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because they never have dared or cared to ask boldlyWhat are the facts
of the case？ and have never discovered either the acuteness； the patience；
the calm justice； necessary for ascertaining the facts； or their awful and
divine certainty when once ascertained。
＇But these philosophers （it will be said） hated all religion。
Before that question can be fairly discussed； it is surely right to
consider what form of religion that was which they found working round
them in France； and on the greater part of the Continent。 The quality
thereof may have surely had something to do （as they themselves asserted）
with that 〃sort of rage〃 with which （to use M。 de Tocqueville's words） 〃the
Christian religion was attacked in France。〃
M。 de Tocqueville is of opinion （and his opinion is likely to be just）
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that 〃the Church was not more open to attack in France than elsewhere；
that the corruptions and abuses which had been allowed to creep into it
were less； on the contrary； there than in most Catholic countries。 The
Church of France was infinitely more tolerant than it ever had been
previously； and than it still was among other nations。 Consequently； the
peculiar causes of this phenomenon〃 （the hatred which it aroused） 〃must
be looked for less in the condition of religion than in that of society。〃
〃We no longer；〃 he says； shortly after； 〃ask in what the Church of that
day erred as a religious institution； but how far it stood opposed to the
political revolution which was at hand。〃 And he goes on to show how the
principles of her ecclesiastical government； and her political position；
were such that the philosophes must needs have been her enemies。 But
he mentions another fact which seems to me to belong neither to the
category of religion nor to that of politics； a fact which； if he had done us
the honour to enlarge upon it； might have led him and his readers to a
more true understanding of the disrepute into which Christianity had fallen
in France。
〃The ecclesiastical authority had been specially employed in keeping
watch over the progress of thought； and the censorship of books was a
daily annoyance to the philosophes。 By defending the common liberties
of the human mind against the Church； they were combating in their own
cause： and they began by breaking the shackles which pressed most
closely on themselves。〃
Just so。 And they are not to be blamed if they pressed first and most
earnestly reforms which they knew by painful experience to be necessary。
All reformers are wont thus to begin at home。 It is to their honour if； not
content with shaking off their own fetters； they begin to see that others are
fettered likewise； and； reasoning from the particular to the universal； to
learn that their own cause is the cause of mankind。 There is； therefore；
no reason to doubt that these men were honest； when they said that they
were combating； not in their own cause merely； but in that of humanity；
and that the Church was combating in her own cause； and that of her
power and privilege。 The Church replied that she； too； was combating
for humanity； for its moral and eternal well…being。 But that is just what
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the philosophes denied。 They said （and it is but fair to take a statement
which appears on the face of all their writings； which is the one key…note
on which they ring perpetual changes）； that the cause of the Church in
France was not that of humanity； but of inhumanity； not that of nature； but
of unnature； not even that of grace； but of disgrace。 Truely or falsely；
they complained that the French clergy had not only identified themselves
with the repression of free thought； and of physical science； especially that
of the Newtonian astronomy； but that they had proved themselves utterly
unfit； for centuries past； to exercise any censorship whatsoever over the
thoughts of men： that they had identified themselves with the cause of
darkness； not of light； with persecution and torture； with the dragonnades
of Louis XIV。； with the murder of Calas and of Urban Grandier； with
celibacy； hysteria； demonology； witchcraft； and the shameful public
scandals； like those of Gauffredi； Grandier； and Pere Giraud； which had
arisen out of mental disease； with forms of worship which seemed to them
（rightly or wrongly） idolatry； and miracles which seemed to them （rightly
or wrongly） impostures； that the clergy interfered perpetually with the
sanctity of family life； as well as with the welfare of the state； that their
evil counsels； and specially those of the Jesuits； had been patent and potent
causes of much of the misrule and misery of Louis XIV。's and XV。's reigns；
and that with all these heavy counts against them； their morality was not
such as to make other men more moral； and was notat least among the
hierarchyimproving； or likely to improve。 To a Mazarin； a De Retz； a
Richelieu （questionable men enough） had succeeded a Dubois； a Rohan； a
Lomenie de Brienne； a Maury； a Talleyrand； and at the revolution of 1789
thoughtful Frenchmen asked； once and for all； what was to be done with a
Church of which these were the hierophants？
Whether these complaints affected the French Church as a 〃religious〃
institution； must depend entirely on the meaning which is attached to the
word 〃religion〃： that they affected her on scientific； rational； and moral
grounds； independent of any merely political one； is as patent as that the
attack based on them was one…sided； virulent； and often somewhat
hypocritical； considering the private morals of many of the assailants。
We knowor ought to knowthat within that religion which seemed to the
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philosophes （so distorted and defaced had it become） a nightmare dream；
crushing the life out of mankind； there lie elements divine； eternal；
necessary for man in this life and the life to come。 But we are bound to
askHad they a fair chance of knowing what we know？ Have we proof
that their hatred was against all religion； or only against that which they
saw around them？ Have we proof that they would have equally hated；
had they been in permanent contact with them； creeds more free from
certain faults which seemed to them； in the case of the French Church；
ineradicable and inexpiable？ Till then we must have charitywhich is
justiceeven for the philosophes of the eighteenth century。
This view of the case had been surely overlooked by M。 de
Tocqueville； when he tried to explain by the fear of revolutions； the fact
that both in America and in England； 〃while the boldest political doctrines
of the eighteenth…century philosophers have been adopted； their anti…
religious doctrines have made no way。〃
He confesses that； 〃Among the English； French irreligious philosophy
had been preached； even before the greater part of the French philosophers
were born。 It was Bolingbroke who set up Voltaire。 Throughout the
eighteenth century infidelity had celebrated champions in England。 Able
writers and profound thinkers espoused that cause； but they were never
able to render it triumphant as in France。〃 Of these facts there can be no
doubt： but the cause which he gives for the failure of infidelity will
surely sound new and strange to those who know the English literature and
history of that century。 It was； he says； 〃inasmuch as all those who had
anything to fear from revolutions； eagerly came to the rescue of the
established faith。〃 Surely t