REMARKS ON VOLTAIRE'S CREED*. A CONFESSION of FAITH from M. Voltaire is a very great curiofity. With fuch a curiofity, however, great as it is, we are presented, at the clofe of his letter to the Sieur Rouffeau. 1 fhall lay before the reader a faithful tranflation of this confeffion from the French, accompanied with fome brief remarks upon the feveral parts of it en passant. But, before I begin, I must drak a couple of bumpers of champaign, that I may be a match for the little man. And now, my dear philofopher have at you. "I adore one God, the Creator." We fhould be glad to know more particularly, who this one God is, and in what manner you adore him; because a lively Frenchman, of your acquaintance, is faid, once upon a time, to have facrificed a bull to Neptune; and fome take a man's practice to be the best index of his principles. But as Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto, agreed to divide the world between them, they may as well draw ftraws for their votary. And much good may it do the winner. when the other inhabitants of the earth do not, the former may, through his mercy, enjoy his favour and protection, while the latter are, by his juftice, deprived of them. For this reafon he chofe Abraham, and bestowed the bleffing upon his feed. Because of unbelief and difobedience the Jews were rejected, and the Gentiles now ftand, in the fame manner, by faith and obedience. Let the Chriftians of every nation, and every fect, try themselves by this rule; and let thofe anfwer for it, who put unwarrantable limitations and reftrictions upon the goodness of their Maker. "A Being of infinite wifdom, that will punish and reward."-The attribute of wisdom cannot, one would imagine, recommend any Deity to you, fince the more he knows of you, the Jefs, of courfe, he will like you. And as to the article of punishment, it is wonderful how you could permit a grain of that ingredient to enter into the compofition; for furely no man can have any thing to fear from a God who rewards Voltaire. "An univerfal God, and not the God of one particular nation, or province, or fect." If the people of one particular nation, province, or fect, believe in God and keep his commandments, "I love him and ferve him as well as I am able, in men, my fellow- creatures, and his children." Videlicet, by breaking his laws and blafpheming his revelations; by fetting a glorious example of infidelity and profligacy, and encouraging all nations and languages to follow it. "But I do not believe that he prefers one people or fect to another." He may have the liberty, it is hoped, to prefer certain principles and practices to others, and to prefer thofe of his creatures, who adhere to what is right, before thofe who follow what is wrong. How he can do this, without preferring fome people and fome fects to other people and other fects, we must have one more confeffion of faith to explain. No man is made acceptable to God by profeffing himself a Chriftian, who lives otherwife than a Chriftian ought to do. His profeffion, in fuch a cafe, instead of juftifying him, would only enhance his guilt, and increafe his punishment. "Earthly princes, who have their foibles, like you or me, prefer those who can flatter them with most addrefs. God defires not that we fhould flatter him in our fervices." How can he be flattered, to whom we can afcribe no perfection, of which he is not poffeffed? Or what Chriftian, of the lowest form, ever thought of doing it? Against. whom, therefore, is this bolt fhot? It 3 R It is thrown into the air, merely to try fix different bookfellers? &c. &c. &c. His true temple is the heart of a good man." The inference here fuggefted is, that therefore all other temples are needlefs, and the ufe of them abfurd. But allowing that God vifits, and, as he himself is pleased to exprefs it, takes up his abode' in the hearts of his faithful people, does it follow hence, that they are not to worship him in material temples, while they are here below? How many links of this chain are wanting? "We are more concerned to imitate his goodness and mercy, than to affemble on certain days for the purpose of informing him, in a fong, that he is good and merciful." The duties of devotion and charity are by no means incompat ible. The truth is, we are concerned to do both, and one in order to the other, as we are then in the beft dif pofition to imitate the goodness and mercy of God, when our minds are filled and our hearts warmed, with the glorious ideas of them contained in the divine pfalms and hymns. These are fung, not to inform God, but to exprefs our gratitude. And when we fay that he is good and merciful, we do not fatter him, but fpeak the truth as well as we are able; though we must always fall infinitely fhort in our manner of doing it. "Every one who loves mankind and his country, who cherishes his wife, who educates his children wifely, who does juftice, who comforts the miferable, who relieves the poor, who is no bigot, ferves God as he himself requires, and fulfils the law." That is, if you have the making of it. The law of God requires many other things befide thefe to be done, before a man can fulfil it. But fuppofe, for once, we were to try you by your own law. One might afk, how a love to mankind and one's country was fhewn by writing books against religion? Or a love of truth, by disown ing them when written? Or a love of justice, by felling the copy of a work to "Vice, knavery, and flander, are the only impieties I know of." And yet there in not a man in Europe, whofe knowledge in that way is more extenfive. These are bad things to be sure but none of them are properly ftyled impieties; a word appropriated to those fins which are committed immediately against God, fuch as irreligion, infidelity, and blafphemy. "I firmly believe that every just man believes in God." This point cannot be well fettled, till we know what is here meant by a juft man, and what by believing in God; as alfo whether a man can believe in God, who has not heard of him; and whether he is likely to be a just man who has not first done both. As it ftands, at prefent, it is one of the most extraordinary articles of faith that ever was believed by an infidel. "I believe that God is a good king, who defires his fubjects to be honest men, and nothing more." So reasonable a requeft fhould have been better complied with by fome people, than according to all accounts, it hath been. But who authorized M. Voltaire to tell the world, to a tittle, what the great King of heaven and earth requires of his fubjects ? We know he hath required all this, and a great deal more. "I ftedfaftly believe that our Common Parent will fave honest Catholics, honest Proteftants, honest Turks, honeft Indians, the Swifs vicar, and JohnJames Rouffeau, if he repent him of his follies and his calumnies." What God intends to do with "honeft Turks and Indians," he hath no where told us, because it concerneth us not to know. One thing we are fure of. that he will do nothing with them but what is juft and and right. But what he will do with wicked and apoftate Christians he hath told us, because it highly imports us to know and lay it to heart. I have not heard that the "Swifs vicar," is excluded from grace, unless M. Voltaire's decree concerning his writings be fufficient to reprobate his perfon. And fo far am I from denying the falvability of John-James, if he repent, that I doubt not but Voltaire himfelf might be faved, upon the fame terms. Whether after finning with a high hand, till feventy, he will, or can repent, is another question. “I admit of final caufes in the system of Providence." A very kind conceffion, and Providence is much obliged to you for it. "And I humbly believe, that for fome good end, of which I profess my felf to be ignorant, highwaymen are per, mitted to rob, wafps to fting, and JohnJames to write." With regard to this article, I profefs the fame faith but not the fame ignorance. I conceive that JohnJames, and another person who shall be nameless, have been permitted to write, in order to fhew us how far it is poffible for authors to mifapply, in different ways, thofe talents with which God hath entrusted them; that men of genius may hear and fear, and be upon their guard. "I am of opinion, that it is my privilege to examine with modefty what is called revelation." You believe, my dear philofopher, a great deal more than this; or else your practice outstrips your faith at a strange rate. For if there be any modefty in your method of examin ing revelation, modesty is a very different thing from what the world hitherto hath taken it to be. "And I pity thofe governments that burn either men or books;" fo do I from my foul; because fense, learning, and wit, properly applied, would foon make any country too hot for an infidel, without fire or faggot. "I believe in God with all iny heart." The more shame for you, that you obey him no better. "And in the Chriftian religion with all my might." I am afraid, my dear philofopher, you have spent your strength in believing what is falfe, and have now no power left to believe what is true. But try again yet once more: diveft yourself of pathon and prejudice; reform your manners; ceafe to do evil; learn to do well; confider you are now well ftricken in years; death is near, and judgment will follow. Repent, and you will foon believe, take my word for it. "Man, who seems the most unhappy being in the creation, is born, lives, and dies in pain." One would be glad to know, as he proceeded originally from the hands of a good and gracious Creat tor, how this comes about, unless, fince that time, fome alteration hath been made in his condition, through his own fault. But I cry you mercy. He owes all his wretchedness to the pricfts. "Priefts and doctors corrupt his in fancy, embitter and delude his man hood, and befiege him in 'his old ages they make him die in a fneaking, cow ardly way, and pursue him even in the other world. Some call this religion for my part, I call it madness." So do I. It is a pity but the principles of toleration could be fufpended in their operation, juft while we might cut the throats of the fame priests and doctors, that the poor world might enjoy itself little. But men of ftrong paffions and brifk imaginations, especially if they are poets too, have a way of representing things very different from the common one, To inftruct children early in the knowledge of God, and of their duty, is, in the language of genius, to "corrupt their infancy." To teach them, as they grow up, the art of denying and fubduing their unlawful defires, of regulating their wills and affections, and of keeping heaven in fight, while they walk upon earth, is to" embitter and delude manhood." To prepare fick and dying people for their departure in the faith and fear of God, is to, béfiege, make cowards of them, and purfue them in the other world." When 3 R2 they, execute it properly, " I, for my part,' efteem them to be, the falt of the earth, and the light of the world.' May fuch be my attendants, guides, and comforters in my life, and at my death! And I wish M. Voltaire no worfe luck, than to have a faithful director of this fort near him, when he comes to die. they, who undertake the clerical office, the Indians about the Ganges, or stuck ," with nails like the Bramins." Learn ing is a fine thing; it enables a man to fet the miferable devices of the befotted pagans upon a level with the institutions of God, in order to laugh them all out of the world together. The cow-dung and the nails we readily give up; and the pureft water is, without all doubt, as to any virtue of its own, equally ineffectual for the purpofe mentioned. But the point to be proved is this, that God cannot, by his grace and mercy, do away fin, upon the application of an outward fignificant facrament, ordained by himself to that end. Till this is fatisfactorily made out, we must beg. leave still to think, that remiffion of fins may be conferred in baptifm, notwithstanding that one Indian daubs himself with ordure, and another is pierced from head to foot, like the man in the almanack. "Priests are not made to render us happy either in this world, or the next." Omnipotence itself cannot render beings happy, while they continue to hate the only fource of happiness. That bleffed Prieft, who brought life and falvation from heaven with him, was formerly afked, Art thou come to torment us before the time?' And nothing is more common than for gentlemen to exprefs themselves differently, when they mean the fame thing. I hope to die nobly, and with confidence." My dear philofopher, have you ever been fick, and in danger of death? How did you feel, and what were your thoughts then? They fay, that many as your wits are, you have been frightened out of them all upon fuch occafions. Do you recollect how it has been with you? because fo, or worfe, it will be with you again, when the time arrives. In "But a good man shall fee God and be happy, though he have worshipped all the amulets of the Negroes, or the divine marmosets of the Bonzes." other words, Good people, 1, for my part, worship one God, the Creator, though it is in a way very much my own. But this is only a fancy of mine; and, in these trifling matters, every man as he pleases, fay I. I would "None but a vile flave would fear have you give yourselves as little trouble to meet a good mafter." Yes, any fer- about the object, as about the mode of vant would, who has ufed him as you adoration. Be baptifed with water, or have done yours. The goodness of the patch yourselves over with cowt->d, mafter is an aggravation of the fervant's it makes no difference: And whether crime, who, if he had any thing gene-, you worship one God the Creator, or a rous in his nature, would, by that very monkey, it comes to the fame in the confideration, be led to repentance. end. Be but good men, as you fee me But of this there appear, as yet, no to be. Believe as you like, but act as figns in the Sieur de Voltaire. I do; and in due time you will find yourselves in heaven, if there be any fuch place: and fo I bid you heartily farewell. Only, as a play is fucceeded by a farce, my confeffion of faith, should end, in the orthodox ftile, with a prayer. And the very mention of a marmofet and a Bonze, throws me into a fit of devotion.' "I efteem mine, too highly to fear his prefence." Do you? 1 queftion that. I am much mistaken if your heart did not give you the lie when you penned this bravado. "No external expiation can justify the finner, though he were plunged over head and ears in confecrated water, or covered with cow-dung, like Here followeth the prayer, with a running running comment.- "O God, who no other proof, than that a perfon, seest my heart," which I have used living in a Chriftian country, should every means to corrupt, "and my un- write such a Confeffion of Faith as that derstanding," which I have employed, we have been confidering. Such as it for many years, against thee who gave is, however, it expreffes the fentiments. it me; 66 pardon my offences," (not of the Voltaires, the D'Alemberts, and that I have any thoughts of repentance others, on our own fide of the water.. and reformation,)" as I pardon those For which reason, it is hoped, the reof that coxcomb Rouffeau; and grant marks made upon it will not be without that 1 may always ferve thee in my their use. It is published with M. Volfellow creatures;" as I have hitherto taire's name; taking it therefore to be done, and do at this prefent writing. his, I have treated it accordingly; and Who can read Thomas à Kempis after can only fay, as an honeft gentleman this? faid to a fharper at cards, after having with a fork nailed his hand to the table: "Sir, if you have not the knave under your hand, I ask your pardon." "Finally, I believe that the fun may shine at noon-day, and a blind man know nothing of the matter." Of the truth of this article, I think we need LETTER FROM DR HAWKESWORTH, TO A YOUNG LADY JUST ENTERING UPON THE WORLD. DEAR MISS, YOU are now going from the company, the conversation, and amufements of children, into a fcene of life which affords more rational pleasures, and will engage you in more important pursuits: the world is opening before you, a wil. derness in which many have been loft; and in which, among a thoufand broad ways, there is but one narrow path that leads to happiness and honour. If this path is miffed at fetting out, it is very difficult to recover it; it is therefore of great confequence to be directed into it at first; and though I hope you will be long under the protection and guidance of parents in whom there is all that can be wifhed in the relation, yet I fhall give you a few plain inftructions, which 1 hope will affift you in fulfilling your duty to them, in obtaining the good-will of others, and promoting your own welfare. they are innocent, may prevent the shamel and anguifh of being reproved or upbraided after they are guilty. Great part of the happiness of every individual depends upon the opinion and actions of others: it is therefore defirable to gain and to preferve the goodwill of all: nor would I have you think any perfon either fo mean in their ftate of life, or fo undeferving in their cha-"> racter, as that their good-will is of now confequence to you. Every one who thinks you love them will love you; for this reafon be always ready to fhow your good-will to all, by fuch acts of friendship as are in your power, ftill taking care to avoid a partiality which may lead you to do any thing in favour of one perfon at the expence of another, or of yourself. There are many acts of friendship to mankind in general, which are neither difficult, trouble fome, nor expensive : the principal of thefe is fpeaking well, or at least not fpeaking ill, of the abfent. As my affection to you firft led me to this defign, my knowledge of your capacity encouraged me to purfue it. Do not imagine that I think you inclin- If you fee a fault in another, don't ed to all the faults and follies that I make it the fubject of converfation; fhall warn you against ; but you must re- le it with as much care as if it was member that all men have faults and your own. Do not think yourself justifollies, and that to caution perfons while fied by faying that what you report to another's |