utterly irretrievable ? For, if you are on the catch, to lay hold of every advantage, without allowing for furprife or inattention, I muft tell you, this is not the way to convince my judgment. EuPH. O Alciphron ! I aim not at triumph, but at truth. You are therefore at full liberty to unravel all, that hath been faid, and to recover, or corre6t, any flip, you have made. But then, you mufl diftindly point it out, otherwife it will be impofTible ever to arrive at any conclulion. Alc. — I agree with you, upon thefe terms, jointly to proceed in fearch of truth, for to that I am fincerely de- voted. In the progrefs of our prefent inquiry, I was, it feems, guilty of an overfight, in acknowledging the gene- ral happinefs of mankind to be a greater good than the particular happinefs of one man. For in fa£l:, the indi- vidual happinefs of every man alone conftitutes his own entire good. The happinefs of other men making no part of mine, is not, with refpe£l to me, a good ; I m.ean a true natural good. It cannot therefore be a reafonabie end, to be propofed by me, in truth and nature (for I do not fpeak of political pretences) Cnce no wife man will purfue an end v/hich doth not concern him. This is the voice of nature. Oh nature ! thou art the fountain, ori- ginal, and pattern of all that is good and wife. EuPH. — You would like then to follow nature, and propofe her as a guide and pattern for your imitation. Alc- — Of all things. EuPH. — "Whence do you gather this refpe£l; for na- ture ? Alc. — From the excellency of her productions. EuPH. — In a vegetable, for inftance, you fay there is uie and excellency, becaufe the feveral parts of it are fo connected, and fitted to each other, as to proteft and nourifti the whole, make the individual grow, and propa- gate the kind \ and becaufe^ in its fruits, or qualities, it is 54 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. I.] adapted to pleafe the fenfe, or contribute to the benefit of man. Alc. — Even fo. EupH. — In like manner, do you not infer the excel- lency of animal bodies, from obferving the frame and iitnefs of their feveral parts, by which they mutually confpire to the well-being of each other, as well as of the whole ? Do you not alfo obferve a natural union, and confent, between animals of the fame kind, and that even different kinds of animals have certain qualities, and in- ftin6ts, whereby they contribute to the exercife, nourifh- ment, and delight of each other ? Even the inanimate, unorganized elements, feem to have an excellence rela- tive to each other. Where was the excellency of water, if it did not caufe herbs and vegetables to fpring from the earth, and put forth flowers and fruits ? And what would become of the beauty of the earth, if it was not warmed by the fun, moiftened by water, and fanned by air ? Throughout the whole fyftem of the vifible and na- tural world, do you not perceive a mutual connexion and correfpondence of parts ? And is it not from hence, that you frame an idea of the perfection and order, and beau- ty of nature ? Alc — All this I grant. EuPH. — And have not the ftoics heretofore faid (who were no more bigots than you are) and did you not your- felf fay, this pattern of order was worthy the imitation of rational agents ? Alc, — I do not deny this to be true. EuPH. — Ought we not therefore to infer the fame union, order, and regularity, in the moral world, that we perceive to be in the natural ? Alc We ought. EupH. — Should it not therefore feem to follow, that reafonable creatures were, as the philofophical emperor * * M. Antonin. 1. 4. [Dial. L] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 55 obferves, made one for another ; and confequently, that man ought not to confider himfelf as an independent in- dividual, whofe happinefs is not conne in fai efprits of an EngUfi court •, how do you think they would have been received .^ T 146 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial, III.] Alc. — With great ridicule. EuPH. — And now it would be ridiculous to ridicule them. Alc. — It would. EupH. — But truth was the fame, then and now. Alc. — It was. EupH. — It ftiouid feem, therefore, that ridicule is no fuch fovereign touchftone, and teft of truth, as you gentle- men imagine. * Alc. — One thing we know : Our raillery and farcafms gall the black tribe, and that is our comfort. Cri. — ^There is another thing, it might be worth your while to know : That men, in a laughing fit, may applaud a ridicule, which fhall appear contemptible when they come to them.felves : Witnefs the ridicule of Socrates by the comic poet, the humour and reception it met with, no more proving that, than the fame will your's, to be juft, when calmly confidered by men of fenfe. Aix. — After ail, thus much is certain, our ingenious men make converts by deriding the principles of religion. And, take my word, it is the moft fuccefsful and pleafing method of convitticn. Thefe authors laugh men out of their religion, as Horace did out of their vices : Admijijl circum pracordia ludurit. But a bigot cannot reliih or find out their wit. X\T. Cri. "VVit without wifdom, if there be fuch a thing, is hardly worth finding. And, as for the wifdom of thefe men, it is of a kind fo peculiar, one may well fuf- peft it. Cicero was a man of fenfe, and no bigot, never- thelefs he makes Scipio own himfelf much more vigilant and vigorous in the race of virtue, from fuppofing heaven the prize.* And he introduceth C^/c declaring, he would never have undergone thofe virtuous toils for the fervicc of the public, if he had thought his being was to end with this life.f * Somn. Sclplonis. + De SeneAute. [Dial. III.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 147 Alc. — I acknowledge Cato^ Scipioy and Cicero, were very well for their times : But you muft pardon me, if I do not think they arrived at the high confummate virtue of our modern free-thinkers. EuPH.— It fliould feem then, that virtue flourifheth more than ever among us. Alc. — It ftiould. EuPH. — And this abundant virtue is owing to the method taken by your profound writers to recommend it. Alc. — This I grant. EuPH. — But you have acknowledged, that the enthufi- aftic lovers of virtue are not the many of your feci, but only a few feled fpirits. To which Alciphron making no anfwer, Crito addrefled himfelf to Euphranor : To make, faid he, a true eftimate of the worth and growth of modern virtue, you are not to count the virtuous men, but rather to confider the quality of their virtue. Now you muft know, the virtue of thefe refined theorifts is fomething fo pure and genuine, that a very little goes far, and, is in truth, invaluable. To which that reafonable, interefted virtue, of the old EngUJh, or Spartan kind, can bear no proportion. EuPH. — Tell me, Alciphron, are there not difeafes of the foul, as well as of the body .'' Alc. — ^Without doubt. EuPH.— And are not thofe difeafes, vicious habits ? Alc. — They are. EuPH. — And, as bodily diftempers are cured by phyfic, thofe of the mind are cured by phiiofophy : are they not ? Alc— I acknowledge it. EuPH. — It feems, therefore, that phiiofophy is a medi- cine for the foul of man. Alc— It is. EuPH. — How fhall we be able to judge of medicines, or know which to prefer ? Is it not from the effects wrought by them ? Alc — Doubtlefs. ^148 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. III.] EuPH.- — V/iiere an epidemical diflemper rages, fuppofe a new phyfician Diould condemn the known eftablithed pra61:ice, and recommend another method of cure : would you not. In proportion as the bills of mortality increafed, be tempted to fufpeft this new method, notwithftanding all the plaufible difcourfe of its abettors ? Alc. — This ferves only to amufe and lead us from the quell ion. Cri. — It puts me m mind of my friend, Lamprocksy who needed but one argument againll infidels. I obferv- ed, faid he, that, as infidelity grew, there grew corruption of every kind, and new vices. This fimple obfervation^ on matter of fuel, was fufficient to make him, notvvith- ilanding the remonftrance of feveral ingenious men, imbue and feafon the minds of his children betimes with the principles of religion. The new theories, which our acute moderns have endeavored to fubftitute in place of religion, have had their full courfe in the prefent age, and produced their t^tdi on the minds and manners of men. That men are men, is a fure maxim : But it is as furc, that Enghfmnen are not the fame men they were : whether better or worfe, more or lefs virtuous, I need not fay. Every one may fee and judge. Though, indeed, after Arijlides had been banifned, and Socrates put to death at Athens^ a man, without being a conjurer, might guefs what the beauty of virtue could do in Efigland. But there is now neither room nor occgifion for gueffing. We have our own experience to open our eyes 5 which yet if we continue to keep fhut, till the remains of religions educa- tion are quite worn oft from the minds of men ; it Is to he feared we fiiall then open them wide, not to avoid, but to behold and lament our ruin. Alc. — Be the-confequences what they will, I can never bring myfelf to be of a mind with thofe, who meafure truth by convenience. Truth is the only divinity that I adore. Wherever truth ler.ds, I fliail follow. [Dial. III.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER- 149 EuPH. — You have then a paffion for truth ? Alc. — Undoubtedly. EuPH. — For ail truths ? Alc. — For all. EuPH. — ^To know, or to pubHfh them ? Alc. — Both. EupH. — What ! would you undeceive a child that was taking phyfic .'' would you officioufly fet an enemy right, that was making a wrong attack ? would you help an en- raged man to his fword .'' Alc — In fuch cafes, common fenfe directs one how to behave. EuPH. — Common fenfe, it feems then, muft be confult- ed, whether a truth be falutary, or hurtful, fit to be declar- ed, or concealed. Alc — How ! you would have me conceal, and fliile the truth, and keep it to myfelf ? Is this what you aim at ? EuPH. 1 only make a plain inference from what you grant. As for myfelf, I do not believe your opinions true. And, although you do, you (hould not, therefore, if you would appear confident with yourfelf, think it ne- cefiary, or wife, to publifli hurtful truths. What fervice can it do mankind, to leffen the motives to virtue, or what damage to increafe them ? Alc — None in the world. But I muft needs fay, I cannot reconcile the received notions of a God, and Providence, to my underftanding, and my nature abhors the bafenefs of conniving at a falfliood. EuPK. — Shall we, therefore, appeal to truth, and exam- ine the reafons, by which you are withheld from believing thefe points ? Alc — With all my heart, but enough for the prefent. We will make this the fubje^t of our next conference. THE FOURTH DIALOGUE. I. Prejudices concerning a Deity. II. Rules laid down by Alciphron, to he ohferved in proving a God. III. What fort of Proof he expeBs. IV. Whence nve colleSl the Be- ing cf other Thinking Individuals. V. The fame Method a fortiori proves the being of a God. VI. AlciphronV fecond Thoughts on this Point. VII. God fpeaks to Men. VIII. How Dijlance is perceived by Sight. IX. The pro- per ObjeBs of Sight at no dijlance. X. Lights^ Shades^ and Colours^ varioufy comhinedy form a Language. XL The Signification of this Language learned by Experience, XII. God explaineth himfelf to the eyes cf Men by the ar- bitrary Ufe of fenftble Signs. XIII. The Prejudice and twefold AfpeEl of a Minute Philofopher. XIV. Godpre- fent to Mankind^ informs, admonifhes, and direEls them in a fenftble manner. XV. Admirable Nature and Ufe of this vijual Language. XVI. Minute Philofophers content to admit a God in certaift Senjes. XVII. Opinion of feme y who hold that Knowledge and Wifdom are not pro- perly in God. XVIII. Dangerous Tendency of this No- tion. XIX. Its Original. XX. The Senfe of Schoolmen upon it. XXI. Scholafiic Ufe of the Terms, Analogy and Analogical, explained : Analogical Perfections of God mif- underfood. XXII. God intelligent, wife and good, in the proper Senfe of the Words. XXIII. OhjeElion from moral Evil confidered. XXIV, Men argue from their own DefeEls againfi a Deity. XXV. Religious Worflnp reafenahle and expedient. [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 151 Tj ARLY the next morning, as I looked out of my window, I faw Alclphron v/alking in the garden, with all the (igns of a man in deep thought. Upon which I went down to him. Aldphron^ faid I, this early and profound meditation puts me in no fmall fright. How fo ! Becaufe I fhould be forry to be convinced there was no God. The thought of anarchy in nature is to me more fhocking than in civil life : inafmuch as natural con- cerns are more important than civil, and the bafis of all others. I grant, replied Alciphron^ that fome inconveni- ence may poflibiy follow from difproving a God : but, as to what you fay of fright and fhocking, all that is nothing but prejudice, mere prejudice. Men frame an idea, or chimera, in their own minds, and then fall down and worlhip it. Notions govern mankind : but, of all notions, that of God's governing the world, hath taken the deep- eft root, and fpread the fartheft ; It is therefore, in phi- lofophy, an heroical atchievment to difpoffefs this imagi- nary monarch of his government, and banifh all thofe fears and fped:res, which the light of reafon alone can difpel ; l^on radii folis, non 'lucida tela diet Difcutiunt^ fed nature /pedes raticque. * !My part, faid I, fhall be to ftand by, as I have hither- to done, and takes notes of all that paiTeth during this memorable event : while aMinute Philofopher, not fix foot high, attempts to dethrone the Monarch of the univerfe. Alas ! replied Alclphron^ arguments are not to be mea- fured by feet and inches. One man may fee more than a million : and a (hort argument, managed by a free- thinker, may be fufficient to overthrow the moft gigantic chimera. As we were engaged in this difcourfe, Crito * Lucretius. 152 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] and Euphranor joined us. I find you have been before- hand with us to-day, faid Crito to Aldphron, and taken the advantage of folitude and early hours, while Euphra- nor and I were afleep in our beds. We may, therefore, expefl: to fee atheifm placed in its bed light, and fup- ported by the ilrongeft arguments. II. Alc — The being of a God is a fubje£i: upon which there has been a world of common-place, which it is need- lefs to repeat. Give me leave, therefore, to, lay down certain rules and limitations, in order to fhorten our prefent con- ference. For, as the end of debating is to perfuade, all thofe things which are foreign to this end, fhould be left out of our debate. Firft then, let me tell you, I am not to be perfuaded by metaphyfical arguments j fuch, for inftance, as are drawn from the idea of an all-perfe£k Being, or the abfurdity of an infinite progreffion of cauf- cs. This fort of arguments I have always found dry and jejune : and, as they are not fuited to my way of think- ing, they may, perhaps, puzzle, but never will convince me. Secondly, I am not to be perfuaded by the autho- rity either of paft or prefent ages, of mankind in general, or of particular wife men : all which palTeth for little or nothing with a man of found argument and free thought. Thirdly, all proofs drawn from utility, or convenience, are foreign to the piirpofe. They may prove, indeed, the ufefulnefs of the notion, but not the exiflence of the thing. Whatever legiflators or ftatefmen may think, truth and convenience are very different things to the rig- orous eyes of a philofopher. And nov/, that I may not feem partial, I will limit m.yfelf, alfo, not to object, in the firft place, from any thing that may feem irregular, or unaccountable in the works of nature, againft a caufe of infinite power and wifdom : becaufe I already know the anfwer you would make, to wit, that no one can judge of the fymmetry and ufe of the parts of an in- [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 153 finite machine, which are all relative to each other, and to the whole, without being able to comprehend the en- tire machine, or the whole univerfe. And, in the fecond place, I (hall engage myfelf not to object againft the juf- tice, and providence of a Supreme Being, from the evil that befalls good men, and the profperity which is often the portion of wicked men in this life : becaufe I know that, inftead of admitting this to be an objedion againft a Deity, you would make it an argument for a future ftate ; in which there fhall be fuch a retribution of rewards and punifhments, as may vindicate the divine attributes, and fet all things right in the end. Now thefe anfwers, though they Ihould be admitted for good ones, arc, in truth, no proofs of the being of a God, but only folutions of cer- tain difficulties which might be objected, fuppofing it al- ready proved by proper arguments. Thus much I thought fit to premife, in order to fave time and trouble both to you, and myfelf. Cri. — I think that, as the proper end of our confer- ence ought to be fuppofed the difcovery and defence of truth, fo truth may be juftified, not only by perfuading its adverfaries, but, where that cannot be done, by (hewing them to be unreafonable. Arguments, therefore, which carry light, have their effeft, even againft an opponenf who ftiuts his eyes, becaufe they ftiew him to be obftinate and prejudiced. Befides, this diftinction between argu- ments that puzzle, and that convince, is leaft of all, ob- ferved by Minute Philofophers, and need not, therefore, be obferved by others, in their favor. But, perhaps^ Euphranor may be willing to encounter you on your own terms, in which cafe I have nothing farther to fay. III. EuPH. — Alciphron ads like a fkilful general, who as bent upon gaining the advantage of the ground, and alluring the enemy out of their trenches. We, v/wo be- lieve a God, are intrenched within tradition, cuftom, au- U 154 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.j thority and law. And neverthelefs, inftead of attempting to force us, he propofes that we fhould voluntarily, aban- don thefe intr-enchments, and make the attack : when we may a£t on the defenfive with much fecurity and eafe, leaving him the trouble to difpoffefs us, of what we need not refign. Thofe reafons (continued he, addreffing him- felf to Ahiphron) which you have muftered up in this morning's meditation, if they do not vi^eaken, mud eftab^ lifli our belief of a God ; For the utmoft is to be expected from fo great a m after in his profefiion, when he fets his ftrength to a point. Alc. — I hold the confufed notion of a Deity, or fome invifible power, to be, of all prejudir,^s, the moft uncon- querable. When half a dozen ingenious men are got to- gether over a glafs of wine, by a chearful fire, in a room well-lighted j we banifti with eafe all the fpedlres of fancy, or education, and are very clear in our decifions. But as I was taking a folitary walk before it was broad day-light, in yonder grove, methought the point was not quite fo clear : nor could I readily recorie6l the force of thofe ar- guments, which ufed to appear fo conclufive at other times. 1 had, I know not, what awe upon my mind, and feemed haunted by a fort of panic, which I cannot otherwife ac- count for, than by fuppofmg it the effecl of prejudice : Tor you muft know, that I, like the reft of the world, was once upon a time, catechifed, and tutored into the belief of a God, or Spirit. There is no furer mark of prejudice, than the believing a thing without reafon. What neceflity then can there be that I fhould fet myfelf the difficult talk of proving a negative, when it is fufficient to obferve, that there is no proof of the affirmative, and that the admit- ting it without proof is unreafonable ? prove, therefore, your opinion, or, if you cannot, you may indeed remain in poffeffion of it, but you will only be poflefied of a pre- judice. EuPH.— *0 Alciphron I to content you, we muft prove. [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 155 it feems, and we.muft prove upon your own terms. But, in the firll place, let us fee what fort of proof you expe' diately, but by mediation of a fign, which hath no like- to it, or necefTary connexion with it, but only fuggefts 1 repeated experience, as words do things. -. — Hold, EnphrafDv : Now I think of it, the wri- ters I. 'ics tell us of an angle made by the two optic ax- [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 1^3 es, where they meet in the vlfible point or object ; which angle, the cbtufer it is, the nearer it (hews the obje£l to be, and by how much the acuter, by fo much the farther ofF; and this from a neceiTary demonftrable connexion. EuPH. — The mind then finds out the diftance of things by geometry. Alc It doth. EuPH. — Should it not follow, therefore, that nobody could fee, but thofe who had learned geometry, and knew fomething of lines and angles ? Alc. — There is a fort of natural geometry, which is got without learning. EuPH. — Pray inform me, Alciphron^ in order to frame a proof of any kind, or deduce one point from another, is it not neceffary, that I perceive the connexion of the terms in the premifes, and the connexion of the premifes with the conclufion : And, in general, to know one thing by means of another, muft I not firft know that other thing } when I perceive your meaning by your words, muft I not firft perceive the words themfelves ? and muft I not know the premifes, before I infer the conclufion ? Alc. — All this is true. EupH. — Whoever, therefore, collects a nearer diftance from a wider angle, or a farther diftance from an acuter angle, muft firft perceive the angles themfelves. And he who doth not perceive tiiofe angles, can infer nothing from them. Is it fo or not ? Alc. — It is as you fay. EuPH. — Alk now the firft man you meet, whether he perceives or knows any thing of thofe optic angles ? or whether he ever thinks about them, or makes any inferen- ces from them, either by natural or artificial geometry t What anfwer do you think he would make ? Alc. — ^To fpeak the truth, I believe his anfwer would be, that he knew nothing of thofe matters. i64 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] EuPH. — It cannot therefore be, that men judge of dif- tance by angles : Nor confequently can there be any force in the argument you drew from thence, to prove that dif- tance is perceived by means of fomething which hath a necelTary connexion with it. Alc. — I agree with you. IX. EuPH. — To me it feems, that a man may know whether he perceives a thing or no : and if he perceives it, whether it be immediately, or mediately : and if mediate- ly, whether by means of fomething like, or unlike, necef- farily, or arbitrarily connected with it. Alc. — It feems fo. EuPH. — And is it not certain, that diftance is perceived only by experience, if it be neither perceived immediately by itfelf, nor by means of any image, nor of any lines and angles, which are like it, or have a neceflary connexion with it ? Alc. — It is. EuPH. — Doth it not feem to follow, from what hath been faid and allowed by you, that before all experience a man would not imagine, the things he faw were at any diftance from him ? Alc. — How ! let me fee. EuPH. — The littlenefs or faintnefs of appearance, or any other idea or fenfation, not neceffarily connected with, or refembling diftance, can no more fuggeft different de- grees of diftance, or any diftance at all, to the mind, which hath not experienced a connexion of the things fignifying and fignified, than words can fuggeft notions before a man hath learned the language. Alc. — I allow this to be true. EuPH. — Will it not thence follow, that a man born blind, and made to fee, would, upon firft receiving his fight, take the things he faw, not to be at any diftance from him, but in his eye, or rather in his mind ? [f)iAL. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 165 Alc. — I muft own it feem fo : And yet, on the other hand, I can hardly perfuade myfelf, that, if I were in fuch a flate, I (hould think thofe objefts, which I now fee at fo great a diftance, to be at no diftance at alL EuPH. — It feems then, that you now think the obje£l:s of fight are at a diftance from you. Alc — Doubtlefs I do. Can any one queftion but yon- der caftle is at a great diftance .'* EuPH.- — Teil me, Alc'iphron^ can you difcern the doors, windows, and battlements of that fame caftle } Alc. — I cannot. At this diftance it feems only a fmall round tower. EuPH. — But I, who have been at it, know that it is no fmall round tower, but a large fquare building, with battlements and turrets, which it feems you do not fee. Alc. — What will you infer from thence } EupH. — I would infer, that the very obje£t, which you ftriiStly and properly perceive by fight, is not that thing which is feveral miles diftant. Alc— Why fo ? EuPH. — Becaufe a little round objeft is one thing, and a great fquare objeci: is another. Is it not ? Alc — I cannot deny it. EupHo — Tell me, is not the vifible appearance alone the proper objetl of fight } Alc — It is. What think you now (faid Euphranory pointing towards the heavens) of the vifible appearance of yonder planet ? Is it not a round luminous fiat, not big- ger than a fixpence ? Alc — What then ? EupH. — Tell me then, what you think of the planet itfelf. Do you not conceive it to be a vaft opaque globe, with feveral unequal rifings and vallies ^ Alc — I do. EupH. — How can you, therefore conclude, that the proper object of your fight exifts at a diftance ^ i66 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] Alc. — I confefs I know not. EuPH. — For your farther conviction, do but confider that crimfon cloud. Think you, that if you were in the very place where it is, you would perceive any thing like what you now fee ? Alc. — By no means. I fliould perceive only a dark mift. EupH. — Is it not plain, therefore, that neither the caftle, the planet, nor the cloud, which you fee here, are thofe real ones, which you fuppofe exift at a diftance ? X. Alc. — ^What am I to think then ? Do we fee any thing at all, or is it altogether fancy and illufion ? EuPH. — Upon the whole, it feems the proper objects of fight are light and colours, with their feveral fhades and degrees ; all which, being infinitely diverfified and combined, form a language wonderfully adapted to fug- geft and exhibit to us the diftances, figures, fituations, dimenfions, and various qualities of tangible objeCts : not by fimilitude, nor yet by inference of neceflTary connexion, but by the arbitrary impofition of Providence : juft as words fugged the things fignified by them. Alc. — How ! Do we not, ftri6tly fpeaklng, perceive by fight fuch things as trees, houfes, men, rivers, and the like ? EuPH. — We do, indeed, perceive or apprehend thofc things by the faculty of fight. But will it follow from thence, that they are the proper and immediate objeds of fight, any more than that all thofe things are the proper and immediate objects of hearing, which are fignified by the help of words, or founds ? Alc — You would have us think then, that light, fhades, and colours, varioufly combined, anfwer to the feveral articulations of found in language ; and that, by means thereof, all forts of objects are fuggefted to the mind through the eye, in the fame manner as they arc fuggefted, by words or founds, through the ear : that is. [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 167 neither from neceflary deduftion to the judgment, nor from fimilitude to the fancy, but purely and folely from experience, cuftom, and habit. EuPH. — I would not have you think any thing, more than the nature of things obligeth you to think, nor fub- mit in the lead to my judgment, but only to the force of truth ; which is an impofition that I fuppofe the freed thinkers will not pretend to be exempt from. Alc. — You have led m.e, it feems, ftep by ftep, till I am got I know not where. But I fhali try to get out again, if not by the way I came, yet by fome other of my own finding. Here Alciphroriy having made a fliort paufc; proceeded as follows : XI. Anfwer me, Euphranor^ fhould it not follow, from thefe principles, that a man, born blind, and made to fee, would at firfk fight not only not perceive their dif- tance, but alfo not fo much as know the very things ^themfelves which he faw, for inftance, men or trees I which furely to fupport muft be abfurd. EupH. — I grant, in confequence of thofe principles, which both you and I have admitted, that fuch a one would never think of men, trees, or any other obje£^s that he had been accuftomed to perceive by touch, upon having his mind filled with new fenfations of light and colours, whofe various combinations he doth not yet un- derftand, or know the meaning of ; no more than a Chi- nefe^ upon firft hearing the words man and tree, would think of the things fignified by them. In both cafes, there muft be time and experience, by repeated a^ts, to ac quire a habit of knowing the connexion between the figns and things fignified ; that is to fay, of underitanding the lan- guage, whether of the eyes or of the ears. And I con- ceive no abfurdity in this. Alc. — I fee, therefore, in ftritt philofophical truth, that rock only in the fame fenfe that I may be faid to hear it, when the word rock is pronounced. i6S MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] EuPH. — In the very fame. Alc. — How comes it to pafs then, that every one fhall fay he fees, for inftance, a rock, or a houfe, when thofe things are before his eyes ; but no body will fay, he hears a rock, or a houfe, but only the words or founds them- felves, by which thofe things are faid to be fignified or fuggeftcd, but not heard ? Befides, if vifion be only a language, fpeaking to the eyes, it may be alked, "When did men learn this language ? To acquire the knowledge of fo many figns, as go to the making up a language, is a work of fome difficulty. But will any man fay, he hath fpent time, or been at pains, to learn this language of vifion ? EuPH. — No wonder, we cannot afPign a time beyond our remoteft memory. If we have been all pra6tifing this language, ever fince our firft entrance into the world ; if the Author of nature conftantly fpeaks to the eyes of all mankind, even in their earlieft infancy, whenever the eyes are open in the light, whether alone or in company ; It doth not feem to me at all ftrange, that men iliould not be aware they had ever learned a language, begun fo ear- ly, and pra£lifed fo conftantly, as this of vifion. And, if we alfo confider, that it is the fame throughout the whole world, and not, like other languages, differing in different places ; it will not feem unaccountable, that men fhould miftake the connexion between the proper obje6):s of fight, and the things fignified by them, to be founded in neceffary relation, or likenefs : Or, that they fhould even take them for the fame things. Hence it feems eafy to conceive, why men, who do not think, fhould con- found, in this language of vifion, the figns with the things fignified, otherwife than they are wont to do, in the vari- ous particular languages, formed by the feveral nations of men. XII. It may be alfo worth while to obferve, that figns being little confidered in themfelves, or for their own fake, [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 169 but only in their relative capacity, and for the fake of ihofe things whereof they are figns, it comes to pafs, that the mind often overlooks them, fo as to carry its attention immediately on to the things fignified. Thus, for exam- ple, in reading, we run over the characters with the flight- eft regard, and pafs on to the meaning. Hence it is fre- quent for men to fay, they fee words, and notions, and things, in reading a book : whereas, in ftriClnefs, they fee only the chara£ters, which fuggeft words, notions, and things. And, by parity of reafon, may we not fuppofe, that men, not refting in, but overlooking the immediate and proper obje£ts of fight, as in their own nature of fmall moment, carry their attention onward to the very thing fignified, and talk as if they faw the fecondary obje£i:s ? which, in truth and ftriclnefs, are not feen, but only fug- gefted and apprehended by means of the proper obje£ts of fight, which alone are feen. Alc. — To fpeak my mind freely, this differtatlon grows tedious, and runs into points too dry and minute for a gentleman's attention. I thought, faid Crito, we had been told, the Minute Philofophers loved to confider things clofely and minutely. Alc. — That is true, but in fo polite an age, who would be a mere philofopher ? There is a certain fcholaftic accu- racy, which ill fuits the freedom and eafe of a well-bred man. But, to cut fhort this chicane, I propound it fairly to your own confcience, whether you really think that God himfelf fpeaks every day, and in every place, to the eyes of all men ? EupH. — ^That is really, and in truth, my opinion : and it fhould be yours too, if you are confident with yourfelf, and abide by your own definition of language. Since you cannot deny, that the great mover and author of nature conftantly explaineth himfelf to the eyes of men, by the fenfible intervention of arbitrary figns, which have no fimil- itude, or connexion, with the things fignified 5 fo as by X I70 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] compounding and difpofing them, to fugged and exhibit an endlefs variety of objects, differing in nature, time, and place, thereby informing and dire6ling men how to a£l with refpe£l to things diftant and future, as well as near and prefent. In confequence, I fay, of your own fenti- ments and conceffions, you have as much reafon to think, the Univerfal Agent, or God, fpeaks to your eyes, as you can have for thinking any particular perfon fpeaks to your ears. Alc. — I cannot help thinking, that fome fallacy runs throughout this whole ratiocination, though perhaps I may not readily point it out. It feems to me, that every other fenfe may as well be deemed a language as that of vifion. Smells and tafte, for inftance, are iigns that inform us of other quaUties, to which they have neither likenefs nor neceflary connexion. EuPH. — That they are figns is certain, as alfo that lan- guage, and all other figns, agree in the general nature of lign, or fo far forth as figns. But it is as certain that all figns are not language ; not even all fignificant founds, fuch as the natural cries of anim.als, or the inarticulate founds and interje6^ions of men. It is the articulation, combination, variety, copioufnefs, extenfive and general ufe, and eafy application of figns (all which are commonly found in vifion) that conftitute the true nature of language. Other fenfes may indeed furnifli figns ; and yet thofc figns have no more right than inarticulate founds to be thought a language. Alc. — -Hold ! let me fee ! In language, the figns arc arbitrary, are they not ? EuPR.— ^They are. Alc— And confequently, they do not always fuggeft real matters of fad. ^ Whereas, this natural language, as you call it, or thefe vifible figns, do always fuggeft things in the fame uniform way, and have the fame conftant reg- ular connexion with matters of hd. : whence it ihould [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER J71 {eem, the connexion was neceflary, and therefore, accord- ing to the definition premifed, it can be no language. How do you folve this objection ? EuPH. — You may folve it yourfelf, by the help of a pi£lure, or looking-glafs. Alc. — You are in the right. I fee there is nothing in it. I know not what elfe to fay to this opinion more, than that it is fo odd and contrary to my way of thinking, that I fhall never affent to it. XIII. EuPH. — Be pleafed to recolle^l your own lec- tures upon prejudice, and apply them in the prefent cafe. Perhaps they may help you to follow where reafon leads, and to fufpecl notions which are ftrongly riveted, without having been ever examined. Alc— —I difdain the fufpicion of prejudice. And I do not fpeak only for myfelf. I know a club of moil ingen- ious men, the freeft from prejudice of any men alive, who abhor the notion of a God, and I doubt not, would be very able to untie this knot. Upon which words of Alciphron^ I, who had acted the part of an indifferent ftan- der-by , obferved to him, that it mifbecame his character, and repeated profeffions, to own an attachment to the judgment, or build upon the prefumed abilities of other men, how ingenious foever : and that this proceeding might encourage his adverfarles to have recourfe to author- ity, in which, perhaps, they would find their account more than he. Oh ! faid CritOy I have often obferved the conduct of Minute Philofophers. When one of them has got a ring of difciples round him, his method is to exclaim againft prejudice, and recommend thinking and reafoning, giving to underftand that himfelf is a man of deep refearches and clofe argument, one who examines impartially, and con- cludes warily. The fame man, in other company, if bechance 172 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.l to be prcfled with reafon, fhall laugh at logic, and aflume the lazy fupine airs of a fine gentleman, a wit, a raillcur, to avoid the drincfs of a regular and exaft inquiry. This double face of the Minute Philofopher is of no fmall ufe to propagate and maintain his notions. Though to me it feems a plain cafe, that if a fine gentleman will fhake off authority, and appeal from religion to reafon, unto reafon he muft go : And if he cannot go without leading-ftrings, furely he had better be led by the authority of the public, than by that of any knot of Minute Philofophers. Alc. — Gentlemen, this difcourfe is very irkfome and needlefs. For my part, I am a friend to enquiry. I am willing reafon (liould have its full and free fcope. I build on no man's authority. I have no intereft in denying a God. Any man may believe, or not believe, a God, as he pleafes, for me. But after all, Euphranor muft allow me to ftare a little at his conclufions. EuPH. — The conclufions are yours as much as mine, for you were led to them by your own conceflions. XIV. — You, it feems, ftare to find, that God is not far from every one of us ; and that in him we live and move and have our being. You, who, in the beginning of this morning's conference, thought it ftrange, that God fliould leave himfelf without a witnefs, do now think it ftrange the witnefs ftiould be fo full and clear ? Alc. — I muft own I do. I was aware, indeed, of a certain metaphyfical hypothefis, of our feeing all things in God, by the union of the human foul with intelligible fub- ftance of the Deity, which neither I, nor any one elfe could make fenfe of. But I never imagined it could be pretend- ed, that we faw God with our flelhly eyes, as plain as we fee any human perfon whatfoever, and that he daily fpeaks to our fenfes In a manlfeft and clear dialedl:. Cri. — As for that metaphyfical hypothefis, I can make no more of it than you. But I think it plain, this optic [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 175 language hath a neceflary connexion with knowledge, wif- dom, and goodnefs. It is equivalent to a conftant creation, betokening an immediate a£l of power and providence. It cannot be accounted for by mechanical principles, by at- oms, attractions, or effluvia. The inftantaneous produc- tion and reprodudlion of fo many figns combined, dilTolved, tranfpofed, diverfified, and adapted to fuch an endlefs va- riety of purpofes, ever (liifting with the cccafions, and fuit- cd to them, being utterly inexplicable and unaccountable by the laws of motion, by chance, by fate, or the like blind principles, doth fet forth and teftify the immediate opera- tion of a Spirit or thinking Being : and not merely of a Spirit, which every motion or gravitation may pofiibly in- fer, but of one wife, good, and provident Spirit, who di- rects, and rules, and governs the world. Some philofo- phers, being convinced of the wifdom and power of the Creator, from the make and contrivance of organized bo- dies, and orderly fyftem of the world, did neverthelefs im- agine, that he left this fyftem, with all its parts and con- tents, well adjufted and put in motion, as an artift leaves a clock, to go thenceforward, of itfelf, for a certain period. But this vifual language proves, not a Creator merely, but a provident Governor, actually and intimately prefent, and attentive to all our interefts and motions, who watches over our conduct, and takes care of our minuteft actions and defigns, throughout the whole courfe of our lives, in- forming, admoniftiing, and dire£ting inceflantly, in a moft evident and fenfible manner. This is truly wonderful. EuPH. — And is it not fo, that men fhould be encompaf- fed by fuch a wonder, without refledting on it ? XV. Something there is of divine and admirable in this language, addrefied to our eyes, that may well awa- ken the mind, and deferves its utmoft attention : it is learned with fo little pains ; it expreileth the differences 174 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] of things (o clearly and aptly ; it inftru£ls with fuch fa- cility and difpatch, by one glance of the eye conveying a greater variety of advices, and a more dillin6t knowledge of things, than could be got by a difcourfe of feveral hours. And, while it informs, it amufes and entertains the mind, with fuch fingular pleafure and delight. It is of fuch ex- cellent ufe, in giving a ftability and permanency to hu- man difcourfe, in recording founds, and bellowing life on dead languages, enabling us to converfe with men of remote ages and countries. And it anfwers fo appofitc to the ufes and neceflities of mankind, informing us more diftin£lly of thofe objedls, whofe nearnefs and magni- tude qualify them to be of greatell detriment or benefit to our bodies, and lefs exa£l:ly, in proportion as their littlenefs, or diftance, make them of lefs concern to us. Alc.-— And yet thefe ftrange things afFe6t men but little. EuPH. — But they are not ftrange, they are familiar, and that makes them to be overlooked. Things which rarely happen ftrike ; whereas frequency leflens the ad- miration of things, though in themfelves ever fo admira*- ble. Hence a common man, who is not ufed to think and make reflexions, would probably be more convinced of the being of a God, by one fingle fentence heard once in his life from the fky, than by all the experience he has had of this vifual language, contrived with fuch exqui- fite fkill, fo conftantly addreflfed to his eyes, and fo plain- ly declaring the nearnefs, wifdom, and providence of Him with whom we have to do. Alc. — After all, I cannot fatisfy myfelf, how men fhould be fo little furprifed, or amazed, about this vifive feculty, if it was really of a nature fo furprifmg and ama- zing. EupH. — But let us fuppofe a nation of men blind from their infancy, among v/hom a ftranger arrives, the only [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 175 man who can fee in all the country : Let us fuppofe this ftr anger travelling with fome of the natives, and that one while he foretells to them, that, in cafe they walk ftrait forward, in half an hour they (hall meet men, or cattle, or come to a houfe ; that, if they turn to the right, and proceed, they (hall, in a few minutes, be in danger of falling down a precipice ; that, fhaping their courfe to the left, they .will, in fuch a time, arrive at a river, a wood, or a mountain. What think you ? Mufl they not be infinitely furprifed, that one, who had never been in their country before, fhould know it fo much better than themfelves ? And would not thofe predictions feem to them as unaccountable and incredible, as prophefy to a Minute Philofopher ? Alc. — I cannot deny it. EuPH. — But it feems to require intenfe thought, to be able to unravel a prejudice that has been fo long forming, to get over the vulgar error of ideas common to both fenfes, and fo to diftinguifh between the objects of fight and touch, which have grown (if I may fo fay) blended together in our fancy, as to be able to fuppofe ourfelves exactly in the ftate, that one of thofe men would be in, if he were made to fee. And yet this I believe is pofli- ble, and might feem worth the pains of a little thinking, efpecially to thofe men whofe proper employment and profelTion it is to think, and unravel prejudices, and con- fute miftakes. I frankly own I cannot find my way out of this maze, and fhould gladly be fet right by thofe jWho fee better than myfelf. Cri. — ^The purfuing this fubje£l: in their ov/n thoughts would poflibly open a new fcene to thofe fpeculative gen- tlemen of the Minute Philofophy. It puts me in mind of a paflage in the Pfalmift, where he reprefents God to be covered with light, as with a garment, and would, me- thinks, be no ill comment on that ancient notion of fome 176 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] eaftern fages. That God had light for his body, and truth for his foul. This converfation lafted till a fervant came to tell us the tea was ready : upon which we walked in, and found Lyjicles at the tea-table. XVI. As foon as we fat down, I am glad, faid Aid- phron, that I have here found my fecond, a frefh man, to maintain our common caufe, which, I doubt, Lyftcks will think hath fuffered by his abfence. Lys.-— Why fo ? Alc. — I have been drawn into fome concefiions you won't like, Lys. — Let me know what they are. Alc. — Why, that there is fuch a thing as a God, and that his exiftencc is very certain. Lys. — Blefs me ! How came you to entertain fo wild a notion ? Alc. — ^You know we profefs to follow reafon wherev- er it leads. And, in fhort, I have been reafoned into it. Lys. — Reafoned ! You fhould fay, amufed with words, bewildered with fophillry. EuPH. — Have you a mind to hear the fame reafoning that led Alciphron and me, ftep by flep, that we may ex- amine whether it be fophiftry or no ? Lys — As to that, I am very eafy. I guefs all that can be faid on that head. It fhall be my bufinefs to help my friend out, whatever arguments drew him in. EuPH. — Will you admit the premifes, and deny the conclufions ? Lys. — What if I admit the conclufion ? EuPH. — How ! will you grant there is a God ? Lys. — Perhaps I may. EuPH. — Then we are agreed. Lys — :Perhaps not. [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. J77 EuPH. — O L^icles ! you are a fubtle adverfary, I know not what you would be at. Lys. — You mud know then, that, at bottom, the be« j.ng of God is a point, in itfelf, of fmall confequence, and a man may make this conceffion v/ithout yielding much. The great point is, what fenfe the word God is to be ta- ken in. The very Epicureans allowed the being of gods, but then they were indolent gods, unconcerned with hu- man affairs. Hobbes allowed a corporeal god ; and Spino' fa held the univerfe to be god. And yet nobody doubts they were flanch free-thinkers. I could wi(h, indeed, the word god were quite omitted, becaufe, in mod minds, it is coupled with a fort of fuperftitious awe, the very root of all religion. I fhall not, neverthelefs, be much difturbed, though the name be retained, and the being of God allowed in any fenfe, but in that of a Mind, which knows all things, and beholds human adtions, like fome judge, or magiftrate, with infinite obfervation and intelli- gence. The belief of a God, in this fenfe, fills a man's mind with fcruples, lays him under conftraints, and im- bitters his very being : But, in another fenfe, it may be attended with no great ill confequence. This, I know, was the opinion of our greau Diagorasy who told me he would never have been at the pains to find out a demon - ftration that there was no God, if the received notion o£ God had been the fame with that of fome fathers and fchoolmen. EupH. — Pray what was that ? XVII. Lys. — You muft know, Diagoras, a man of much reading and inquiry, had difcovered, that once upon a time the moft profound and fpeculative divines, finding it impoffible to reconcile the attributes of God, taken in the common fenfe, or in any known fenfe, with human reafon, and the appearances of things, taught, that th« Y 178 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV,] words knowledge, wifdom, goodnefs, and fuch like, when fpoken of the Deity, muft be underftood in a quite differ- ent fenfe from what they fignify in the vulgar acceptation, or from any thing that we can form a notion of, or con- ceive. Hence, whatever objections might be made againfl the attributes of God, they eafily folved, by denying thofe attributes belonged to God, in this or that, or any known particular fenfe or notion ; which was the fame thing as to deny they belonged to him at all. And thus denying the attributes of God, they, in effe£l:, denied his being,, though perhaps they were not aware of it. Suppofe, for inftance, a man fhould object that future contingencies were inconfiftent with the fore-knowledge of God, becaufe it is repugnant, that certain knowledge fhould be of an un- certain thing : it was a ready and eafy anfwer to fay, that this may be true, with Tefpe£t to knowledge, taken in the common fenfe, or in any fenfe that we can polTibly form any notion of : but that there would not appear the fame inconfiftency, between the contingent nature of things, and divine fore knowledge, taken to fignify fomewhat that we know nothing of, which, in God, fupplies the place of what we underftand by knowledge ; froni which it differs not in quantity or degree of perfedion, but altogether, and in kind, as light doth from found j and even more, fince thcfe agree in that they are both fenfations : whereas knowledge in God hath no fort of refemblance, or agree- ment, with any notion that man can frame of knowledge. The like may be faid of all the other attributes, which in- deed may, by this means, be equally reconciled with every- thing, or with nothing. But all men, who think, mufl needs fee, this is cutting knots, and not untying them. For how are things reconciled with the divine attributes, when thefe attributes themfelvcs are, in every intelligible fenfe, denied j and confequently the very notion of God taken away, and nothing left but the name, without any [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 179 meaning annexed to it ? In fhort, the belief that tlicre is an unknown fubjedl of attributes, abfolutely unknown, is a very innocent do£lrine : which the acute Diagoras well faw, and was, therefore, wonderfully delighted with this fyftem. XVIII. For, faid he, if this could once make its wa)', and obtain in the world, there would be an end of all nat- ural or rational religion, which is the bafis both of the Jew- ifh and the chriftian : for he who comes to God, or enters hirafelf in the church of God, mufl firfc believe that there is a God, in fome intelligible fenfe : and not only that there is fomething in general without any proper notion, though never fo inadequate, of any of its qualities or attri- butes : for this may be fate, or chaos, or plaftic nature, or any thing elfe, as well as God. Nor will it avail to fay, there is fomething in this unknown Being analogous to knowledge and goodnefs : that is to fay, which produceth thofe effects, which we could not conceive to be produced by men in any degree, without knowledge and goodnefs. For this is, in fa6t, to give up the point in difpute between theifts and- atheifts, the queftion having always been, not whether there was a principle (which point was allowed by all philofophers, as well before as fmce Anaxagoras) but whether this principle was a nous^ a thinking, intelligent Being : that is to fay, whether that order, and beauty, and ufe, vifible in natural efFecls, could be produced by any thing but a mind or intelligence, in the proper fenfe of the word ? and whether there muft not be true, real, and proper knowledge in the firft caufe ? we will therefore ac- knowledge, that all thofe natural eiFe^is, which are vulgarly afcribed to knov/ledge and wifdom, proceed from a Being, in which there is, properly fpeaking, no knowledge, or wifdom at all, but only fomething elfe, which, in reality, is the caufe of thofe things which men, for want of know- i8o MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] ing better, afcribe to what they call knowledge, and wif- dom, and underftandlng. You wonder, perhaps, to hear a man of pleafure, who diverts himfelf as I do, philofophize at this rate. But you (hould confider, that much is to be got by converfing with ingenious men, which is a fhort way to knowledge, that faves a man the drudgery of read- ing and thinking. And now we have granted to you that there is a God in this indifinite fenfe, I would fain fee what ufe you can make of this concelllon. You cannot argue from unknown attributes, or which is the fame thing, from attributes in an unknown fenfe. You cannot prove, that God is to be loved for his goodnefs, or feared for his juftice, or refpe£i:ed for his knowledge : all which confe- quences, we own, would follow from thofe attributes ad- mitted in an intelligible fenfe. But we deny, that thofe, or any other confequences, can be drawn from attributes admitted in no particular fenfe, or in a fenfe which none of us underfland. Since, therefore, nothing can be inferred from fuch an account of God, about confcience, or wor- fhip, or religion, you may even make the beft of it : and, not to be fingular, we will ufe the name too, and fo at once there is an end of atheifm. EuPH. — This account of a Deity is new to me. I do not like it, and tlierefore Ihall leave it to be maintained by thofe who do. XIX. Cri. — It is not new to me. I remember, not long fince, to have heard a Minute Philofopher triumph upon this very point ; which put me on enquring what foundation there was for it, in the fathers, or fchoolmen. And, for ought that I can find, it owes it original to thofe writings, which have been publifhed under the name of Dionyfius ihe Areopagite. The author of which, it muft be owned, hath written upon the Divine Attributes in a very fmgular flile. In his treatife of the Celeftial Hierar- chy, * he faith, that God is fomething above all eflence * De Hierarch Cteleil;. c. 2. [DiA^. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. ig| and life, uper pafan oujian hai zoen : and again, ill his trca- tife of the Divine Names, f that he is above all wifdom and underftanding, uper pafan fophian kai funefiriy ineffable and innominable, arretos kai anonumos : the wifdom of God he terms an unreafonable, unintelligent, and foolifh wifdom *, ton alogon kai anoun kai mor an fophian. But the feafon he gives, for expreffing himfelf in this ftrangc manner, is, that the Divine Wifdom is the caufe of all reafon, wifdom, and underfiianding, and therein are con- tained the treafures of all wifdom and knowledge. He calls God uperfophos and uperzos : As if wifdom and life were words not worthy to exprefs the Divine Perfections : And he adds, that the attributes, unintelligent and unper- ceiving, muft be afcribed to the Diviaity, not hat elleipftn by way of defecl:, but kath uperochen, by way of eminen- cy : which he explains, by our giving the name of dark- nefs to light inacceflible. And, notv/ithftanding the harihnefs of his expreffions in fome places, he affirms, over and over, in others, that God knows all things ; not that he is beholden to the creatures for his knowledge, but by knowing himfelf, from whom they all derive their being, and in whom they are contained as in their caufe. It was late before thefe writings appear to have been known in the world : And, although they obtained credit, during the age of the fchoolmen, yet fince critical learn- ing hath been cultivated, they have loft that credit, and are at this day given up for fpurious, as containing feve- ral evident marks of a much later date than the age of Di- onyfius. Upon the whole, although this method of grow- ing in expreffion, and dwindling in notion, of clearing up doubts by nonfenfe, and avoiding difficulties by running into affe<9:ed contradi£lions, may perhaps proceed from a well- meant zeal ; yet it appears not to be according to knov/- ledge, and, inftead of reconciling atheills to truth, hath, f De Nom, Div. c. 7. i82 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [DiaI. IV.3 I doubt, a tendency to confirm them in their own pcr- fuafion. It fhould feem, therefore, very weak and rafh in a chriftian to adopt this harfh language of an apocry- phal writer, preferably to that of the holy fcriptures. I re- member, indeed, to have read of a certain philofopher, who lived fome centuries ago, that ufed to fay, if thefe fuppo- fed works of Dionyftus had been known to the primitive fathers, they would have furnifhed them admirable wea- pons againft the heretics, and would have faved a world of pains. But the event, fmce this difcovery, hath by no means confirmed this opinion. It muft be owned, the celebrated P/Vi/j" of Mira?jdula, among his nine hundred conclufions (which that prince, being very young, propo- fed to maintain by public difputation at Rome) hath this for one ; to wit, that it is more impoper to fay of God, he is an intellect, or intelligent Being, than to fay of a reafonable foul, that it is an angel : which dodtrine, it feems, was not relifhed. And Picus, when he comes to defend it, fupports himfelf altogether by the example and authority of Dionyfms, and in effedt explains it away into a mere verbal defence, affirming, that neither Diony' ftusy nor himfelf, ever meant to deprive God of know- ledge, or to deny that he knows all things : But that, as reafon is of kind peculiar to man, fo, by intelle£l:ion, he underftands a kind of manner of knowing peculiar to an- gels : And that the knowledge, which is in God, is more above the intellection of angels, than angel is above man. He adds that, as his tenet confifts with admitting the mod perfect knowledge in God, fo he would by no means be underftood to exclude from the Deity intellecftion itfelf, taken in the common or general fenfe, but only that peculiar fort of intelle6lion proper to angels, which he thinks ought not to be attributed to God, any more than human reafon. * Pkus, therefore, though he fpeaks • Pic. Mirand. in Apolog. p. 155. Ed. Baf, [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 183 as the apocryphal Dionyfius, yet, when he explains him- felf, it is evident he fpeaks like other men. And although the forementioned books of the Celeftial Hierarchy, and of the Divine Names, being attributed to a faint and martyr of the apoftolical age, were refpetled by the fchoolmen ; yet it is certain they rejeiSlcd, or foftened, his harih ex- preffions, and explained away, or reduced, his doftrine to the received notions taken from Holy Scripture, and the light of nature. XX. nomas Aquinas exprefleth his fenfe of this point in the following manner. All perfediions, faith he, deri- ved from God to the creatures, are in a certain higher fenfe, or (as the fchoolmen term it) eminently in God. Whene- ver, therefore, a name, borrowed from any perfection in the creature, is attributed to God, we muft exclude from its fignification every thing that belongs to the imperfe£l man- ner, wherein that attribute is found in the creature. Whence he concludes, that knowledge in God is not an habit, but a pure a£l.* And again, the fame doctor ob- ferves, that our intellect gets its notions of all forts of per- fections from the creatures, and that as it apprehends thofe perfections, fo it fignifies them by names. Therefore, faith he, in attributing thefe names to God, we are to confider two things ; firft, the perfections themfelves, as goodnefs, life, and the like, which are properly in God ; and, fecond- ly, the manner which is peculiar to the creature, and can- not, ftriCtly and properly fpcaking, be faid to agree to the Creator.! And although Suarezy with other fchoolmen, teacheth, that the mind of man conceiveth knowledge and will to be in God, as faculties or operations, by analogy on- ly to created beings ; yet he gives it plainly as his opinion, that, when knowledge is faid not to be properly in God, it muft be underftood in a fenfe including imperfeCtion, fuch * Sum. Theolog. p. i. Quaeft. 14. Art. I. f Ibid- Quaeft. 13, Art. 3, i84 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] as difcurfive knowledge, or the like imperfect kind, found in the creatures : and that, none of thofe imperfections in the knowledge of men or angels, belonging to knowledge as fuch, it will not thence follow, that knowledge, in its proper fenfe, may not be attributed to God : And of knowl- edge, taken in general, for the clear evident underftanding of all truth, he exprefsly affirms, that it is in God, and that this was never denied by any philofopher, who believed a God.* It was indeed a current opinion in the fchools, that even being itfelf fhould be attributed analogically to God and the creatures. That is, they held that God, the fupreme, independent, felf-originate caufe and fource of all beings, mull not be fupofed to exift in the fame fenfc with created beings, not that he exifts lefs truly or properly than they, but only becaufe he exifts in a more eminent and perfect manner. XXI. But to prevent any man's being led, by miftak- ing the fcholaftic ufe of the terms analogy and analogical, into an opinion that we cannot frame, in any degree, a true and proper notion of attributes, applied by analogy, or, in the fchool phrafe, predicated analogically, it may not be amifs to Inquire into the true fenfe and meaning of thofe words. Every one knows, that analogy is a Greek word, ufed by mathematicians, to fignlfy a fimilitude of proportions. For inftance, when we obferVe that two is to ^ix, as three is to nine, this fimilitude, or equality of proportion, is termed analogy. And although propor- tion ftriftly fignifies the habitude, or relation, of one quantity to another, yet m a loofer and tranflated fenfe, it hath been applied to fignlfy every other habitude : And Gonfequently the term, analogy, comes to fignlfy all fimi- litude of relations, or habitudes whatfoever. Hence, the fchoolmen tell us, there is analogy between intelledl and * Suarcz Difp. Metaph. Tom. 2. Difp. 30. Sed. 15. [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 185 fight : forafmuch as intclle£l is to the mind, what fight is to the body ? and that he who governs the ftate, is analo- gous to him who (tears a fhip. Hence a prince is analo- gically ftiled a pilot, being to the ftate as a pilot is to his vefTeL* For the farther clearing of this point, it is to be obferved, that a two-fold analogy is diftinguiflied by the fchoolmen, metaphorical and proper. Of the firft kind there are frequent inftances in holy fcripture, attributing human parts and paffions to God. When he is reprefent- ed as having a finger, an eye, or an ear : when he is faid to repent, to be angry, or grieved : every one fees the an- alogy is merely metaphorical. Becaufe thofe parts and paffions, taken in the proper fignification, muft in every degree neceflarily, and from the formal nature of the thing, include imperfection. When, therefore, it is faid, the fin- ger of God appears in this or that event, men of common fenfe mean no more, but that it is as truly afcribed to God, as the works wrought by human fingers are to man : and fo of the reft. But the cafe is different, when wifdom and knowledge are attributed to God. Paffions and fenfes, as fuch, imply defedt : but in knowledge fimply, or as fuch, there is no defeat. Knowledge, therefore, in the proper formal meaning of the word, may be attributed to God proportionably, that is, preferving a proportion to the infinite nature of God. We may fay, therefore, that as God is infinitely above man, fo is the knowledge of God infinitely above the knowledge of man, and this is what Caje- tan calls Analogia proprie facia. And after this fame analogy, we muft underftand all thofe attributes to belong to the Deity, which, in them felves fimply, and as fuch, denote perfe£tion, Wc may, therefore, confiftcntly with whathath been premi- fed, affirm, that all forts of perfe£tion, which we can con- ceive in a finite fpirit, are in God, but without any of that sllay which is found in the creatures. This doctrine, * v-de Cajfitan. «3e Nom, Analog, c. 3 z lU MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IVJ therefore, of analogical perfe£lions in God, or our know- ing God by analogy, feems very much mifunderftood, and mifapplied, by thofe who would infer from thence, that we cannot frame any dire£i: or proper notion, though never fo inadequate, of knowledge or wifdom, as there are in the Deity ; or underftand any more of them, than one born blind can of light and colours. XXII. And now, gentlemen, it may be expelled I {hould a{k your pardon, for having dwelt fo long on a point of metaphyfics, and introduced fuch unpoliflied and unfafhionable writers, as the fchoolmen, into good compa- ny : but as Lyficks gave the occafion, I leave him to an- fwer for it. Lys.-— I never dreamed of this dry diflertation. But, if I have been the occafion of difcuffing thefe fcholaftic points, by my unlucky mentioning the fchoolmen, it was my firft fault of the kind, and I promife it fhall be the laft. The meddling with crabbed authors of any fort, is none of my ta(le> I grant, one meets, now and then, with a good notion in what we call dry writers, fuch an one, for exam- ple, as this I was fpeaking of, which I muft own ftruck my fancy. But then, for thefe, we have fuch as Prodicus^ x)V Diagoras, who look into obfolete books, and favc the reft: of us that trouble. Cri. — So you pin your faith upon them. Lys. — It is only for fome odd opinions, and matters of hO:, and critical points. Befides, we know the men to whom we give credit : they are judicious and honeft, and have no end to ferve but truth. And I am confident fome author or other has maintained the forementioned notion in the fame fcnfe as Diagoras related it. Cri. — That may be. But it never was a received no- tion, and never will, fo long as men believe a God : the fame arguments that prove a firft: caufe, proving an intcUi- [Dial. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 187 gent caufe : intelligent, I fay, in the proper fenfc : wife and good, in the true and formal acceptation of the words. Otherwife it is evident, that every fyllogifm brought to prove thofe attributes, or (which is the fame thing) to prove the Being of a God, will be found to confift of four terms, and confequently can conclude nothing. But, for your part, Alciphroriy you have been fully convinced, that God is a thinking intelligent Being, in the fame fenfe with other fpirits, though not in the fame imperfed manner or degree. XXIII. Alc. — And yet I am not without my fcruples r for, with knowledge you infer wifdom, and with wifdom goodnefs. Though I cannot fee that it is either wife, or good, to ena£t fuch laws as can never be obeyed. Cri. — Doth any one find fault with the exadnefs of gcoptietrical rules, becaufe no one in prafbice can attain to it ? the perfection of a rule is ufeful, even though it is not reached. Many may approach what all may fall fhort of. Alc— But how is it poffible to conceive God fo good, and man fo wicked ? It may, perhaps, with fome colour be alledged, that a little foft (hadowiiig of evils fcts off the bright and luminous parts of the creation, and fo contri- butes to the beauty of the whole piece ; but, for blots fo large and fo black, it is impoffible to account by that prin- ciple. That there ftiould be fo much vice, and fo little virtue upon earth, and that the laws of God's kingdom fhould be fo ill obferved by his fubje£i:s, is what can never be reconciled with that furpafling wifdom and goodnefs of the Supreme Monarch. EuPH. — ^Tell me, Akiphrotiy would you argue that a ftate was ill adminftred, or judge of the manners of its citizens, by the difordcrs committed in the goal or dun- geon ? ALC.-.-I would not. 1 88 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IVJ EuPH. — And, for ought we know, this fpot with the few finners on it, bears no greater proportion to the univerfc of intelligences, than a dungeon doth to a kingdom. It feems, we are led not only by revelation, but by common fenfe, obferving and inferring from the analogy of vifiblc things, to conclude there are innumerable orders of intelli- gent beings, more happy and more perfeft than man : whofe life is but a fpan, and whofe place, this earthly globe, is but a point, in refpe£t of the whole fyftem of God's Creation. We are dazzled indeed with the glory and grandeur of things here below, becaufe we know no better. But I am apt to think, if we knew what it was to be an angel for one hour, we fliould return to this world, though it were to fit on the brighteft throne in it, with vaftly more loathing and relu6lance, than we would now defcend into a loathfome dungeon or fepulchre. XXIV. Cri. — To me it feems natural, that fuch a weak, paflionate, and fliort-fight creature as man, fhould be ever liable to fcruples of one kind or other. But, as this fame creature is apt to be over-pofitive in judging, and over-hafty in concluding, it falls oiit, that thefe difficulties and fcruples about God's condudi are made obje£^ions to his Being. And fo men come to argue from their own defe£ts, againft the divine perfections. And, as the views and humours of men are different, and often oppofite, you may fometimes fee them deduce the fame atheiftical con- clufion from contrary premifes. I knew an inftance of this in two Minute Philofophers of my acquaintance, who ufed to argue each from his own temper againft a Provi- dence. One of them, a man of a choleric and vindidlivc fpirit, faid he could not believe a Providence : becaufe London was not f wallowed up or con fumed by fire from heaven : the flreets being, as he faid, full of people, who ftiew no other belief or worfhip of God, but perpetually [PiAL. IV.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. iS^ praying that he would damn, rot, fink, and confound them. The other, being of an indolent and eafy temper, concluded there could be no fuch thing as a Providence : for that a Being of confummate wifdom muft needs employ himfdf better, than in minding the prayers, and a£iions, and little interefts of mankind. Alc. — After all, if God have no palTions, how can it be true that vengeance is his ? or how can he be faid to be jealous of his glory ? Cri. — We believe that God executes vengeance with- out revenge, and is jealous without weaknefs, juft as the mind of man fees without eyes, and apprehends without hands. XXV. Alc. — To put a period to this difcourfc, we will grant, there is a God in this difpaffionate fenfe : but what then ? What hath this to do with religion or divine worftiip ? To what purpofe are all thefe prayers and prai- fes, and thankfgivings, and finging of pfalms, which the foolifti vulgar call ferving God ? What fenfe, or ufe, or end is there in all thefe things ? Cri. — We worfhip God, we praife and pray to hiffi, not becaufe we think that he is proud of our worfhip, or fond of our praife or prayers, and afFe£lcd with them as mankind are : or that all our fervice can contribute in the leaft degree to his happinefs or good : but becaufe it is good for us, to be fo difpofed towards God : becaufe it is juft and right, and fuitable to the nature of things, and becoming the relation we ftand in to our Supreme Lord and Governor. Alc. — If it be good for us to worfhip God, it (hould feem that the chriftian religion, which pretends to teach men the knowledge and worihip of God, was of fome ufe and benefit to mankind, Cri. — Doubtlefs. f^ MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. IV.] Alc— If this can be made appear, I ihall own myfelf tcry much miftaken. Cri.— It is now near dinner-time. Wherefore, if you f leafe, we will put an end to this converfation for the pre- fcnt, and to-morrow morning refume our fubje^ >S><>^S>^;>lC;-c:;wc::•<>o;>.l;>c>ls;:.<;>.::::l.l:;:;^l:;::l.|-:.<:::M:r;<;:t.l;:;>.::;:.<::,^::>.::: :;!.,:;;>,::?< THE FIFTH DIALOGUE. I. Minute Phihfophers join in the Cry, and fellow the Scent of others, II. Worfhip prefcribed by the Chrifiian Religi^ on fuitable to God and Man. III. Power and Influence of the Druids. IV. Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Chrifiian Religion, V. // ennobles Mankind, and males them happy, VI. Religion neither Bigotry nor Superfli- Hon, Vn. Rhyftcians and Phyftc for the Soul. VIII. Character of the Clergy. IX. Natural Religion and Hu' man Reafon not to be difparaged. X. Tendency and Ufe of the Gentile Religion. XL Good EffeBs of Chriftiani- ty. XII. Englifhmen compared with ancient Greeks and Romans. XIII. The modern PraBice of Duelling. XrV. CharaBer of the old Romans, how to be formed. XV. Genuine Fruits of the Gofpel. XVI. Wars and FaBions not an effeB of the Chrifiian Religion, XVII. Civil Rage and Majfacres in Greece and Rome. XVIII. Virtue of ancient Greeks. XIX. parrels of Polemical Divims, XX. Tyranny, Ufurpation, Sophiflry of Ec^ clefaflics, XXI. The Univerftties cenfured. XXII. Di- vine Writings of a certain modern Critic. XXIII. Learn- ing the EffeB of Religion. XXIV. Barbarifm of the Schools. XXV. Re/f oration of Learning and polite Arts, to whom owing. XXVI. Prejudice and Ingratitude of Minute Philofophers. XXVII. Their Pretenfions and ConduB inconftfient. XXVIIL Men and Brutes compare ed with refpeB to Religion. XXIX. Chrijlianity the only Means to efablifh Natural Religion. XXX. Free-think- ers mifake their Talents ; have a flrong Imagination. XXXI. Tithes and Church-lands. XXXII. Men diflin- guijhedfrcm Human Creatures. XXXIII. Diflribution [Dial, V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 193 of Mankind into Birdr, Bea/Js, and Fijhes. XJCXIV. Plea for Reafon allowed^ but Unfairnefs Taxed. XXXV. Freedom a Bleffmg or Curfe^ as it is iifed, XXXVI. Friejicraft not the reigning EviL y Y E amufed ourfelves next day, every one to his fancy, till nine of the clock, when word was brought that the tea-table was fet in the library : which is a gallery on the ground floor, with an arched door at one end, opening into a walk of limes ; where, as foon as we had drank tea, we were tempted by fine weather to take a walk, which led us to a fmall mount, of eafy afcent, on the top whereof we found a feat under a fpreading tree. Here we had a profpeiSt, on one hand, of a narrow bay, or creek, of the fea, inclofed on either fide by a coafl beautified with rocks and woodS;, and green banks and farm-houfes. At the end of the bay was a fmall town, placed upon the flope of a hill, which, from the advantage of its fituation, made a confiderable figure. Several fifh- ing boats and lighters, gliding up and down on a furface as fmooth and bright as glafs, enlivened the profpect. On the other hand, we looked down on green paftures, flocks, and herds, baflcing beneath in fun-fhine, while we, in our fuperior fituation, enjoyed the freflinefs of air and fhade. Here we felt that fort of joyful inftin(Sl:, which a rural fcene and fine weather infpire ; and propofed no fmall pleafure, inrefuming and continuing our conference, without interruption, till dinner : But we had hardly feated ourfelves, and looked about us, when we faw a. fox run. by the foot of our mount into an adjacent thicket, A few minutes after, we heard a confufed noife of the opening of hounds, the winding of horns, and the roar- rag of country fquires. While our attention was fuf- oended bv this event, a fervant Cvime running out o'i 194 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] breath, and told Crito, that his neighbor, Ctefippus, a fquire of note, was fallen from his horfe attempting to leap over a hedge, and brought into the hall, where he lay for dead. Upon which we all rofe, and walked haf- tily to the houfe, where we found Cteftppus juft come to himfelf, in the midft of half a dozen fun-burnt fquires, in frocks and fhort wigs, and jockey-boots. Being afked how he did, he anfwered, it was only a broken rib.— With fome difficulty Crito perfuaded him to lie on a bed till the chirurgeon came. Thefe fox-hunters having been up early at their fport, were eager for dinner, which was accordingly haftened. They pafTed the afternoon in a loud ruftic mirth, gave proof of Iieir religion and loyalty by the healths they drank, talked of hounds and horfes, znd. elections, and country affairs, till the chirurgeon, who had been employed about Ctsfppus, defired he might be put into Crito^s coach, and fent home, having refufed to (lay all night. Our guefts being gone, we repofed ourfelves after the fatigue of this tumultuous vifit, and next morning affemblcd again at the feat of the mount. Now LyJtcliSi being a nice man, and a bel efprity had an infinite contempt for the rough manners and converfation of fox-hunters, and could not reflect with patience that he had loft, as he called it, fo many hours in their com- pany. I flattered myfelf, faid he, that there had been none of this fpecies remaining among us ; Strange that men iliould be diverted with fuch uncouth noife and hurry, or find pleafure in the fociety of dogs and horfes ! How much more elegant are the diverfions of the town ! There feems, replied Euphranor, to be fome refemblance between fox-hunters and free-thinkers ; the former exerting their animal faculties in purfuit of game, as you gentlemen em- ploy your intellectuals in the purfuit of truth. The kind of amufement is the fame, although the objedt be dif- erent. [Dial. VJ MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 195 Lys. — I had rather be compared to any brute upon earth than a rational brute. Cri.— rYou would then have been lefs difpleafed with my friend Pythoclesy whom I have heard compare the com- mon fort of Minute Philofophers, not to the hunters, but the hounds. For, faid he, you fhall often fee among the dogs a loud babler, with a bad nofe, lead the unfKilful part of the pack ; who join all in his cry, without following any fcent of their own, any more than the herd of free- thinkers follow their own reafon. II. But Pythocles was a blunt man, and muft never have known fuch reafoners among them, as you gentlemen, who can fit fo long at an argument, difputc every inch of ground, and yet know when to make a reafonable con- ceflion. Lys. — I do not know how it came to pafs, but methinks Alc'iphron makes conceflions, for himfelf and me too. For my own part, I am not altogether of fuch a yielding tem- per : But yet I do not care to be fmgular neither. Cri. — Truly, Alciphron^ when I confider where we are got, and how far we are agreed, I conceive it probable we may agree altogether in the end. You have granted that a life of virtue is upon all accounts eligible, as moft con- ducive both to the general and particular good of mankind : And you allow, that the beauty of virtue alone is not a fuf- ficient motive with mankind to the praftice of it This led you to acknowledge, that the belief of a God would be very ufeful in the world : And that, confequently, you fhould be difpofed to admit any reafonable proof of his being : Which point hath been proved, and you have ad- mitted the proof. If then we admit a Divinity, why not divine worfhip ? and if worfhip, why not religion to teach this virorfhip ? and if a religion, why not the chriftian, if a better cannot be afligned, and if it be already eftabUlhed uj6 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.j by the laws of our country, and handed down to us from our Fore-fathers ? fhall we believe a God, and not pray to him for future benefits, nor thank him for the paft ? nei- ther truft in his prote£l:ion, nor love his goodnefs, nor praife his wifdom, nor adore his power ? And if thefe things are to be done, can we do them in a way more fuitable to the dignity of God or man, than is prefcribed by the chriftian reHgion ? Alc. — I am not perhaps altogether fure that religion mud be abfolutely bad for the public : But I cannot bear to fee policy and religion walk hand in hand : I do not like to fee human rights attached to the divine : I am for no Pontifex Maximus^ fuch as in ancient or in modern Rome : No high prieft, as in Judea : No royal pried, as in £gypt and Sparta : No fuch things as the Dairos of Japan or Lamas of Tartary. III. I knew a little witty gentleman of our fe^t, who was a great admirer of the ancient Druids. He had a moral antipathy to the prefent eiUbliflied religion, but ufed to fay, he (hould like well to fee the Druids and their religion reftored, as it anciently flouriflied in Gaul and Britain ; for it would be right enough that there (liould be a number of contemplative men fet apart to preferve a knowledge of arts and fciences, to educate youth, and teach men the immortality of the foul, and the moral vir- tues. Such, faid he, were the Druids of old, and I fhould be glad to fee them once more eftablifned among us. Cri. — How would you like, Alciphron, that priefts fhould have power to decide ail controverfies, adjudge property, diftribute rewards and punifhments ; that all who did not acquiefce in their decrees fnould be excommu- nicated, held in abhorrence, excluded from all honours and privileges, and deprived of the common benefit of the laws \ and that, now and then, a number of lay-men [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 197 ihould be crammed together in a wicker-idol, and burnt for an offering to their Pagan Gods ? How {hould you like living under fuch priefts and fuch a religion ? Alc.^ — Not at all. Such a fituation would by no means agree with free-thinkers. Cri. — And yet fuch were the Druidsy and fuch their religion, if wc may truft Cafar's account of them.* Lys. — I am now convinced more than ever, that there ought to be no fuch thing as an eftablilhed religion of any kind. Certainly all the nations of the world have been hitherto out of their wits. Even the Athenians themfelves, the wifefl: and freed people upon earth, had, I know not what, foolifh attachment to their eftabliflied church. They offered, it feems, a talent as a reward to whoever fnould kill Diagorasy the Me/iany a free-thinker of thofe times, who derided their myfleries : And Protagoras, ano- ther of the frtme turn, narrowly efcaped being put to death, for having wrote fomething that fcemed to contradi£l: their received notions of the Gods. Such was the treat- ment our generous fe6l met with at Athens. And I make no doubt, but thefe Druids would have facrificed many a holocauft of free-thinkers. I would not give a fingle far- thing to exchange one religion for another. Away with all together, root and branch, or you had as good do no- thing. No Druids or priefrs, cf any fort, for me : I fee no occafion for any of them. IV. EuPH. — What Lyftcles faith, puts me in mind of the clofe of our laft conference, wherein it was agreed in the following, to refume the point we were then entered upon : to wit, the ufe or benefit of the chriftian religion, which Alciphron expelled Crito fhould make appear. Cri. — I am the readier to undertake this point, becaufe I conceive it to be no difficult one, and that one great mark * Dc Bello GaUico. 1. 6. ipS klNUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] of the truth of chriftianity is, in my mind, its tendency to do good, which feems the north-ftar to conduct our judg- ment in moral matters, and in all things of a praftic na- ture ; moral or practical truths being ever conne6t:ed with univerfal benefit. But to judge rightly of this matter, we fhould endeavour to a£t like Lyficles upon another occafion, taking into our view the fum of things, and confidering principles as branched forth into confequences to the ut* mod extent we are able. We are not fo much to regard the humour, or caprice, or imaginary diftreifes, of a few idle men, whqfe conceit may be offended, though their confcience cannot be wounded ; but fairly to confidcr the true intereft of individuals, as well as of human fociety. Now, the chriftian religion, confidered as a fountain of light, and joy, and peace, as a fource of faith, and hope, and char- ity, (and that it is fo, will be evident to whoever takes his notion of it from the gofpel) muft needs be a principle of happinefs and virtue= And he who fees not, that the dc- ftroying the principles of good a£l:ions muft deftroy good a6lions, fees nothing : And he who, feeing this, fhall yet perfift to do it, if he be not wicked, who is ? V. To me it feems, the man can fee neither deep nor far, who is not fenfible of his own mifery, finfulnefs and dependence ; who doth not perceive, that this prefent world is not defigned or adapted to make rational fouls happy ; who would not be glad of getting into a better ftate j and who would not be overjoyed to find that the road leading thither, was the love of God and man, the pra61:ifing every virtue, the living reafonably while we are here upon earth, proportioning our efteem to the value of things, and fo ufing this world as not to abufe it. For this is what chriftianity requires. It neither injoins the naftinefs of the cynic, nor the infenfibility of the ftoic. Can there be a higher ambition than to overcome the world. [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER, 199 or a wifer, than to fubdue ourfelves, or a more comfort-y able doclrine, than the remiffion of fms, or a more joy- ful profpe6i:, than that of having our bafe natures renew- ed and aflimilated to the Deity, our being made fellow- citizens with angels and fons of God ? Did ever Pytha- goreans^ or Platonijlsy or Stoicsy even in idea or in wifh, propofe to the mind of man purer means, or a nobler end ? How great a (hare of our happinefs depends upon hope ! How totally is this extinguifhed by the Minute Philofophy ! On the other hand, how is it cheriftied and raifed by the gofpel ! Let any man, who thinks in ear- neft, but confider thefe things, and then fay, which he tliinks deferveth beft of mankind, he who recommends, or he who i)I»is down chriftianity ? Which he thinks like- lier to lead a happy life, to be a hopeful fon, an honeft dealer, a worthy patriot, he who fmcerely believes the gofpel, or he who believes not one tittle of it ? He who aims at being a child of God, or he who is contented to be thought, and to be, one of Epicurus^s hogs ? And, in fa6l, do but fcan the characters, and obferve the beha- vior of the common fort of men on both fides ; obferve, and fay which live moft agreeably to the dictates of rea- fon ? How things ftiould be, the reafon is plain j how they are, I appeal to fa6t. VL Alc. — It is wonderful to obferve how things change appearance, as they are viewed in different lights, or by different eyes. The picture, Critoy that I form of religion is very unlike yours, when I confider how it un- mans the foul, filling it with abfurd reveries, and flavifh fears : how it extinguifhes the gentle pafTions, infpiring a fpirit of malice, and rage, and perfecution : When I beheld bitter refentments and unholy wrath in thofe very men, who preach up meeknefs and charity to others. Cri. — It is very poflible, that gentlemen of your itSt may think religion a fubje6l beneath their attention ; but 200 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] yet it feems that whoever fets up for oppofing any doc- trine^ ihould know what it is he difputes againft. Know then, tiiat religion is the virtuous mean between incredu- lity and fuperftition. We do not, therefore, contend for fuperftitious follies, or for the rage of bigots. What we plead for is, religion againft profanenefs, law againft confufion, virtue againft vice, the hope of a chriftian againll the defpondency of an atheift. I will not juftify bitter refentments and unholy wrath in any man, much lefs in a chriftian, and leaft of all in a clergyman. But if failies of human palhon ftiould fometimes appear even in the beft, it will not furprife any one who refle6ls on the farcafms and ill manners with which they are treated by the Minute Philofophers. For, as Cicero fomewhere ob- ferves, Habet quendam acideum contumeliai quern pati pru^ denies ac viri boni difficillime pojfunt. But although you might fometimes obferve particular perfons, profefling themfelves chriftians, run into faulty extremes of any kind, through paffion and infirmity, while infidels of a more calm and difpaflionate temper fiiall perhaps behave better;— yet thefe natural tendencies, on either fide, prove nothing, either in favor of infidel principles, or againft chriftian. If a believer doth evil, it is owing to the man, not to his belief. And if an infidel doth good, it is owing to the man, and not to his infidelity. VII. Lys. — To cut this matter Ihort, I fhall borrow an allufion to phyfic, which one of you made ufe of againft our feft. It will not be denied that the clergy pafs for phyficians of the foul, and that religion is a fort of medicine which they deal in and adminifter. If then fouls, in great numbers, are difeafed and loft, how can we think the phyfician fkilful, or his phyfic good ? It is a common complaint, that vice increafes, and men grow daily more and rr.ore '\v:cked. Jf a (hepherd's flock be tDiAL. v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. ^©i difeafed or unfound, who is to blame but the (hepherd, for negle£^Ing, or not knowing how to cure them ? A fig, therefore, for fuch Ihepherds, fuch phyfic, and fuch phyficians, who, like other mountebanks, with great gravity and elaborate harangues, put off their pills to the people, who are never the better for them. EuPH. — Nothing feems more reafonable than this re- mark, that men fhould judge of a phyfician and his phy- fic, by its efFedls on the fick. But pray, Lyficles, would you judge of a phyfician, by thofe Tick who take his phy- fic and follow his prefcriptions, or by thofe who do not ? Lys. — Doubtlefs by tliofe who do. EuPH. — What {hall we fay then, if great numbers re- fufe to take the phyfic, or, inftead of it, take poifon of a dire£l: contrary nature, prefcribed by others, who make it their bufinefs to difcredit the phyfician and his medi- cines, to hinder men from ufing them, and to deftroy their effect by drugs of their own ? Shall the phyfician be blamed for the mifcarriage of thofe people ? Lys. — By no means. EuPH. — By a parity of reafon, fliould it not follow, that the tendency of religious do£trincs ought to be judg- ed of by the efFe£l:s which they produce, not upon all who hear them, but upon thofe only who receive or be- lieve them ? Lys. — It feems fo. EuPH. — Therefore, to proceed fairly, (hall we not judge of the effects of religion by the religious, of faith by the believers, of chriftianity by chriftians } VIII. Lys. — But I doubt thefe fincere believers arc very few, EupH.— -But will it not fuffice to juflify our principles, if, in proportion to the numbers which receive them, and the degree of faith with which they are received, they B b 2C2 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.} produce good effeifis ? Perhaps the number of believers are not fo few as you imagine ; and if they were, whofe fault is that fo much as of thofe who make it their pro- fefled endeavor to leffen that number ? And who are thofe but the Minute Philofophers ? Lys. — I tell you, it is owing to the clergy thcmfelves, to the wickednefs and corruption of clergymen. EuPK.— And who denies that there may be Minute Philofophers even among the clergy ? Cri. — In fo numerous a body, it is to be prefumed there are men of all forts. But notwithftanding the cru- el reproaches caft upon that order by their enemies, an equal obferver of men and things will, if I miftake not, be inclined to think thofe reproaches owing as much to other faults, as thofe of the clergy : Efpecially if he con - fiders the declamatory manner of thofe who cenfure them. EuPH.— My knowledge of the world, is too narrow for me to pretend to judge of the virtue, and merit, and liber- al attainments of men, in the feveral profefTions. Befides, I fliouldnot care for, the odious work of comparifon : But I may venture to fay, the clergy of this country where I live, arc by no means a difgrace to it : On the contrary, the people feem much the better for their example and doctrine. But fuppofing the clergy to be (what all men certainly are) finncrs, and faulty ; fuppofing you ipight fpy out here and there among them even great crimes and vices : what can you conclude againft the profeffion itfelf from its unworthy profeflbrs, any more than from the pride, pedantry, and bad lives of fome philofophers againft philofophy, or of lawyers againft law ? IX. Cri. — It is certainly right to judge of principles from their efte£l:s, but then we muft know them to be effects of thofe principles. It is the very method I have obferved, with refped to religion and the Minute Philofo- tt)iAL. v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 203 -phy. And I can honeftly aver, that I never knew any man, or family, grow worfe in proportion as they grew reli- gious : But I have often obferved, that Minute Philofophy is the word thing which can get into a family, the readiell way to impoverifh, divide, and difgrace it. Alc. — By the fame method of tracing caufes from their efFecls, I have made it my obfervation, that the love of truth, virtue, and the happincfs of mankind are fpe- cious pretexts, but not the inward principles that fet di- vines at work : Elfe why ihould they affecl to abufe hu- man reafon, to difparage natural religion, to traduce the philofophers, as they univerfally do ? Cri. — Not fo univerfally perhaps as you imagine. A chriftian, mdeed, is for confining reafon within its due bounds : And fo is every reafonable man. If we are for- bid meddling with unprofitable queflions, vain philofophy, and fcience, falfly fo called, it cannot be thence inferred, that all inquiries into profitable queflions, ufeful philofo- phy, and true fcience, are unlawful. A Minute Philofo- pher may indeed impute, and perhaps a weak brother may imagine, thofe inferences, but men of fenfe will never make them. God is the common Father of lights : And all knowledge, really fuch, whether natural or revealed, is derived from the fame fource of light and truth. To amafs together authorities upon fo plain a point, would be needlefs. It mufl be owned, fome men's attributing too much to human reafon, hath, as is natural, made others attribute too little to it. But thus much is generally ac- knowledged, that there is a natural religion, which may be difcovered and proved by the light of reafon, to thofc who are capable of fuch proofs. But it mufl be withal acknowledged, that precepts and oracles from Heaven are incomparably better fuited to popular improvement, and the good of fociety, than the reafonings of philofophers : And accordingly we do not find, that natural or rational 204 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [DiAt. V."] religion, as fuch, ever became the popular national reli- gion of any country. X. Alc. — It cannot be denied, that in all heathen coun- tries, there have been received, under the colour of reli- gion, a world of fables and fuperftitious rites. But I queftion whether they were fo abfurd, and of fo bad influ- ence, as is vulgarly reprefented, fince their refpe£live le- giflators and magiftrates muft, without doubt, have thought them ufefui. Cri. — It were needlefs to inquire into all the rites and notions of the Gentile world. This hath been largely done when it was thought neceflary. And whoever thinks it worth while, may be eafily fatisfied about them. But as to the tendency and ufefulnefs of the heathen religion in general, I beg leave to mention a remark of St. Auguf- tinis^ who obferves that the heathens, in their religion, had no aflemblies for preaching, wherein the people were to be inftruded what duties or virtues the Gods required, no place or means to be taught what Ferjius \ exhorts them to learn. Difciteque 6 miferiy ^ caufas cognofcite rerunty ^uid fumuSf ^ quidnam viSluri gignimur. — Alc. — This is the true fpirit of the party, never to al- low a grain of ufe or goodnefs to any thing out of their own pale : But we have had learned men, who have done juftice to the religion of the Gentiles. Cri. — We do not deny, but there was fomething ufefui in the old religions of Rome and Greece^ and fome other pagan countries. On the contrary, we freely own they produced fome good effects on the people : But then thefe good effects were owing to the truths contained in thofe * De Civitate Dsi I. %. f Sat. 3. tDiAL. v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 2©5 falfe religions : The truer, therefore, the more ufeful. I believe you will find it a hard matter to produce any ufe- ful truth, any moral precept, any falutary principle, or notion, in any Gentile fyftem, either of religion or philo- fophy, which is not comprehended in the chriftian, and cither enforced by ftronger motives, or fupported by bet- ter authority, or carried to a higher point of perfection. XL Alc. — Confequently you would have us think ourfelves a finer people than the ancient Greeks or Romans. Cri. — If by finer, you mean better, perhaps we are : And if we are not, it is not owing to the chriftian religion, but to the want of it. Alc. — You fay perhaps we are. I do not pique my- felf on my reading : But fhould be very ignorant to be ca- pable of being impofed on in fo plain a point. What ! compare Cicero or Brutus to an Englijh patriot, or Seneca to one of our parfons ! Then that invincible conftancy and vigour of mind, that difintcrefted and noble virtue, that adorable public fpirit you fo much admire, are things in them fo well known, and fo different from our man- ners, that I know not how to excufe your perhaps. Eu^ phranor, indeed, who pafleth his life in this obfcure cor- ner, may poflibly miftake the chara£l:ers of our times : But you, who know the world, how could you be guilty of fuch a miftake ? Cri.—- O Ak'iphron ! I v/ould by no means detradi; from the noble virtue of ancient heroes : But I obferve thofe great men were not the Minute Philofophers of their times : And that the beft principles upon which they a£t- cd, arc common to them with chriftians, of whom it would be no difficult matter to aflign, if not in our own times, yet within the compafs of our own hiftory, many inftances, in every kind of worth and virtue, public or private, equal to the moft celebrated of the ancients. Though perhaps their ftory might not have been fo well 1^6 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] told, fet ofF with fuch fine lights and colourings of ftile, or fo vulgarly known and confidered by every fchool-boy. But though it Ihould be granted, that here and there a Greek or Roman genius, bred up under ftri£t laws, and fevere difcipline, animated to pubHc virtue by ftatues, crowns, triumphal arches, and fuch rewards and monu- ments of great anions, might attain to a charafter and fame beyond other men •, yet this will prove only, that they had more fpirit, and lived under a civil polity more wifely ordered, in certain points, than ours : Which advan- tages of nature and civil inftitution will be no argument for their religion, or againft ours. On the contrary, it feems an invincible proof of the power and excellency of the chriftian religion, that, without the help of thofe ci- vil inftitutions and incentives to glory, it ihould be able to infpire a phlegmatic people with the noblefl: fentiments, and foften the* rugged manners of northern boors into gentlenefs and humanity : And that thefe good qualities Ihould become national, and rife and fall in proportion to the purity of our religion, as it approaches to, or recedes from the plan laid down in the gofpel. XII. To make a right judgment of the effects of the chwftian religion, let us take a furvey of the prevailing notions and manners of this very country where we live, and compare them with thofe of our heathen predeceflbrs. Alc. — I have heard much of the glorious light of the gofpel, and fhould be glad to fee fome efFe£ts of it in my own dear country, which, by the by, is one of the moft corrupt and profligate upon earth, notwithflanding the boafted purity of our religion. But it would look mean and diffident, to afFe6i: a comparifon with the barbarous heathen, from whence we drew our original; If you would do honor to your religion, dare to make it with the moft renowned heathens of antiquity. iDiAU v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 207 Cri. — It is a common prejudice, to defpife the pre- fent, and over-rate remote times and things. Something of this feems to enter into the judgments men make of the Greeks and Romans. For though it mud be allowed, thofe nations produced fome noble fplrits, and great pat- terns of virtue : yet, upon the whole, it feems to me, they were much inferior, in point of real virtue and good mo- rals, even to this corrupt and profligate nation, as you are now pleafed to call it, in difhonor to our religion ; however you may think fit to chara£terife It, when you would do honor to the Minute Philofophy. This, I think, will be plain to any one, who (hall turn off his eyes from a few fhining charadlers, to view the general manners and cuftoms of thofe people. Their infolent treatment of captives, even of the higheft rank and fofter fex, their unnatural expofing of their own children, their bloody gladiatorian fpe£l:acles, compared with the common no- tions of Engltjhmejiy are to me a plain proof, that our minds are much foftened by chriftianity. Could any thing be more unjuft, than the condemning a young lady to the mod infamous punlfhment, and death, for the guilt of her father, or a whole family of flaves, perhaps fome hundreds, for a crime committed by one ? Or more abominable than the bacchanals and unbridled iufts of every kind ? which, notwithftanding all that has been done by Minute Philofophers to debauch the nation, and their fuccefsful attempts on fome part of it, have not yet been matched among us, at leaft not in every circum- ftance of impudence and affrontery. While the Romans- were poor, they were temperate ; but, as they grew rich, they became 'luxurious to a degree that is hardly believed or conceived by us. It cannot be benied, the old Roman fpirlt was a great one. But it is as certain, there have been numberlcfs examples of the moft refolute and clear courage in Britons , and, in general, from a religious caufe. 2o8 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VJ Upon the whole, it feems an inftance of the greateft blindnefs and ingratitude, that we do not fee and own the exceeding great benefits of chriftianity, which, to omit higher confidcrations, hath fo vifibly foftened^ polifh- ed, and embelliflied our manners. XIII. Alc. — O Crko, we are alarmed at cruelty in a foreign fhape, but overlook it in a familiar one. Elfe how is it poflible that you (hould not fee the inhumanity of that barbarous ouftom of duelling, a thing avowed and tolerated, and even reputable among us ? Or that, fee- ing this, you fhould fuppofe o^r Engli/hmen of a more gentle difpofition than the ©Id Romans, who were alto- gether ftrangers to it ? Cri. — I will by no means make an apology for every Goth that walks the ftreets, with a determined purpofe to murder any man who Ihall but fpit in his face, or give him the lie. Nor do I think the chriftian religion in the leaft anfwerable, for a praf^ice fo directly oppofite to its precepts, and which obtains only among the idle part of the nation, your men of fafnion 5 who, inftead of law, reafon, and religion, are governed by fafhion. Be plea- fed to confider, that what may be, and truly is, a moft fcandalous reproach to a chriftian country, may be none at all to the chriftian religion : For the pagan encouraged men in feveral vices, but the chriftian in none. Alc— Give me leave to obferve, that what you now fay is foreign to the purpofe. For the queftion, at prc- fent, is not concerning the refpe(3:ive tendencies of the pagan and the chriftian religions, but concerning our man- ners, as actually compared with thofe of ancient heath- ens, who, I aver, had no fuch barbarous cuftom as duel- ing. Cri.— And I aver that, bad as this is, they had a worfe ; and that was poifoning. By which we have rea- tDiAL. v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. aop fon to think there were many more lives deftroyed, than by this Gothic crime of duelling : inafmuch as it extended to all ages, fexes, and characters, and as its efFefts were more fecret and unavoidable : and as it had more tempt- ations, intereft as well as paflion, to recommend it to wicked men. And for the fa6l, not to wafte time, I re- fer you to the Roman authors themfelves. Lys.— It is very true, duelling is not fo general a nufance as poifoning, nor of fo bafe a nature. This crime, if it be a crime, is in a fair way to keep its ground, in fpite of the law and the gofpel. The clergy never preach againft it, becaufe themfelves never fufFer by it ; and the man of honor muft never appear againft the means of vindicating honor. Cri.— Though It be remarked by fome of your fe profefs tbemfelves in the interefls of virtue and natu- ral religion, and have alfo declared, that I myfelf do now argue upon that foot. Cri. — How can you pretend to be in the intereft of natural religion, and yet be profeffed enemies of the chrif- ftian, the only cfliabHfhed religion which includes what ever is excellent in the natural, and which is the only means of making thofe precepts, duties, and notions, fo [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 233 called, become reverenced tliroughoiit the world ? Would not he be thought weak or infincere, who (hould go about to perfuade people, that he was much in the inter- efts of an earthly monarch ; that he loved and admired his government ; when at the fame time he (hewed him- felf on all occafions, a mod bitter enemy of thofe very perfons, and methods, which, above all others, contribu- ted moft to his fervice, and to make his dignity known and revered, his laws obferved, or his dominion extended ? And is not this what Minute Philofophers do, while they fet up for advocates of God and religion, and yet do all they can to difcredit chriftians and their worfhip ? It muft be owned, indeed, that you ar^ue againft chriftianity, as the caufe of evil and wickednefs in the world : But with fuch arguments, and in fuch a manner, as might equally prove the fame thing of civil government, of meat and drink, of every faculty and profeffion, of learning, of eloquence, and even of human reafon itfelf. After all, even thofe of your fe£b who allow themfelves to be called deifts, if their notions are thoroughly examined, will, I fear, be found to include little of religion in them. As for the Providence of God, watching over the condu£l of human agents, and difpenfmg bleflings or chailifements, the immortality of the foul, a final judgment, and future ilate of rewards and punifhm.ents ; how few, if any, of your free-thinkers have made it their endeavor to poflefs men's minds with a ferious fenfe of thofe great points of natural religion ! How many, on the contrary, endeavor to render the belief of them doubtful or ridiculous ! It muft be owned, there may be found men, that, without any regard to thefe points, make fome pretence to reli- gion : But who can think them in earneft ? You (hall fometimes fee, the very ringleaders of vice and profane- nefs write like men, that would be thought to have virtue and piety at heart. This may perhaps prove them incon- F f 234 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] (iftcnt uTiters, but can never prove them to be innocent. When a man's declared principles and peculiar tenets are utterly fubverfive of thofe things -, whatever fuch a one faith of virtue, piety, and religion, will be underftood as mere difcretion and compliance with common forms. Lys. — To fpeak the truth, I, for my part, had never any liking to religion of any kind, either revealed or un- revealed : And I dare venture to fay the fame for thofe gentlemen of our fe61: that I am acquainted with, having never obferved them guilty of fo much meannefs, as even to mention the name of God with reverence, or fpeak with the leaft regard of piety, or any fort of worfhip. There may, perhaps, be found one or two formal preten- ders to enthufiafm and devotion, in the way of natural religion, who laughed at chriftians for publifhing hymns and meditations, while they plagued the world with as bad of their own : But the fprightly men make a jell of all this. It feems to us mere pedantry. Sometimes, in- deed, in good company one may hear a word dropt in commendation of honor and good-nature : But the for- mer of thefe, by ConmiJfeurSy is always underftood to mean nothing but fafhion : As the latter is nothing but temper and conftitution, which guides a man juft as appe- tite doth a brute. XXVIII. And after all thefe argument^ and notions, which beget one another without end, to take the matter fhort : Neither I nor my friends, for our fouls, could ever comprehend, why man might not do very well, and gov- ern himfelf without any religion at all, as well as a brute, which is thought the fiUier creature of the two. Have brutes inftin£t:s, fenfes, appetites, and paflions, to fteer and conduft them ? So have men, and reafon, over and above, to confult upon occafion. From thefe premifes we conclude, the road of human life is fufficiently lighted without religion. [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 23^ Cri. — Brutes having but fmall power, limited to things prefent or particular, are fufficlently oppofed and kept in order, by the force or faculties of other animals, and the Ikill of man, without confclence or religion : But con- fclence Is a neceffary balance to human reafon, a faculty of fuch mighty extent and power, efpeclally toward mif- chief. Befides, other animals are, by the law of their na- ture, determined to one certain end, or kind of being, without inclination or means either to deviate or go beyond it. But man hath in him a will and higher principle ; by virtue whereof he may purfue different or even contra- ry ends ; and either fall fhort of, or exceed the perfeftion natural to his fpecies In this world ; as he is capable, ci- ther by giving up the reins to his fenfual appetites, of degrading himfelf Into the condition of brutes, or elfe, by well ordering and improving his mind, of being tranf- formed into the fimilitude of angels. Man alone, of all animals, hath underftanding to know his God. What avalleth this knowledge, unlefs it be to enoble man, and ralfe him to an imitation and participation of the Divinity ? Or what could fuch enoblement avail, if to end with this life ? Or how can thefe things take effedt, without reli- gion ? But the points of vice and virtue, man and beaft, fenfe and intellect, have been already at large canvaffed. What ! Lyftcles, would you have us go back where we were three or four days ago ? Lys. — By no means : I had much rather go forward, and make an end as foon as poflible. But to fave trouble, give me leave to tell you, once for all, that, fay what you can, you (hall never perfuade me, fo many ingenious agree- able men are in the wrong, and a pack of fnarling four bigots in the right. XXIX. Cri.— -O Lyficlesy I neither look for religion among bigots, nor reafon among libertines j each kind 2q6 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] difgrace their feveral pretenfions : the one owning no re- gard even to the plained and moft important truths, "U'hiic the others exert iin angry zeal for points of leaft concern. And farely whatever there is of filiy, narrow, and uncharitable in the bigot, the fame is in great meafure to be imputed to the conceited ignorance, and petulant profanenefs of the Ubertine. And it is not at all unlikely, that as Hbcrtines make bigots, fo bigots (liould make liber- tines, the extreme of one party being ever obferved to produce a contrary extreme of another. And although, while thefe adveriarles draw the rope of contention, rea- fon and religion are often called upon : Yet are they per^ haps very little confidered or concerned in the ccnteft. Lyficlesy injdead of anfwering Critoy turned fhort upon Alciphron, It was always my opinion, faid he, that no- thing could be fillier than to think of deftroying chriftian- ity, by crying up natural religion. Whoever thinks highly of the one, can never, with any confiffcency, think mean- ly of the other ; it being very evident, that natural reli- gion, without revealed, never v/as and never can be ef- tabliflied or received any where, but in the brains of a few idle fpeculative men. I was aware what your conceflions would come to. The belief of God, virtue, a future fcate, and fuch fine notions are, as every one may fee with half an eye, the very bafis and corner-ftone of the chriftian religion. Lay but this foundation for them to build on, and you Ihall foon fee what fuperftru6lures our men of divinity will raife from it. The truth and impor- tance of thofe points once admitted, a man need be no conjurer to prove, upon that principle, the excellency and ufefulnefs of the chriftian religion : And then, to be fure, there muft be priefts to teach and propagate this ufeful religion : And if priefts, a regular fubordination, without doubt, in this worthy fociety, and a provifion for their maintenance : Such as may enable them to perform all [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 237 their rites and ceremonies with decency, and keep' their facred chara6i:er above contempt. And the plain confe- quence of all this is, a confederacy between the prince and the priefthood, to fubdue the people : So we have let in at once upon us, a long train of ecclefiaftical evils, prieft- craft, hierarchy, inquifition. We have loft our liberty and property, and put the nation to vaft expence, only to purchafe bridles and faddles, for their own mouths and their own backs. XXX. This being fpoke with fome fharpnefs of tone, and an upbraiding air, touched Alciphron to the quick, who replied nothing, but Iliewed confufion in his looks. Crito fmiling, looked at Euphranor and me, then cafting an eye on the two philofophers, fpoke as follows : If I may be admitted to interpofe good offices, for prevent- ing a rupture between old friends and brethren, in opinion, I would obferve, that in this charge of Lyficlesy there is fomething right, and fomething wrong. It feems right to aflert as he doth, that the real belief of natural rehgion will lead a man to approve of revealed : But it is as wrong to ailert, that inquifitions, tyranny, and ruin, muft fol- low from thence. Your free-thinkers, without offence be it faid, feem to miftake their talent. They imagine ftrongly, but reafon weakly \ mighty at exaggeration, and jejune in argunient ! Can no method be found, to relieve them from the terror of that fierce and bloody ani- mal, an En^liJJj parfon .? Will it not fuffice to pare his tal- ons without chopping off his fingers .'' Then they are fuch wonderful patriots for liberty and property ! When I hear thefe two words in the mouth of a Minute Philofopher, I am put in mind of the Tejle di Ferro at Rome. His holi- nefs, it feems, not having power to affign penfions on Spaniflj benefices to any but natives of Spairiy always keeps at Rome two Spaniardsy called Tefte di Ferro,, who have 238 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] the name of all fuch penfions, but not the profit, which goes to Italians. As we may fee every day, both things and notions placed to the account of liberty and property, which in reality neither have, nor are meant to have, any (hare in them. "What ! Is it impoffible for a man to be a chriftian, but he muft be a flave ? Or a clergyman, but he muft have the principles of an inquifitor ? I am far from fcreeningand juflifying appetite of domination or tyrannical power in ccclefiaftics. Some, who have been guilty in that refpecS:, have forely paid for it, and it is to be hoped they always will. But having laid the fury and folly of the ambitious prelate, is it not time to look about and fpy whether, on the other hand, fome evil may not pofllbly accrue to the ftate, from the overflowing zeal of an inde- pendent whig ? This I may affirm, without being at any pains to prove it, that the worft tyranny this nation ever felt, was from the hands of patriots of that ftamp. XXXI. Lys. — I do not know. Tyranny is a harfti word, and fometimes mifapplied. When fpirited men of independent maxims create a ferment, or make a a change in the ftate ; he that lofeth is apt to confider things in one light, and he that wins in another. In the mean time, this is certainly good poficy, that we fliould be frugal of our money, and referve it for better ufes, than to expend on the church and religion. Cri. — Surely the old apologue of the belly and mem- bers need not be repeated to fuch knowing men. It (hould feem as needlefs to obferve, that all other ftates, which ever made any figure in the world for wifdom and polite- nefs, have thought learning defcrved encouragement, as well as the fword : that grants for religious ufes were as fitting as for knights fervice : and foundations for propa- gating piety, as necelTary to the public welfare and de- [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 239 fence, as either civil or military eftablilhments. In for- mer times, when the clergy were a body much more nu- merous, wealthy, and powerful : when in their Hate of celibacy they gave no pledges to the public : when they enjoyed great exemptions and privileges above their fel- low fubjects : when they owned obedience to a foreign potentate, the cafe was evidently and widely different from what it is in our days. And the not difcerning, or not owning this difference, is no proof either of faga- city or honefty in the Minute Philofophers. But I afk, who are at this expenfe, and what is this expenfe fo much complained of ? Lys. — As if you had never heard of church-lands and tithes ! Cri. — But I would fain know, how they can be charg- ed as an expenfe, either upon the nation, or private men. Where nothing is exported, the nation lofeth nothing : and it is all one to the public, whether money circulates at home through the hands of a vicar or a fquire. Then as for private men, who, for want of thought, are full of complaint about the payment of tithes ; can any man juflly complain of it as a tax, that he pays what never belonged to him ? The tenent rents his farm with this condition, and pays his landlord proportionably lefs, than if his farm had been exempt from it : So he lofeth no- thing ; it being all one to him whether he pays his paf- tor or his landlord. The landlord cannot complain that he has not what he hath no right to, either by grant, pur- chafe, or inheritance. This is the cafe of tithes : and as for the church-lands, he furely can be no free-thinker, nor any thinker at all, who doth not fee that no man,, whether noble, gentle, or plebeian, hath any fort of right or claim to them, which he may not, with equal juftice, pretend to all the lands in the kingdom. Lys. — At prefent indeed we have no right, and that is our complaint. 240 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] Cri. — You would have then what you have no right to. Lys. — Not fo neither : what we would have is, firft a right conveyed by law, and, in the next place, the lands by virtue of fuch right. Cri. — In order to this, it might be expedient, in the firft place, to get on a£t paiTed for excommunicating from all civil rights every man that is a chriftian, a fcholar, and wears a black coat, as guilty of three capital offences againft the public weal of this realm. Lys. — To deal frankly, I think it would be an excel- lent good aft. Cri. — It would provide at once for feveral deferving men, rare artificers in wit, and argument, and ridicule ! who have, too many of them, but fmall fortunes, with a great arrear of merit towards their country, which they have fo long enlightened and adorned gratis. EupH. — Pray tell me, Lyficles, are not the clergy le- gally pofleffed of their lands and emoluments ? Lys. — Nobody denies it. EupH. — Have they not been poffefled of them from time immemorial } Lys. — ^This too I grant. EuPH. — They claim then by law and ancient prefcrip- tion. Lys. — They dc. EupH. — Have the oldell families of the nobility a bet- ter title ? Lys. — I believe not. It grieves me to fee many over- grown eftates in the hands of ancient families, on account of no other merit, but what they brought with them into the world. EuPH. — May you not then as well take their lands too, and beftow them on the Minute Philofophers, as perfons of more merit } tDfAL. v.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 2^1 Lys. — So much the better. This enlarges our view, and opens a new fcene : It is very delightful, in the con- templation of truth, to behold how one theory grows out of another. Alc. — Old P^tus ufed to fay, that if the clergy were deprived of their hire, we fhouid lofe the moft popular argument againft them. Lys. — But fo long as men live by religion, there will never be wanting teachers and writers in defence of it. Cri. — And how can you be fure they would be want- ing, though they did not live by it, fince it is well known chriflianity had its defenders, even when men died by it ^ Lys. — One thing I know, — there is a rare nurfery of young plants growing up, who have been carefully guard- ed againft every air of prejudice, and fprinkled with the dew of our choiceft principles : mean while, wifhes are wearifome : and, to our infinite regret, nothing can be done, fo long as there remains any prejudice in favor of old cuftoms, and laws, and national conftitutions, which, at bottom, we very well know, and can demonftrate, to be only words and notions. XXXII. But I can never hope, Cr'iio, to make you think my fchemes reafonable. We reafon each right up- on his own principles, and fnall never agree till we quit our principles, which cannot be done by reafoning. We all talk of juft, and right, and wrong, and public good, and all thofe things. The names may be the fame, but the notions and conclufions very diiterent, perhaps dia- metrically oppoute : and yet each may admit of clear proofs, and be inferred by the fame way of reafoning. For inilance, the gentlemen of the club which I frequent, define man to be a fociable animal : confequently we ex- clude from this difinition all thofe human creatures, of whom it may be faid, v/e had rather have their room G rr 242 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] than their company. And fuch, though wearing the ihape of man, are to be efteemed in all account of reafon, not as men, but only as human creatures. Hence it plainly follows, that men of pleafure, men of humour, and men of wit, are alone properly and truly to be con- iidered as men. Whatever, therefore, conduceth to the emolument of fuch, is for the good of mankind, and confequently very juft and lawful, although feeming to be attended with lofs or damage- to other creatures : inafmuch as no real injury can be done in life or property to thofe, who know not how to enjoy them. This we liold for clear and well conne<5led reafoning. But others may view things in another light, affign different definitions, draw other inferences, and perhaps confider, what we fuppofe the top and flower of the creation, only as a wart or excrefcence of human nature. From all which there mud enfue a very different fyftem of morals, politics, rights, and notions. * Cri. — If you have a mind tfo argue, we will argue : If you have more mind to j eft, we will laugh with you. Lys. — — ■ -'Ridentcm d'lcere verum ^lid vetat P This partition of our kind into men and human creatures, puts me in mind of another notion broached by one of our club, whom we ufed to call the Pythagorean. XXXIII. He made a threefold partition of the human fpecies, into birds, beafts, and fifties, being of opinion that the road of life lies upwards, in a perpetual afcent through the fcale of being : In fuch fort, that the fouls of infects, after death, make their fecond appearance in the (hape of perfe^: animals, birds, beafts, or fifties ; which, upon their death, are preferred into human bodies, and, [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 243 in the next ftage, into beings of a higher and more psrfecl kind. This man we coniidered at firft as a fort of here- tic; becaufe his fcheme feemed not to confilt with our fundamental tenet, the mortahty of the foul : But he juf- tified the notion to be innocent, inafniuch as it included nothing of reward or punifliment, and was not proved by any argument, which fuppofed or implied either incorpo- real fpirit, or Providence, being only inferred, by way of analogy, from what he had obferved in human aiFairs, the court, the church, and the army; v/herein the ten- dency is always upwards from lower pofts to higher. Ac- cording to this fyftem, the fifnes are thofe men who fwim in pleafure, fuch as petits matures, bons vivansy and honefc fellows. The beafts are dry, drudging, covetous, rapacious folk, and all thofe adidled to care and bufinefs like oxen, and other dry land animals, which fpend their lives in labor and fatigue. The birds are airy, notional men, enthufiafts, projectors, poets, philofophers, and fuch like. In each fpecies every individual retaiifing a tincSlure of his former flate, which conftitutes what is called genius. If you allc me which fpecies of mankind I like beft, I anfwer, the flying filh : that is, a man of animal enjoyment, v/ith a mixture of whim. Thus you fee we have our creeds and our fyftems, as well as graver folks : with this difference, that they are not ilrait-laced, but fit eafy, to be flipped off or on, as humour or occafion ferves. And now I can, with the greateft equinimity imaginable, hear my opinions argued againft, or confuted. XXXrV. Alc. — -It were to be wifiied all men were of that mind. But you fliall find a fort of men, whom I need not name, that cannot bear with the leaft temper, to have their opinions examined, or their faults cenfured. — They are againft reafon, becaufe reafon is againft them. For our parts, we are all for liberty of confcience. If 244 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.l our tenets are abfurd, we allov;^ them to be freely argued and infpe^led : and, by a parity of reafon, we might hope to be allowed the fame privilege, with refpe£t to the opi- nions of other men. Cri. — O Alciphron 1 Wares that will not bear the light are juftly to be fufpe6led. Whatever, therefore, moves you to make this complaint, take my word, I never will : But as hitherto I have allowed your reafon its full fcope, fo for the future I always fliall. And, though I cannot approve of railing or declaiming, not even in my- felf, whenever you have fliewed me the way to it : yet this I will anfwer for, that you fhall ever be allowed to reafon as clofely and as llrenuoufly as you can. But, for the love of truth, be candid, and do not fpend your ilrength, and our time, in points of no fignificancy, or foreign to the purpofe, or agreed between us. We al- low that tyranny and llavcry are bad things : but why iliould we apprehend them from the clergy at this time ? Rites and ceremonies, we own, are not points of chief moment in religion : but why fhould we ridicule things, in their own nature, at lead indifferent, and which bear the (tamp of fupreme authority ? That men, in divinity, as well as other fubjeds, are perplexed with ufelefs dif- putes, and are like to be fo as long as the world iafts, I freely acknowledge : But why rnuft all the human weak- jicfs and millakes of clergymen be imputed to wicked de- figns ? Why indifcriminately abufe their chara£l:er and tenets ? Is this like candor, love of truth, free-thinking } It is granted there may be found, now and then, fpleen and ill-breeding in the clergy : But are not the famie faults incident to Englifi laymen, of a retired education and country life ? I grant there is infinite futility in the fchoolmen : But I deny that a volume of that doth fo much mifchief, as a page of Minute Philofophy. That weak or wicked men fhould^ by favor of the world, creep [Dial. V.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 245 into power and high fiations in the church, is nothing wonderful : and that, in fuch ftations, they fhould behave like themfelves, is natural to fuppofe. But all the while it is evident, that not the golpel, but the world ; not the fpirit, but the flefh ; not God, but the devil, puts them up- on their unworthy atchievements. We make no difficulty to grant, that nothing is more infamous than vice and ig- norance in a clergyman i nothing more bafe than a hypo- crite, more frivolous than a pedant, more cruel than an inquifitor. But it mufb alfo be granted by you, gentle- men, that nothing is more ridiculous and abfurd, than for pedantic, ignorant and corrupt men, to call the firft ftone, at every fhadow of their own defc6is and vices in other men. XXXV. Alc— When I conGder the deteftable ftate of flavcry and fuperltition, I feel my heart dilate and expand itfelf to grafp that ineflimable blefTmg of independent liberty. This is the facred and high prerogative, the very life and health of our Ehglijh conflitution. You muft not, therefore, think it ft range, if with a vigilant and curi- ous eye, we guard it againft the minuteft appearance of evil. You muft even fuffer us to cut round about, and very deep, and make ufe of the magnifying glafs, the bet- ter to view and extirpate every the leaft fpeck, which fhall difcover itfelf in what we are careful and jealous to prefervc, as the apple of our eye. Cri.— As for unbounded liberty, I leave it to favages, among whom alone I believe it is to be found : But, for the reafonable legal liberty of our conftitution, I moft heartily and fincerely wifn it may for ever fubfift and flourifti among U3. You and all other EngUfhmen cannot be too vigilant, or too earneft, to preferve this goodly frame, or to curb and difappoint the wicked ambition .of whoever, layman or ecclefiaftic, fliall attempt to change our free and gentle government into a flavifh or 24^ MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. V.] fevere one. But what pretext can this afford for your attempts againfl religion, or indeed, how can it be con- fident with them ? Is not the proteftant religion a main part of our legal conilitution ? I remember to have heard a foreigner remark, that we of this ifiand were very good proteftants, but no chriflians. But whatever Minute Phi- lofophers may wiih, or foreigners fay, it is certain our laws fpeak a diiFerent language. Alc. — This puts me in mind of the wife reafoning of a certain fage magiftrate, who, being preffed by the raillery and arguments of an ingenious man, had irothing to fay for his religion, but that ten millions of people, inhabiting the fame ifland, might, whether right or wrong, if they thought good, eflablilh laws for the worfhipping of God in their temples, and appealing to him in their courts of juftice. And that in cafe ten thoufand ingenious men fhould publicly deride and trample on thofe laws, it might be juft and lawful for the fai and by the fathers K k 266 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.] out of the New, which are not in fo many words to be found in them, is no new difcovery of Minute Philofo- phers, but was known and obferved long before by chrif- tian writers ; who have made no fcruple to grant, that fome things might have been inferted by carelefs or mifta- ken tranfcribers into the text, from the margin, others left out, and others altered ; whence fo many various readings. But thefe are things of fmall moment, and that all other ancient authors have been fubje£t to ; and upon which no point of dodrine depends, which may not be proved without them. Nay further, if it be any ad- vantage to your caufe, it hath been obferved, that the eighteenth Pfahny as recited in the twenty-fecond chapter of the fecond book of Samuel^ varies in above forty places, if you regard every little literal difference : And that a critic may now and then difcover fmall variations, is what nobody can deny. But to make the moft of thefe concef- fions, what can you infer from them, more than that the defign of the Holy Scripture was not to make us exa£tly knowing in circumftantials ? And that the fpirit did not dictate every particle and fyilable, or preferve them from every minute alteration by miracle ? which to believe, would look like rabbinical fuperftition. Alc. — But what marks of divinity can poffibly be in writings which do not reach the exa6i:nefs even of human art ? EuPH. — I never thought nor expected that the Holy Scripture fliould (hew itfelf divine, by a circumftantial accuracy of narration, by exa£lnefs of method, by ftridl- ly obferving the rules of rhetoric, grammar, and criticifm, in harmonious periods, in elegant and choice expreffions, or in technical definitions and partitions. Thefe things would look too like a human compolitlon. Methinks there is in that fimple, unafFe6led, artlefs, unequal, bold, figurative ftile of the Holy Scripture, a character fingu- [Dial. VI.] MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. 267 larly great and majeftic, and that looks more like divine infpiration, than any other compofitlon that I know. But, as I faid before, I fhall not difpute a point of criti- cifm with the gentlemen of your fe61:, who, it fttems, are the modern ftandard for wit and tafte. Alc. — Well I fhall not infifc on fmall flips, or the in- accuracy of citing or tranfcribing : And I freely own, that repetitions, want of method, or want of exa^lncfs in circumftances, are not the things that ohiefly ftick with me ; no more than the plain patriarchal manners, or the peculiar ufages and cuftoms of the Jews and firft chriflians, fo different from ours ; and that to reje£l the fcripture on fuch accounts would be to a61: like thofe French wits, who cenfure Horner^ becaufe they do not find in him the flile, notions, and manners of their own age and country. Was there nothing elfe to divide us, I fhould make no great difficulty of owning, that a popular uncorre61: flile might anfwer the general ends of revelation, as well perhaps, as a mors critical and exa£l one. But the ob- fcurity flill flicks with me. Methinks if the Supreme Being had fpoke to man, he would have fpoke clearly to him, and that the word of God fliould not need a com- ment. VIII. EuPH. — You feem, Alciphrouy to think obfcuri- ty a defe£l ; but if it fhould prove to be no defe£l, there would then be no force in this objedion. Alc. — I grant there would not. 'EuPH. — ^Pray tell me, are not fpeech and flile inflru- mental to convey thoughts and notions, to beget knowledge, opinion, and affent t Alc. — ^This is true. EuPH. — And is not the perfe<£l;ion of an inflrument to be meafured by the ufe to which it is fubfervient ? Alc. — ^It is. 268 MINUTE PHILOSOPHER. [Dial. VI.] EuPH.— Whatjtherefore, is a defe£l; in one inftrument, may be none in another. For inftance, edged tools are in general defigned to cut •, but the ufes of an axe and a razor being difFerent, it is no defe£l in an axe, that it hath not the keen edge of a razor : Nor in the razor, that it hath not the weight or ftrength of an axe. Alc— 'I acknowledge this to be true. EuPH.— — And may we not fay in general, that every inftrument is perfe