expiated by giving a certain number of cattle, and all the family received fatisfaction: a thing extremely useful, fays Tacitus (r), becaufe enmities are most dangerous amongst a free people. I believe, indeed, that their ministers of religion, who were held by them in so much credit, were concerned in thefe reconciliations.

Amongst the inhabitants of Malacca (f), where no form of reconciliation is established, he who has committed murder, certain of being affaflinated by the relations or friends of the deceased, abandons himself to fury, and wounds and kills all he meets.

CHA P. XVIII.

How the Laws of Religion have the Effect of civil Laws.

HE first Greeks were fmall nations, frequently

government, and without laws. The mighty actions of Hercules and Thefeus let us fee the ftate of that rifing people What could religion do more, to infpire them with horror againft murder? It declared, that the man who had been (t) murdered was enraged against the affaffin, that he would poffefs his mind with terror and trouble, and oblige him to yield to him the places he had frequented when alive. They could not touch the criminal, nor converfe with him (u), without being defiled: the murderer was to be expelled the city, and an expiation made for the crime (x).

(r) De morib. Germanorum.

(Collegion of Voyages that contributed to the establishment of the Eat-India company, vol. 7. pag 303. See alfo Memoirs of the C. de Forbin, and what he fays of the people of Macaffar.

(1) Plato, f Laws, lib. 9.

(u) Tragedy of OEdipus Coleneus.

(x) Plato of Laws, lib. 9.

CHA P. XIX.

That it is not fo much the Truth or Falfity of a Dorie which renders it useful or pernicious to Men in civil Goernment, as the Use or Abuse of it.

T

HE most true and holy doctrines may be attended

with the very worst confequences, when they are not connected with the principles of fociety; and on the contrary, doctrines the moft falfe may be attended with excellent confequences, when contrived fo as to be connected with thete principles.

The religion of Confucius difowne the immortality of the foul; and the feet of Zeno did not believe it. These two fecis have drawn from their bad principles confequences, rot juft indeed, but moft admirable as to their infuence on fociety. Thofe of the religion of Tao, and of Foe, believe the immortality of the foul; but from this facred doctrine they draw the moft frightful confequences.

The doctrine of the immortality of the foul falfely underflood, has, almott in every part of the globe, and in every age, engaged women, flaves, fubjects, friends, to murder themselves, that they might go and ferve in the ether world the object of their refpect or love in this. Thus it was in the Weft Indies; thus it was amongst the Danes (y); thus it is at prefent in Japan (z), in Macaffar (a), and many other places.

* A Chinese philofo¡ her reasons thus against the doctrine of Fœe. “ It "is faid, in a book of that fect, that the body is our dwelling-place, "and the foul our immortal gueft which lodges there: but if the "bodies of our relations are only a lodging, it is natural to regard them "with the fame contempt we should feel for a 1tructure of earth and "dirt. Is not this endeavouring to tear from the heart the virtue of "love to one's own parents? This leads us even to neglect the care of "the body, and to refuse it the compaffion and affection fo neceffary for "its preservation: hence the disciples of Foe kill themselves by thou"fands." Work of an ancient Chinese philofopher, in the Collection of Du Halde, vol. 3. p. 52.

(y) See Tho. Bartholin's Antiq. of the Danes.

(3) An Account of Japan, in the Collection of Voyages that contributed to establish an Eaft-India company.

(a) Forbin's Memoirs.

These

151 These customs do not fo directly proceed from the doctrine of the immortality of the foul, as from that of the refurrection of the body, from whence they have drawn this confequence, that, after death, the fame individual will have the fame wants, the fame fentiments, the fame paffions. In this point of view, the doctrine of the immortality of the foul has a prodigious effect on mankind; because the idea of only a fimple change of habitation, is more within the reach of the human underftanding, and more adapted to flatter the heart, than the idea of a new modification.

It is not enough for religion to establish a doctrine, it muft alfo direct its influence. This the Chriftian religion performs in the most admirable manner, particularly with regard to the doctrines of which we have been fpeaking. It makes us hope for a flate, which is the object of our belief; not for a state which we have already experienced, or known: thus every article, even the refurrection of the body, leads us to fpiritual ideas.

ΤΗ

CHA P. XX.

The fame Subject continued.

HE facred books (b) of the ancient Perfians fay, "If you would be holy, inftruct your children. "because all the good actions which they perform, will "be imputed to you." They advise them to marry betimes, becaufe children at the day of judgment will be as a bridge, over which those who have none cannot pafs. Thefe doctrines were false, but extremely useful.

T

CHA P. XXI.

Of the Metempsychosis.

HE doctrine of the immortality of the foul is divided into three branches, that of pure immortality, that of a fimple change of habitation, and that of a metempfychofis; that is, the fyftem of the Chrif

(b) Mr. Hyde.

H 4

tians,

tians, that of the Scythians, and that of the Indians. We have just been fpeaking of the two firft, and I fhall fay of the laft, that as it has been well or ill explained, it has had good or bad effects As it infpires men with a certain horror against bloodshed, very few murders are commited in the Indies; and though they feldom punish with death, yet they enjoy a perfect tranquillity.

On the other hand, women burn themselves at the death of their husbands; thus it is only the innocent who fuffer a violent death,

CHA P. XXII.

That it is dangerous for Religion to infpire an Averfion for Things in themselves indifferent.

A

Kind of honour established in the Indies by the prejudices of religion, has made the several tribes conceive an averfion against each other. This honour is founded entirely on religion; these family diftinctions form no civil diftinctions; there are Indians who would think themselves dishonoured by eating with their king.

Thefe forts of diftinctions are connected with a certain averfon for other men, very different from thofe fentinents which naturally arise from difference of rank; which, amongst us, comprehends a love for inferiors.

The laws of religion should never infpire an averfion to any thing but vice, and, above all, they should never eftrange man from a love and tenderness for his own fpecies.

The Mahometan and Indian religions embrace an infinite number of people; the Indians hate the Mahometans, becaufe they eats cows; the Mahometans deteft the Indians, because they eat hogs.

W

HEN religion appoints a ceffation from labour, it ought to have a greater regard to the neceffities of mankind, than to the grandeur of the being it defigns to honour,

Athens

Athens (c) was fubject to great inconveniencies from the exceffive number of its fellivals. Thefe powerful people, to whofe decifion all the cities of Greece came to fubmit their quarrels, could not have time to dispatch fuch a multiplicity of affairs.

When Conftantine ordained that the people fhould reft on the fabbath, he made this decree for the cities*, and not for the inhabitants of the open country; he was fenfible, that labour in the cities was ufeful, but in the fields neceffary.

For the fame reason, in a country fupported by commerce, the number of feftivals ought to be relative to this very commerce. Proteftant and Catholic countries are fituated † in fuch a manner, that there is more need of labour in the former, than in the latter; the fuppreffion of festivals is therefere more fuitable to Protestant than to Catholic countries.

Dampierre (d) obferves, that the diverfions of different nations vary greatly, according to the climate. As hot climates produce a quantity of delicate fruits, the barbarians eadily find. neceffaries, and therefore fpend much time in diverfions. The Indians of colder countries have. not fo much leifure, being obliged to fish and hunt continually; hence they have lefs mufic, dancing, and feftivals. If a new religion fhould be established amongst thefe people, it ought to have regard to this in the inftitution of festivals.

T

CHA P. XXIV.

Of the local Laws of Religion.

HERE are many local laws in various religions ;: and when Montezuma with fo much obftinacy infifted, that the religion of the Spaniards was good for their country, and his for Mexico, he did not affert an

(c) Xenophon on the republic of Athens.

Leg. 3. Cod. de Feriis. This law was doubtless made only for the Pagans.

The Catholics lie more towards the fouth, and the Proteftants towards the north.

(d) Dampierre's Voyages, vol. 2.

H. 5

abfurdity;