William Henry Gladstone - "The Hawarden Visitors' Hand Book"

Alfred Lord Tennyson - "Becket and other plays"

Frederick Jackson Turner - "The Character and Influence of the Indian Trade in Wisconsin"

Translated from the German by Sophie A. Miller and Agnes M. Dunne - "After Long Years and Other Stories"

Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature 2007
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Baron d\'Holbach

M >> Max Pearson Cushing >> Baron d\'Holbach




Ce livre est ecrit avec plus de vehemence que de veritable eloquence;
il entraine. Son style est chatie et correct, quoique un peu dur et
sec; son ton est grave et soutenu. On n'y apprend rien de nouveau,
et cependant il attache et interesse. Malgre son incroyable temerite,
on ne peut refuser a l'auteur la qualite d'homme de bien fortement
epris du bonheur de sa race et de la prosperite des societes; mais
je pense que ses bonnes intentions seraient une sauvegarde bien
faible contre les mandements et les requisitions." This is a clear
and fair account of a book that is without doubt the severest criticism
of the theory and practice of historical Christianity ever put in print.

The church very naturally did not let such a book pass unanswered.
Abbe Bergier, a heavy person, triumphantly refuted Holbach in eight
hundred pages in his _Apologia de la Religion Chretienne contre
l'Auteur du Christianisme devoile_, Paris, 1769, which finishes
with the fatal prophecy, "Nous avons de surs garans de nos esperances:
tant que le sang auguste de S. Louis sera sur le trone, _il n'y a
point de revolutions a craindre ni dans la Religion ni dans la
politique_. La religion Chretienne fondee sur la parole de Dieu...
triomphera des nouveaux Philosophes. Dieu qui veille sur son ouvrage
n'a pas besoin de nos faibles mains pour le soutenir"
(Psaume 32, vs. 10, 11).

2. There already existed in 1767 another work by Holbach entitled
_Theologie portative ou Dictionnaire Abrege de la Religion Chretienne.
Par Mr Abbe Bernier_. Londres (Amsterdam), 1768 (1767). This book
went through many editions and was augmented by subsequent authors
and editors. Voltaire was already writing to d'Alembert about it
August 14, 1767. [44:5]

In a letter to Damilaville, October 16, he writes (Vol. XIV, p. 406):

Depuis trois mois il y a une douzaine d'ouvrages d'une liberte
extreme, imprimes en Hollande. _La Theologie portative_ n'est
nullement theologique: ce n'est qu'une plaisanterie continuelle
par ordre alphabetique; mais il faut avouer qu'il y a des traits
si comiques que plusieurs theologiens memes ne pourront s'empecher
d'en rire. Les jeunes gens et les femmes lisent cette folie avec
avidite. Les editions de tous les livres dans ce gout se multiplient.

And on February 8, 1768, he wrote:

On fait tous les jours des livres contre la religion, dont je voudrais
bien imiter le style pour la defendre. Y a-t-il de plus sale, que
la plupart des traits qui se trouvent dans la _Theologie portative_?
Y a-t-il rien de plus vigoreux, de plus profondement raisonne, d'ecrit
avec une eloquence plus audacieuse et plus terrible, que le _Militaire
philosophe_, ouvrage qui court toute l'Europe? [by Naigeon and Holbach]
Lisez la _Theologie portative_, et vous ne pourrez vous empecher de rire,
en condammant la coupable hardiesse de l'auteur. Lisez _l'Imposture
sacerdotale_--vous y verrez le style de Demosthene. Ces livres
malheuresement inondent l'Europe; mais quelle est la cause de cette
inondation? Il n'y en a point d'autre que les querelles theologiques
qui ont revolte les laiques. _Il s'est fait une revolution dans
l'esprit humain que rien ne peut plus arreter: les persecutions ne
pourraient qu'irriter le mal_. [Footnote: the italics are mine.]

It is to be noted however that Voltaire's sentiments varied according
to the point of view of the person to whom he was writing. In a
letter to d'Alembert, May 24, 1769 (Vol. LXV, p. 453), he calls the
_Theologie portative_ "un ouvrage a mon gre, tres plaisant, auquel
je n'ai assurement nulle part, ouvrage que je serais tres fache
d'avoir fait, et que je voudrais bien avoir ete capable de faire."
But in a letter to the Bishop of Annecy June, 1769, he writes
(Vol. XXVIII, p. 73): "Vous lui [M. de Saint Florentin] imputez,
a ce que je vois par vos lettres, des livres miserables, et jusqu'a
_la Theologie portative_, ouvrage fait apparemment dans quelque
cabaret; vous n'etes pas oblige d'avoir du gout, mais vous etes
oblige d'etre juste" (Vol. XXVIII, p. 73). Diderot even said of
the book: "C'est un assez bon nombre de bonnes plaisanteries noyees
dans un beaucoup plus grand nombre de mauvaises" and this criticism
is just. A few examples of the better jokes will suffice:

_Adam:_ C'est le premier homme, Dieu en fait un grand nigaud, qui
pour complaire a sa femme eut la betise de mordre dans une pomme
que ses descendans n'ont point encore pu digerer.

_Idees Innees:_ Notions inspirees des Pretres de si bonne heure,
si souvent repetees, que devenu grand l'on croit les avoir eu
toujours ou les avoir recus des le ventre de sa mere.

_Jonas:_ La baleine fut a la fin obligee de le vomir tant un
Prophete est un morceau difficile a digerer.

_Magie:_ Il y en a de deux sortes, la blanche et la noire. La
premiere est tres sainte et se pratique journellement dans
l'eglise.

_Protestants:_ Chretiens amphibies.

_Vierge:_ C'est la mere du fils de Dieu et belle-mere de l'eglise.

_Visions:_ Lanternes magiques que de tout temps le Pere Eternel
s'est amuse a montrer aux Saintes et aux Prophetes.

3. Holbach furnished the last chapter of Naigeon's book _Le Militaire
philosophe, ou Difficulties sur la religion_, Londres (Amsterdam), 1768.
Voltaire ascribed the work to St. Hyacinthe. Grimm recognized that the
last chapter was by another hand and considered it the weakest part of
the book. It attempts to demonstrate that all supernatural religions
have been harmful to society and that the only useful religion is
natural religion or morals. The book was refuted by Guidi, in a
"_Lettre a M. le Chevalier de... [Barthe] entraine dans l'irreligion
par un libelle intitule Le Militaire philosophe_ (1770, 12mo).

4. Holbach's next book was _La Contagion sacree ou l'Histoire
naturelle de la Superstition_, Londres (Amsterdam), 1768. In his
preface Holbach attributed the alleged English original of this
work to John Trenchard but that was only a ruse to avoid persecution.
The book is by Holbach. It has gone through many editions and been
translated into English and Spanish. The first edition had an
introduction by Naigeon. According to him manuscripts of this
book became quite rare at one time and were supposed to have been
lost. Later they became more common and this edition was corrected
by collation with six others.


[PG transcriber's note: at this point there appears to be a break
in the original text. A sentence introducing the fifth book in
this list, "Letters to Eugenie", has evidently been lost.]


The letters were written in 1764, according to Lequinio
(_Feuilles posthumes_), who had his information from Naigeon, to
Marguerite, Marchioness de Vermandois in answer to a very touching
and pitiful letter from that lady who was in great trouble over
religion. Her young husband was a great friend of the Holbachs,
but having had a strict Catholic bringing up she was shocked at
their infidelity and warned by her confessor to keep away from them.
"Yet in their home she saw all the domestic virtues exemplified and
beheld that sweet and unchangeable affection for which the d'Holbachs
were eminently distinguished among their acquaintances and which was
remarkable for its striking contrast with the courtly and Christian
habits of the day. Her natural good sense and love for her friends
struggled with her monastic education and reverence for the priests.
The conflict rendered her miserable and she returned to her country
seat to brood over it. In this state of mind she at length wrote
to the Baron and laid open her situation requesting him to comfort,
console, and enlighten her." [47:7] His letters accomplished the
desired effect and he later published them in the hope that they
would do as much for others. They were carefully revised before
they were sent to the press. All the purely personal passages were
omitted and others added to hide the identity of the persons concerned.
Letters of the sort to religious ladies were common at this time.
Freret's were preventive, Holbach's curative, but appear to be rather
strong dose for a _devote_. Other examples are Voltaire's _Epitre a Uranie_
and Diderot's _Entretien d'un Philosophe avec la Marechale de..._.

6. In 1769 Holbach published two short treatises on the doctrine
of eternal punishment which claimed to be translations from English,
but the originals are not to be found. The titles are _De l'intolerance
convaincue de crime et de folie_ as it is sometimes given, and--

7. _L'Enfer detruit ou Examen raisonne du Dogme de l'Eternite des
Peines_. Londres, Amsterdam, 1769. This letter was translated
into English under the title _Hell Destroyed!_ "Now first translated
from the French of d'Alembert without any mutilations," London 1823,
which led Mr. J. Hibbert to say, "I know not why English publishers
attribute this awfully sounding work to the cautious, not to say
timid d'Alembert. It was followed by Whitefoot's _'Torments of Hell,'_
now first translated from the French." [47:8]


Of Holbach's remaining works on religion two, _Histoire critique
de Jesus Christ_ and _Tableau des Saints_, date from 1770 when he
began to publish his more philosophical works.

8. The _Histoire critique de Jesus Christ ou Analyse raisonnee des
Evangiles_ was published without name of place or date. It was
preceded by Voltaire's _Epitre a Uranie_. It is an extremely careful
but unsympathetic analysis of the Gospel accounts, emphasizing all
the inconsistencies and interpreting them with a literalness that
they can ill sustain. From this rationalistic view-point Holbach
found the Gospels a tissue of absurdities and contradictions. His
method, however, would not be followed by the critique of today.

9. The _Tableau des Saints_ is a still more severe criticism of
the heroes of Christendom. Holbach's proposition is "La raison
ne connait qu'une mesure pour juger et les hommes et les choses,
c'est l'utilite reelle et permanente, qui en resulte pour notre
espece," (p. 111). Judged by this standard, the saints with their
eyes fixed on another world have fallen far short. "Ils se flatterent
de meriter le ciel en se rendant parfaitement inutile a la terre"
(p. xviii). Holbach much prefers the heroes of classical antiquity.
The book is violent but learned throughout, and deals not only with
the Jewish patriarchs from Moses on but with the church fathers and
Christian Princes down to the contemporary defenders of the faith.
After a rather one-sided account of the most dreary characters and
events in Christian history, Holbach concludes: "Tel fut, tel est,
et tel sera toujours l'esprit du Christianisme: il est aise de sentir
qu'il est incompatible avec les principes les plus evidens de la
morale et de la saine politique" (p. 208).

10. In _Recueil philosophique_, Londres (Amsterdam), 1770, edited
by Naigeon. Reflexions sur les craintes de la Mort. Probleme
important--La Religion est-elle necessaire a la morale et utile
a la Politique. Par M. Mirabaud.

11. _Essai sur les prejuges, ou De l'influence des opinions sur
les moeurs et sur le bonheur des Hommes_. Londres (Amsterdam),
1770, under name of Dumarsais. The book pretended to be an
elaboration of Dumarsais' essay on the _Philosophe_ published
in the _Nouvelles libertes de penser, 1750.

The special interest connected with it was the refutation Frederick
the Great published under the title _Examen de l'Essai sur les
prejuges_, Londres, Nourse, 1770 (16 mo). The King of Prussia
writing from the point of view of a practical, enlightened despot,
took special exception to Holbach's remarks on government. "Il
l'outrage avec autant de grossierete que d'indecence, il force le
gouvernement de prendre fait et cause avec l'eglise pour s'opposer
a l'ennemi commun. Mais, quand avec un acharnement violent et les
traits de la plus acre satire, il calomnie son Roi et le gouvernement
de son pays, on le prend pour un frenetique echappe de ses chaines,
et livre aux transports les plus violens de sa rage. Quoi, Monsieur
le philosophe, protecteur des moeurs et de la vertu, ignorez vous
qu'un bon citoyen doit respecter la forme de gouvernement sous
laquelle il vit, ignorez vous qu'il ne convient point a un particulier
d'insulter les Puissances..." (p. 28).

"Non content d'insulter a toutes les tetes couronnes de l'Europe,
notre philosophe s'amuse, en passant, a repandre du ridicule sur
les ouvrages de Hugo Grotius. J'oserais croire qu'il n'en sera
pas cru sur sa parole, et que le _Droit de la guerre et de la
paix_ ira plus loin a la posterite que _l'Essai sur les
prejuges_" (p. 39).

Holbach in his anti-militaristic enthusiasm had used the words
"bourreaux mercenaires"; "epithete elegante," continues Frederick,
"dont il honore les guerriers. Mais souffrions nous qu'un cerveau
brule insulte au plus noble emploi de la Societe?" (p.49). He goes
on to defend war in good old-fashioned terms. "Vous declamez contre
la guerre, elle est funeste en elle-meme; mais c'est un mal comme
ces autres fleaux du ciel qu'il faut supposer necessaires dans
l'arrangement de cet univers parce qu'ils arrivent periodiquement
et qu'aucun siecle n'a pu jusqu'a present d'en avoir ete exempt. J'ai
prouve que de tout temps l'erreur a domine dans ce monde; et comme une
chose aussi constante peut etre envisagee comme une loi general de la
nature, j'en conclus que ce qui a ete toujours sera toujours le
meme" (p. 19).

Frederick sent his little refutation to Voltaire for his compliments
which were forthcoming. A few days after Voltaire wrote to d'Alembert:

Le roi de Prusse vous a envoye, sans doute, son petit ecrit contre
un livre imprime cette annee, intitule _Essai sur les prejuges_, ce
roi a aussi les siens, qu'il faut lui pardonner; on n'est pas roi
pour rien. Mais je voudrais savoir quel est l'auteur de cet _Essai_
contre lequel sa majeste prussienne s'amuse a ecrire un peu durement.
Serait-il de Diderot? serait-il de Damilaville? serait-il d'Helvetius?
peut-etre ne le connaissez-vous point, je le crois imprime en Hollande
(Vol. LXVI, p. 304).

D'Alembert answered:

Oui, le roi de Prusse m'a envoye son ecrit contre _l'Essai sur les
prejuges_. Je ne suis point etonne que ce prince n'ait pas goute
l'ouvrage; je l'ai lu depuis cette refutation et il m'a paru bien
long, bien monotone et trop amer. Il me semble que ce qu'il y de
bon dans ce livre aurait pu et du etre noye dans moins de pages et
je vois que vous en avez porte a peu pres le meme jugement
(Vol. LXVI, p. 324).

In spite of these unfavorable judgments the _Essai_ was reprinted
as late as 1886 by the Bibliotheque Nationale in its _Collection
des meilleurs auteurs anciens et modernes_, still attributed to
Dumarsais with the account of his life by "le citoyen Daube"
which graced the edition of the year I. (1792)

12. Early in 1770 appeared Holbach's most famous book, the
_Systeme de la Nature_, the only book that is connected with his
name in the minds of most historians and philosophers. It seems
wiser, however, to deal with this work in a chapter apart and
continue the account of his later publications.

13. The next of which was _Le bon-sens, ou idees naturelles opposees
aux idees surnaturelles. Par l'Auteur du Systeme de la Nature_,
Londres (Amsterdam), 1772. This work has gone through twenty-five
editions or more and has been translated into English, German, Italian
and Spanish. As early as 1791 it began to be published under the name
of the cure Jean Meslier d'Etrepigny, made so famous by Voltaire's
publication of what was supposed to be his last will and testament
in which on his death bed he abjured and cursed Christianity. Some
editions contain in the preface Letters by Voltaire and his sketch
of Jean Meslier. The last reprint was by De Laurence, Scott & Co.,
Chicago, 1910. The book is nothing more or less than the
_Systeme de la Nature_, in a greatly reduced and more readable form.

Voltaire, to whom it was attributed by some, said to d'Alembert,
"Il y a plus que du bon sens dans ce livre, il est terrible. S'il
sort de la boutique du _Systeme de la Nature_, l'auteur s'est bien
perfectionne." D'Alembert answered: "Je pense comme vous sur le
_Bon-sens_ qui me parait un bien plus terrible livre que le
_Systeme de la Nature_." These remarks were inscribed by
Thomas Jefferson on the title page of his copy of _Bon-sens_.
The book has gone through several editions in the United States and
was sold at a popular price. The German translation was published
in Baltimore on the basis of a copy found in a second-hand book
store in New Orleans. The most serious work written against it is
a long and carefully written treatise against materialism by an
Italian monk, Gardini, entitled _L'anima umana e sue proprieta dedotte
da soli principi de ragione, dal P. lettore D. Antonmaria Gardini,
monaco camaldalese, contro i materialisti e specialmente contro
l'opera intitulata, le Bon-Sens, ou Idees Naturelles opposees aux idees
Surnaturelles. In Padova MDCCLXXXI Nella stamperia del Seminario.
Appresso Giovanni Manfre, Con Licenza de Superiori e Privilegio_
(8vo, p. xx + 284).

14. In 1773 Holbach published his _Recherches sur les Miracles_,
a much more sober work than his previous writings on religion. In
this book he raises the well known difficulties with belief in
miracles and brings a great deal of real learning and logic to
bear on the question. The entire work is in a reasonable and
philosophic spirit. His conclusion is that "une vraie religion
doit avoir au defaut de bonnes raisons, des preuves sensibles,
capables de faire impression sur tout ceux qui la cherchent de
bonne foi. Ce ne sont pas les miracles." The same year he
published two serious but somewhat tiresome works on politics.

15. _La politique naturelle_.

16. _Systeme social_ in which he attempts to reduce government
to the naturalistic principles which were the basis of his entire
philosophy. The first is also attributed to Malesherbes. There
is a long and keen criticism of the _Systeme Social_ by
Mme. d'Epinay in a letter to Abbe Galiani Jan. 12, 1773
(Gal. _Corresp._, Vol. II, p. 167).

But the most interesting reaction upon it was that of the Abbe
Richard who criticized it from point of view of the divine right
of kings in his long and tiresome work entitled _La Defense de
la religion, de la morale, de la vertu, de la politique et de
la societe, dans la refutation des ouvrages qui ont pour titre,
l'un Systeme Social etc. Vautre La Politique Naturelle par le
R. P. Ch. L. Richard, Professeur de Theologie_, etc., Paris,
Moulard, 1775.

In a preface of forty-seven pages the fears of the conservative
old Abbe are well expressed. The aim of these modern philosophers
who are poisoning public opinion by their writings is to "demolir
avec l'antique edifice de la religion chretienne, celui des moeurs,
de la vertu, de la saine politique etc. rompre tous les canaux de
communication entre la terre et le ciel, bannir, exterminer du monde
le Dieu qui le tira du neant, y introduire l'impiete la plus complete,
la licence la plus consomnee, l'anarchie la plus entiere, la confusion
la plus horrible."

17. Holbach's next work, _Ethocratie ou Gouvernement fonde
sur la Morale_, Amsterdam, Rey, 1776, is interesting mainly for
its unfortunate dedication and peroration, inscribed to Louis XVI,
who was hailed therein as a long expected Messiah.

18. Holbach's last works dealt exclusively with morals. They
are _La morale universelle ou les devoirs de l'homme fondes sur
la nature_, Amsterdam, 1771, and

19. A posthumous work, _Elements de la Morale universelle, ou
catechisme de la nature_, Paris, 1790. This is a beautiful
little book. It is simple and clear to the last degree.
There have been several translations in Spanish for the purposes
of elementary education in morals in the public schools. It was
composed in 1765. Holbach's attitude towards morals is indicated
by his _Avertissement_--"La morale est une science dont les principes
sont susceptibles d'une demonstration aussi claire et aussi rigoureuse
que ceux du calcul et de la geometrie."




CHAPTER III. THE SYSTEME DE LA NATURE.


Early in 1770 appeared the famous _Systeme de la Nature, ou Des Loix
du Monde Physique et du Monde Morale, Par M. Mirabaud, Secretaire
Perpetuel et l'un des Quarante de l'Academie Francaise_, Londres
(Amsterdam), 1770. This work has gone through over thirty editions
in France, Spain, Germany, England and the United States. No book
of a philosophic or scientific character has ever caused such a
sensation at the time of its publication, excepting perhaps Darwin's
_Origin of Species_, the thesis of which is more than hinted at by
Holbach. There were several editions in 1770. A very few copies
contain a _Discours preliminaire de l'Auteur_ of sixteen pages which
Naigeon had printed separately in London. The _Abrege du Code de
la Nature_, which ends the book was also published separately and
is sometimes attributed to Diderot, 8vo, 16 pp. [54:1]

There is also a book entitled _Le vrai sens du Systeme de la Nature_,
1774, attributed to Helvetius, a very clear, concise epitome largely
in Holbach's own short and telling sentences, and much more effective
than the original because of its brevity. Holbach himself reproduced
the _Systeme de la Nature_ in a shortened form in _Bon-sens_, 1772, and
Payrard plagiarized it freely in _De la Nature et de ses Lois_, Paris,
1773. The book has been attributed to Diderot, Helvetius, Robinet,
Damilaville and others. Naigeon is certain that it is entirely by
Holbach, although it is generally held that Diderot had a hand in it.
It was published under the name of Mirabaud to obviate persecution.
The manuscript, it was alleged, had been found among his papers as a
sort of "testament" or philosophical legacy to posterity. This work
may be called the bible of scientific materialism and dogmatic atheism.
Nothing before or since has ever approached it in its open and
unequivocal insistence on points of view commonly held, if at all,
with reluctance and reserve. It is impossible in a study of this
length to deal fully with the attacks and refutations that were
published immediately. We may mention first the condemnation of the
book by the _Parlement de Paris_, August 18, 1770, to be burned by
the public hangman along with Voltaire's _Dieu et les Hommes_, and
Holbach's _Discours sur les Miracles_, _La Contagion sacree_ and
_le Christianisme devoile_, which had already been condemned on
September 24, 1769. [55:2]

The _Requisitoire_ of Seguier, _avocat general_, on the occasion
of the condemnation of the _Systeme de la Nature_ was so weak
and ridiculous that the _Parlement de Paris_ refused to sanction
its publication, and it was printed by the express order of the King.
As Grimm observed, it seemed designed solely to acquaint the ignorant
with this dangerous work, without opposing any of its propositions.
One would look in vain for a better example of the conservatism of
the legal profession. [55:3]

Le poison des nouveautes profanes ne peut corrompre la sainte
gravite des moeurs qui caracterise les vrais Magistrats:
tout peut changer autour d'eux, _ils restent immuables avec la
loi_ (page 496).

N'est-ce pas ce fatal abus de la liberte de penser, qui a enfante
cette multitude de sectes, d'opinions, de partis, et cet esprit
d'independance dont d'autres nations ont eprouve les sinstres
revolutions. Le meme abus produira en France des effets peut-etre
plus funestes. La liberte indefinie trouveroit, dans la caractere
de la nation, dans son activite, dans son amour pour la nouveaute,
un moyen de plus pour preparer les plus affreuses revolutions (p. 498).

The most interesting private attacks on the _Systeme de la Nature_
came from two somewhat unexpected quarters, from Ferney and Sans Souci.
Voltaire, as usual, was not wholly consistent in his opinions of it,
as is revealed in his countless letters on the subject. Grimm
attributed his hostility to jealousy, and the fear that the
_Systeme de la Nature_ might "renverse le rituel de Ferney et
que le patriarcat ne s'en aille au diable avec lui." [56:4]
George Leroy went so far as to write a book entitled _Reflexions
sur la jalousie, pour servir de commentaire aux derniers ouvrages
de M. de Voltaire_, 1772. Frederick II naturally felt bound to
defend the kings who, as Voltaire said, were no better treated than
God in the _Systeme de la Nature_. [56:5]

Voltaire's correspondence during this period is so interesting that
it seems worth while to quote at length, especially from his letters
to Fredrick the Great. In May 1770, shortly after the publication
of the _Systeme de la Nature_ Voltaire wrote to M. Vernes: [56:6]
"On a tant dit de sottises sur la nature que je ne lis plus aucun
de ces livres la." But by July he had read it and wrote to Grimm: [56:7]
"Si l'ouvrage eut ete plus serre il aurait fait un effet terrible,
mais tel qu'il est il en a fait beaucoup. Il est bien plus eloquent
que Spinoza... J'ai une grande curiosite de savoir ce qu'on en pense
a Paris." In writing to d'Alembert about this time he seemed to have
a fairly favorable impression of the book. "Il m'a paru qu'il y avait
des longueurs, des repetitions et quelques inconsequences, mais il y a
trop de bon pour qu'on n'eclate avec fureur contre ce livre. Si on
garde le silence, ce sera une preuve du prodigieux progres que la
tolerance fait tous les jours." [57:8] But there was little likelihood
that philosophers or theologians would keep silent about this scandalous
book. Before the end of the month Voltaire was writing to d'Alembert
about his own and the king of Prussia's refutations of it, and the same
day wrote to Frederick: "Il me semble que vos remarques doivent etre
imprimees; ce sont des lecons pour le genre humain. Vous soutenez d'un
bras la cause de Dieu et vous ecrasez de l'autre la superstition." [57:9]
Later Voltaire confessed to Frederick that he also had undertaken to
rebuke the author of the Systeme de la Nature. "Ainsi Dieu a pour
lui les deux hommes les moins superstitieux de l'Europe, ce que devrait
lui plaire beaucoup" (p. 390).

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