disorders. An instructed and intelligent peo-[ignorant enthusiasts, feel themselves as perfect. ple, besides, are always more decent and or-ly defenceless as the indolent, effeminate, and derly than an ignorant and stupid one. They full fed nations of the southern parts of Asia, feel themselves, each individually, more re-when they were invaded by the active, hardy, spectable, and more likely to obtain the re- and hungry Tartars of the north. Such a spect of their lawful superiors, and they are, clergy, upon such an emergency, have comtherefore, more disposed to respect those su-monly no other resource than to call upon the periors. They are more disposed to examine, civil magistrate to persecute, destroy, or and more capable of seeing through, the in- drive out their adversaries, as disturbers of terested complaints of faction and sedition; the public peace. It was thus that the Roand they are, upon that account, less apt to man catholic clergy called upon the civil be misled into any wanton or unnecessary op- magistrate to persecute the protestants, and position to the measures of government. In the church of England to persecute the disfree countries, where the safety of govern- senters; and that in general every religious ment depends very much upon the favour- sect, when it has once enjoyed, for a century able judgment which the people may form or two, the security of a legal establishment, of its conduct, it must surely be of the high- has found itself incapable of making any est importance, that they should not be dis- vigorous defence against any new sect which posed to judge rashly or capriciously concerning it.

ART. III.-Of the Expense of the Institutions for the Instruction of People of all Ages.

of

chose to attack its doctrine or discipline. Upon such occasions, the advantage, in point of learning and good writing, may sometimes be on the side of the established church. But the arts of popularity, all the arts of gaining proselytes, are constantly on the side of its adversaries. In England, those arts THE institutions for the instruction of peo- have been long neglected by the well endow pie of all ages, are chiefly those for religious ed clergy of the established church, and are instruction. This is a species of instruction, at present chiefly cultivated by the dissenters of which the object is not so much to render and by the methodists. The independent the people good citizens in this world, as to provisions, however, which in many places prepare them for another and a better world have been made for dissenting teachers, by in the life to come. The teachers of the means of voluntary subscriptions, of trust doctrine which contains this instruction, in rights, and other evasions of the law, seem the same manner as other teachers, may either very much to have abated the zeal and actidepend altogether for their subsistence upon vity of those teachers. They have many the voluntary contributions of their hearers; them become very learned, ingenious, and or they may derive it from some other fund, respectable men; but they have in genera, to which the law of their country may entitle ceased to be very popular preachers. The them; such as a landed estate, a tythe or methodists, without half the learning of the land tax, an established salary or stipend. dissenters, are much more in vogue. Their exertion, their zeal and industry, are In the church of Rome the industry and likely to be much greater in the former situa-zeal of the inferior clergy are kept more alive tion than in the latter. In this respect, the by the powerful motive of self-interest, than teachers of a new religion have always had a perhaps in any established protestant church. considerable advantage in attacking those an- The parochial clergy derive many of them, a cient and established systems, of which the very considerable part of their subsistence clergy, reposing themselves upon their bene- from the voluntary oblations of the people; fices, had neglected to keep up the fervour of a source of revenue, which confession gives faith and devotion in the great body of the them many opportunities of improving. The people; and having given themselves up to mendicant orders derive their whole subsisindolence, were become altogether incapable tence from such oblations. It is with them of making any vigorous exertion in defence as with the hussars and light infantry of some even of their own establishment. The clergy armies; no plunder, no pay. The parochial of an established and well endowed religion clergy are like those teachers whose reward frequently become men of learning and ele- depends partly upon their salary, and partly gance, who possess all the virtues of gentle- upon the fees or honoraries which they get men, or which can recommend them to the from their pupils; and these must always de esteem of gentlemen; but they are apt gra- pend, more or less, upon their industry and dually to lose the qualities, both good and reputation. The mendicant orders are like bad, which gave them authority and influence with the inferior ranks of people, and which had perhaps been the original causes of the success and establishment of their religion. Such a clergy, when attacked by a set of popular and bold, though perhaps stupid and

those teachers whose subsistence depends altogether upon their industry. They are obliged, therefore, to use every art which can animate the devotion of the common people. The establishment of the two great mendicant orders of St Dominic and St. Francis, it is

observed by Machiavel, revived, in the thir- has even a natural tendency to pervert the teenth and fourteenth centuries, the languish- truth, by infusing into it a strong mixture of ing faith and devotion of the catholic church. superstition, folly, and delusion. Each In Roman catholic countries, the spirit of ghostly practitioner, in order to render himdevotion is supported altogether by the self more precious and sacred in the eyes of monks, and by the poorer parochial clergy. his retainers, will inspire them with the most The great dignitaries of the church, with all violent abhorrence of all other sects, and the accomplishments of gentlemen and men continually endeavour, by some novelty, to of the world, and sometimes with those of excite the languid devotion of his audience. men of learning, are careful to maintain the No regard will be paid to truth, morals, or necessary discipline over their inferiors, but decency, in the doctrines inculcated. Every seldom give themselves any trouble about the tenet will be adopted that best suits the disinstruction of the people. orderly affections of the human frame. Cus"Most of the arts and professions in a tomers will be drawn to each conventicle by state," says by far the most illustrious philo- new industry and address, in practising on sopher and historian of the present age, "are the passions and credulity of the populace. of such a nature, that, while they promote the And, in the end, the civil magistrate will find interests of the society, they are also useful that he has dearly paid for his intended fruor agreeable to some individuals; and, in gality, in saving a fixed establishment for the that case, the constant rule of the magistrate, priests; and that, in reality, the most decent except, perhaps, on the first introduction of and advantageous composition, which he can any art, is, to leave the profession to itself, make with the spiritual guides, is to bribe and trust its encouragement to the indivi- their indolence, by assigning stated salaries duals who reap the benefit of it. The arti- to their profession, and rendering it superzans, finding their profits to rise by the favour fluous for them to be farther active, than of their customers, increase, as much as possi- merely to prevent their flock from straying in ble, their skill and industry; and as matters quest of new pastors. And in this manner are not disturbed by any injudicious tamper- ecclesiastical establishments, though commoning, the commodity is always sure to be at ly they arose at first from religious views, all times nearly proportioned to the demand. prove in the end advantageous to the political "But there are also some callings which, interests of society." though useful and even necessary in a state, But whatever may have been the good or bring no advantage or pleasure to any indivi- bad effects of the independent provision of dual; and the supreme power is obliged to the clergy, it has, perhaps, been very seldom alter its conduct with regard to the retainers bestowed upon them from any view to those of those professions. It must give them effects. Times of violent religious contropublic encouragement in order to their sub-versy have generally been times of equally sistence; and it must provide against that violent political faction. Upon such occanegligence to which they will naturally be sions, each political party has either found it, subject, either by annexing particular ho- or imagined it, for his interest, to league it. nours to profession, by establishing a long self with some one or other of the contending subordination of ranks, and a strict depen-religious sects. But this could be done only dence, or by some other expedient. The by adopting, or, at least, by favouring the persons employed in the finances, fleets, and tenets of that particular sect. The sect magistracy, are instances of this order of which had the good fortune to be leagued with the conquering party necessarily shared "It may naturally be thought, at first in the victory of its ally, by whose favour sight, that the ecclesiastics belong to the first and protection it was soon enabled, in some class, and that their encouragement, as well degree, to silence and subdue all its adversaas that of lawyers and physicians, may safely ries. Those adversaries had generally leabe entrusted to the liberality of individuals, gued themselves with the enemies of the conwho are attached to their doctrines, and who quering party, and were, therefore the enemies find benefit or consolation from their spiritual of that party. The clergy of this particular ministry and assistance. Their industry and sect having thus become complete masters of vigilance will, no doubt, be whetted by such the field, and their influence and authority an additional motive; and their skill in the with the great body of the people being in profession, as well as their address in govern- its highest vigour, they were powerful enough ing the minds of the people, must receive to overawe the chiefs and leaders of their daily increase, from their increasing practice, own party, and to oblige the civil magistrate study, and attention. to respect their opinions and inclinations.

men.

"But if we consider the matter more close-Their first demand was generally tnat he ly, we shall find that this interested diligence should silence and subdue all their adversaof the clergy is what every wise legislator will ries; and their second, that he should be study to prevent; because, in every religion stow an independent provision on themselves. except the true, it is highly pernicious, and it As they had generally contributed a good

Own

deal to the victory, it seemed not unreason- almost every other sect; and the concessions able that they should have some share in the which they would mutually find in both con. spoil. They were weary, besides, of hu- venient and agreeable to make one to an mouring the people, and of depending upon other, might in time, probably reduce the their caprice for a subsistence. In making doctrine of the greater part of them to that this demand, therefore, they consulted their pure and rational religion, free from every ease and comfort, without troubling mixture of absurdity, imposture, or fanaticism, themselves about the effect which it might such as wise men have, in all ages of the world, have, in future times, upon the influence and wished to see established; but such as positive authority of their order. The civil magis- law has, perhaps, never yet established, and trate, who could comply with their demand probably never will establish in any country; only by giving them something which he because, with regard to religion, positive law would have chosen much rather to take, or always has been, and probably always will to keep to himself, was seldom very forward be, more or less influenced by popular suto grant it. Necessity, however, always perstition and enthusiasm. This plan of forced him to submit at last, though frequent- ecclesiastical government, or, more properly, ly not till after many delays, evasions, and affected excuses.

of no ecclesiastical government, was what the sect called Independents (a sect, no But if politics had never called in the aid doubt, of very wild enthusiasts), proposed to of religion, had the conquering party never establish in England towards the end of the adopted the tenets of one sect more than civil war. If it had been established, though those of another, when it had gained the of a very unphilosophical origin, it would victory, it would probably have dealt equally probably, by this time, have been productive and impartially with ali the different sects, of the most philosophical good temper and and have allowed every man to choose his moderation with regard to every sort of rell. own priest, and his own religion, as he gious principle. It has been established in thought proper. There would, and, in this Pennsylvania, where, though the quaker case, no doubt, have been, a great multitude happen to be the most numerous, the law, in of religious sects. Almost every different reality, favours no one sect more than an congregation might probably have had a other; and it is there said to have been prolittle sect by itself, or have entertained some ductive of this philosophical good temper and peculiar tenets of its own. Each teacher, moderation, would, no doubt, have felt himself under the But though this equality of treatment necessity of making the utmost exertion, should not be productive of this good temper and of using every art, both to preserve and and moderation in all, or even in the greater to increase the number of his disciples. But part of the religious sects of a particular as every other teacher would have felt him country; yet, provided those sects were sufself under the same necessity, the success of ficiently numerous, and each of them conno one teacher, or sect of teachers, could have sequently too small to disturb the public been very great. The interested and active tranquillity, the excessive zeal of each for its zeal of religious teachers can be dangerous particular tenets could not well be productive and troublesome only where there is either of any very hurtful effects, but, on the conbut one sect tolerated in the society, or trary, of several good ones; and if the gowhere the whole of a large society is divi-vernment was perfectly decided, both to let ded into two or three great sects; the tea-thcin all alone, and to oblige them all to let chers of each acting by concert, and under a alone one another, there is little danger that regular discipline and subordination. But they would not of their own accord, subdithat zeal must be altogether innocent, where vide themselves fast enough, so as soon to the society is divided into two or three hun- become sufficiently numerous. dred, or, perhaps, into as many thousand In every civilized society, in every society small sects, of which no one could be consi- where the distinction of ranks has once been derable enough to disturb the public tran- completely established, there have been always quillity. The teachers of each sect, seeing two different schemes or systems of morality themselves surrounded on all sides with more current at the same time; of which the one adversaries than friends, would be obliged to may be called the strict or austere; the learn that candour and moderation which are other the liberal, or, if you will, the loose so seldom to be found among the teachers of system. The former is generally admired those great sects, whose tenets, being support and revered by the common people; the ed by the civil magistrate, are held in vene- latter is commonly more esteemed and adoptration by almost all the inhabitants of exten- ed by what are called the people of fashion. sive kingdoms and empires, and who, there- The degree of disapprobation with which we fore, see nothing round them but followers, ought to mark the vices of levity, the vices disciples, and humble admirers. The teachers which are apt to arise from great prosperity, of each little sect, finding themselves almost and from the excess of gaiety and good hu alone, would be obliged to respect those of mour, seems to constitute the principal dis

tinction between those two opposite schemes | general consent of this society prescribes tc or systems. In the liberal or loose system, persons of his rank and fortune. A man of luxury, wanton, and even disorderly mirth, low condition, on the contrary, is far from the pursuit of pleasure to some degree of being a distinguished member of any great intemperance, the breach of chastity, at least society. While he remains in a country vilin one of the two sexes, &c. provided they lage, his conduct may be attended to, and he are not accompanied with gross indecency, n:ay be obliged to attend to it himself. In and do not lead to falsehood and injustice, are this situation, and in this situation only, he generally treated with a good deal of indul- may have what is called a character to lose. gence, and are easily either excused or par- But as soon as he comes into a great city, he doned altogether. In the austere system, on is sunk in obscurity and darkness. His conthe contrary, those excesses are regarded with duct is observed and attended to by nobody; the utmost abhorrence and detestation. The and he is, therefore, very likely to neglect it vices of levity are always ruinous to the com- himself, and to abandon himself to every sort mon people, and a single week's thoughtless- of low profligacy and vice. He never ness and dissipation is often sufficient to emerges so effectually from this obscurity, his undo a poor workman for ever, and to drive conduct never excites so much the attention nim, through despair, upon committing the of any respectable society, as by his becommost enormous crimes. The wiser and bet- ing the member of a small religious sect. ter sort of the common people, therefore, He from that moment acquires a degree of have always the utmost abhorrence and de- consideration which he never had before. testation of such excesses, which their expe- All his brother sectaries are, for the credit of rience tells them are so immediately fatal to the sect, interested to observe his conduct; people of their condition. The disorder and and, if he gives occasion to any scandal, if extravagance of several years, on the con- he deviates very much from those austere trary, will not always ruin a man of fashion; morals which they almost always require of and people of that rank are very apt to con.. one another, to punish him by what is always sider the power of indulging in some degree a very severe punishment, even where no evil of excess, as one of the advantages of their effects attend it, expulsion or excommunicafortune; and the liberty of doing so without tion from the sect. In little religious sects, censure or reproach, as one of the privileges accordingly, the morals of the common peowhich belong to their station. In people of ple have been almost always remarkably retheir own station, therefore, they regard such gular and orderly; generally much more sc excesses with but a small degree of disappro- than in the established church. The morals bation, and censure them either very slightly of those little sects, indeed, have frequently or not at all. been rather disagreeably rigorous and unsocial.

Almost all religious sects have begun among the common people, from whom they There are two very easy and effectual rehave generally drawn their earliest, as well medies, however, by whose joint operation as their most numerous proselytes. The au- the state night, without violence, correct stere system of morality has, accordingly, whatever was unsocial or disagreeably rigorbeen adopted by those sects almost constant-ous in the morals of all the little sects into ly, or with very few exceptions; for there which the country was divided. have been some. It was the system by which they could best recommend themselves to that order of people, to whom they first proposed their plan of reformation upon what had been before established. Many of them, perhaps the greater part of them, have even endeavoured to gain credit by refining upon this austere system, and by carrying it to some degree of folly and extravagance; and this excessive rigour has frequently recommended them, more than any thing else, to the respect and veneration of the common people.

The first of those remedies is the study of science and philosophy, which the state might render almost universal among all people of middling or more than middling rank and fortune; not by giving salaries to teachers in order to make them negligent and idle, but by instituting some sort of probation, even in the higher and more difficult sciences, to be undergone by every person before he was permitted to exercise any liberal profession, or before he could be received as a candidate for any honourable office, of trust or profit. A man of rank and fortune is, by his sta- the state imposed upon this order of men the tion, the distinguished member of a great so- necessity of learning, it would have no occaciety, who attend to every part of his conduct, sion to give itself any trouble about providing and who thereby oblige him to attend to every them with proper teachers. They would part of it himself. His authority and consi- soon find better teachers for themselves, than deration depend very much upon the respect any whom the state could provide for them. which this society bears to him. He dares Science is the great antidote to the poison of not do any thing which would disgrace or enthusiasm and superstition; and where all discredit him in it; and he is obliged to a the superior ranks of people were secured very strict observation of that species of from it, the inferior ranks could not be much morals, whether liberal or austere, which the exposed to it.

If

The second of those remedies is the fre- from humanity, attempt to protect those whe The did either the one or the other, the punctiliquency and gaiety of public diversions. state, by encouraging, that is, by giving en- ous honour of a clergy, who have no sort of tire liberty to all those who, from their own dependency upon him, is immediately prointerest, would attempt, without scandal or voked to proscribe him as a profane person, indecency, to amuse and divert the people and to employ all the terrors of religion, in by painting, poetry, music, dancing; by all order to oblige the people to transfer their sorts of dramatic representations and exhibi-allegiance to some more orthodox and obedi. tions; would easily dissipate, in the greater ent prince. Should he oppose any of their part of them, that melancholy and gloomy pretensions or usurpations, the danger is humour which is almost always the nurse of equally great. The princes who have dared popular superstition and enthusiasm. Pub- in this manner to rebel against the church, lic diversions have always been the objects of over and above this crime of rebellion, have dread and hatred to all the fanatical promoters generally been charged, too, with the addiof those popular frenzies. The gaiety and tional crime of heresy, notwithstanding their good humour which those diversions inspire, solemn protestations of their faith, and bumwere altogether inconsistent with that temper ble submission to every tenet which she of mind which was fittest for their purpose, thought proper to prescribe to them. But or which they could best work upon. Dra- the authority of religion is superior to every matic representations, besides, frequently ex- other authority. The fears which it suggests When the authoposing their artifices to public ridicule, and conquer all other fears. sometimes even to public execration, were, rized teachers of religion propagate through upon that account, more than all other di- the great body of the people, doctrines subversions, the objects of their peculiar abhor- versive of the authority of the sovereign, it is by violence only, or by the force of a standing army, that he can maintain his authority. Even a standing army cannot in this case give him any lasting security; because if the soldiers are not foreigners, which can seldom be the case, but drawn from the great body of the people, which must almost always be the case, they are likely to be soon corrupted by those very doctrines. The revolutions which the turbulence of the Greek clergy was con tinually occasioning at Constantinople, as long as the eastern empire subsisted; the convulsions which, during the course of se veral centuries, the turbulence of the Roman clergy was continually occasioning in every part of Europe, sufficiently demonstrate how precarious and insecure must always be the situation of the sovereign, who has no proper means of influencing the clergy of the esta blished and governing religion of his country.

rence.

In a country where the law favoured the teachers of no one religion more than those of another, it would not be necessary that any of them should have any particular or immediate dependency upon the sovereign or executive power; or that he should have any thing to do either in appointing or in dismissing them from their offices. In such a situation, he would have no occasion to give himself any concern about them, further than to keep the peace among them, in the same manner as among the rest of his subjects, that is, to hinder them from persecuting, abusing, or oppressing one another. But it is quite otherwise in countries where there is an established or governing religion. The sovereign can in this case never be secure, unless he has the means of influencing in a considerable degree the greater part of the teachers of that religion.

Articles of faith, as well as all other spiThe clergy of every established church ritual matters, it is evident enough, are not constitute a great incorporation. They can within the proper department of a temporal act in concert, and pursue their interest upon sovereign, who, though he may be very well one plan, and with one spirit as much as if qualified for protecting, is seldom supposed they were under the direction of one man; to be so for instructing the people. With and they are frequently, too, under such di- regard to such matters, therefore, his autho rection. Their interest as an incorporated rity can seldom be sufficient to counterbalance body is never the same with that of the sove- the united authority of the clergy of the esta reign, and is sometimes directly opposite to blished church. The public tranquillity, it. Their great interest is to maintain their however, and his own security, may fre authority with the people, and this authority quently depend upon the doctrines which depends upon the supposed certainty and im- they may think proper to propagate concerning portance of the whole doctrine which they such matters. As he can seldom directly oppost inculcate, and upon the supposed necessity their decision, therefore, with proper weight of adopting every part of it with the most im- and authority, it is necessary that he should plicit faith, in order to avoid eternai misery. be able to influence it; and he can influence Should the sovereign have the imprudence it only by the fears and expectations which to appear either to deride, or doubt himself he may excite in the greater part of the indiof the most trifling part of their doctrine, or viduals of the order. Those fears and ex