such as perhaps are most of the countries ofEurope at present) in which its dictates respecting the conduct of a mantowards other men approach very nearly to a coincidence with those ofutility. The dictates of religion, in their application to the conduct of aman in what concerns himself alone, seem in most European nations tosavour a good deal of the ascetic principle: but the obedience to suchmistaken dictates indicates not any such disposition as is likely to breakout into acts of pernicious tendency with respect to others. Instances inwhich the dictates of religion lead a man into acts which are perniciousin this latter view, seem at present to be but rare: unless it be acts ofpersecution, or impolitic measures on the part of government, where thelaw itself is either the principal actor or an accomplice in the mischief.Ravaillac, instigated by no other motive than this, gave his country oneof the most fatal stabs that a country ever received from a single hand:but happily the Ravaillacs are but rare. They have been more frequent,however, in France than in any other country during the same period:and it is remarkable, that in every instance it is this motive that hasproduced them. When they do appear, however, nobody, I suppose, butsuch as themselves, will be for terming a disposition, such as they mani-fest, a good one. It seems hardly to be denied, but that they are just somuch the worse for their notions of religion; and that had they been leftto the sole guidance of benevolence, and the love of reputation, withoutany religion at all, it would have been but so much the better for man-kind. One may say nearly the same thing, perhaps, of those personswho, without any particular obligation, have taken an active part in theexecution of laws made for the punishment of those who have the mis-fortune to differ with the magistrate in matters of religion, much more ofthe legislator himself, who has put it in their power. If Louis XIV hadhad no religion, France would not have lost 800,000 of its most valu-able subjects. The same thing may be said of the authors of the warscalled holy ones; whether waged against persons called Infidels or per-sons branded with the still more odious name of Heretics. In Denmark,not a great many years ago, a sect is said to have arisen, who, by astrange perversion of reason, took it into their heads, that, by leading torepentance, murder, or any other horrid crime, might be made the roadto heaven. It should all along, however, be observed, that instances ofthis latter kind were always rare: and that in almost all the countries ofEurope, instances of the former kind, though once abundantly frequent,have for some time ceased. In certain countries, however, persecution at
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