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from other motives； there are scarcely any instances to be
met with； in ancient history； of this bigoted jealousy； with
which the present age is so much infested。 E/PICURUS lived
at A/THENS to an advanced age； in peace and tranquillity：
E/PICUREANS＇33＇ were even admitted to receive the
sacerdotal character； and to officiate at the altar； in the
most sacred rites of the established religion： And the
public encouragement＇34＇ of pensions and salaries was
afforded equally； by the wisest of all the R/OMAN
emperors＇35＇； to the professors of every sect of philosophy。
How requisite such kind of treatment was to philosophy； in
her early youth； will easily be conceived； if we reflect；
that； even at present； when she may be supposed more hardy
and robust； she bears with much difficulty the inclemency of
the seasons； and those harsh winds of calumny and
persecution； which blow upon her。
You admire； says my friend； as the singular good
fortune of philosophy； what seems to result from the natural
course of things； and to be unavoidable in every age and
nation。 This pertinacious bigotry； of which you complain； as
so fatal to philosophy； is really her offspring； who； after
allying with superstition； separates himself entirely from
the interest of his parent； and becomes her most inveterate
enemy and persecutor。 Speculative dogmas of religion； the
present occasions of such furious dispute； could not
possibly be conceived or admitted in the early ages of the
world； when mankind； being wholly illiterate； formed an idea
of religion more suitable to their weak apprehension； and
composed their sacred tenets of such tales chiefly as were
the objects of traditional belief； more than of argument or
disputation。 After the first alarm； therefore； was over；
which arose from the new paradoxes and principles of the
philosophers； these teachers seem ever after； during the
ages of antiquity； to have lived in great harmony with the
established superstition； and to have made a fair partition
of mankind between them； the former claiming all the learned
and wise； the latter possessing all the vulgar and
illiterate。
It seems then； say I； that you leave politics entirely
out of the question； and never suppose； that a wise
magistrate can justly be jealous of certain tenets of
philosophy； such as those of E/PICURUS； which； denying a
divine existence； and consequently a providence and a future
state； seem to loosen； in a great measure the ties of
morality； and may be supposed； for that reason； pernicious
to the peace of civil society。
I know； replied he； that in fact these persecutions
never； in any age； proceeded from calm reason； or from
experience of the pernicious consequences of philosophy； but
arose entirely from passion and prejudice。 But what if I
should advance farther； and assert； that if E/PICURUS had
been accused before the people； by any of the
or informers of those days； he could easily have defended
his cause； and proved his principles of philosophy to be as
salutary as those of his adversaries； who endeavoured； with
such zeal； to expose him to the public hatred and jealousy？
I wish； said I； you would try your eloquence upon so
extraordinary a topic； and make a speech for E/PICURUS；
which might satisfy； not the mob of A/THENS； if you will
allow that ancient and polite city to have contained any
mob； but the more philosophical part of his audience； such
as might be supposed capable of comprehending his arguments。
The matter would not be difficult； upon such
conditions； replied he： And if you please； I shall suppose
myself E/PICURUS for a moment； and make you stand for the
A/THENIAN people； and shall deliver you such an harangue as
will fill all the urn with white beans； and leave not a
black one to gratify the malice of my adversaries。
Very well： Pray proceed upon these suppositions。
I come hither； O ye A/THENIANS； to justify in your
assembly what I maintain in my school； and I find myself
impeached by furious antagonists； instead of reasoning with
calm and dispassionate enquirers。 Your deliberations； which
of right should be directed to questions of public good； and
the interest of the commonwealth； are diverted to the
disquisitions of speculative philosophy； and these
magnificent； but perhaps fruitless enquiries； take place of
your more familiar but more useful occupations。 But so far
as in me lies； I will prevent this abuse。 We shall not here
dispute concerning the origin and government of worlds。 We
shall only enquire how far such questions concern the public
interest。 And if I can persuade you； that they are entirely
indifferent to the peace of society and security of
government； I hope that you will presently send us back to
our schools； there to examine； at leisure； the question the
most sublime； but； at the same time； the most speculative of
all philosophy。
The religious philosophers； not satisfied with the
tradition of your forefathers； and doctrine of your priests
（in which I willingly acquiesce）； indulge a rash curiosity；
in trying how far they can establish religion upon the
principles of reason； and they thereby excite； instead of
satisfying； the doubts； which naturally arise from a
diligent and scrutinous enquiry。 They paint； in the most
magnificent colours； the order； beauty； and wise arrangement
of the universe； and then ask； if such a glorious display of
intelligence could proceed from the fortuitous concourse of
atoms； or if chance could produce what the greatest genius
can never sufficiently admire。 I shall not examine the
justness of this argument。 I shall allow it to be as solid
as my antagonists and accusers can desire。 It is sufficient；
if I can prove； from this very reasoning； that the question
is entirely speculative； and that； when； in my philosophical
disquisitions； I deny a providence and a future state； I
undermine not the foundations of society； but advance
principles； which they themselves； upon their own topics； if
they argue consistently； must allow to be solid and
satisfactory。
You then； who are my accusers； have acknowledged； that
the chief or sole argument for a divine existence （which I
never questioned） is derived from the order of nature； where
there appear such marks of intelligence and design； that you
think it extravagant to assign for its cause； either chance；
or the blind and unguided force of matter。 You allow； that
this is an argument drawn from effects to causes。 From the
order of the work； you infer； that there must have been
project and forethought in the workman。 If you cannot make
out this point； you allow； that your conclusion fails； and
you pretend not to establish the conclusion in a greater
latitude than the phenomena of nature will justify。 These
are your concessions。 I desire you to mark the consequences。
When we infer any particular cause from an effect； we
must proportion the one to the other； and can never be
allowed to ascribe to the cause any qualities； but what are
exactly sufficient to produce the effect。 A body of ten
ounces raised in any scale may serve as a proof； that the
counterbalancing weight exceeds ten ounces； but can never
afford a reason that it exceeds a hundred。 If the cause；
assigned for any effect； be not sufficient to produce it； we
must either reject that cause； or add to it such qualities
as will give it a just proportion to the effect。 But if we
ascribe to it farther qualities； or affirm it capable of
producing other effects； we can only indulge the licence of
conjecture； and arbitrarily suppose the existence of
qualities and energies； without reason or authority。
The same rule holds； whether the cause assigned be
brute unconscious matter； or a rational intelligent being。
If the cause be known only by the effect； we never ought to
ascribe to it any qualities； beyond what are precisely
requisite to produce the effect： Nor can we； by any rules of
just reasoning； return back from the cause； and infer other
effects from it； beyond those by which alone it is known to
us。 No one； merely from the sight of one of Z/EUXIS'S
pictures； could know； that he was also a statuary or
architect； and was an artist no less skilful in stone and
marble than in colours。 The talents and taste； displayed in
the particular work before us； these we may safely conclude
the workman to be possessed of。 The cause must be
proportioned to the effect； and if we exactly and precisely
proportion it； we shall never find in it any qualities； that
point farther； or afford an inference concerning any other
design or performance。 Such qualities must be somewhat
beyond what is merely requisite for producing the effect；
which we examine。
Allowing； therefore； the gods to be the authors of the
existence or order of the universe； it follows； that they
possess that precise degree of power； intelligence； and
benevolence； which appears in their workmanship； but nothing
farther can ever be proved； except we call in the assistance
of exaggeration and flattery to supply the defects of
argument and reasoning。 So far as the traces of any
attributes； at present； appear； so