are not bound to believe, or to attempt belief in, any thing
which is contrary or contradictory to Reason. Here he is
diametrically opposed to Rome, who says, "Do not appeal to
History; that is private judgment. Do not appeal to Holy Writ;
that is heresy. Do not appeal to Reason; that is Rationalism."

He holds with the Patriarchs of Hebrew Holy Writ, that the
present life is all-sufficient for an intellectual (not a
sentimental) being; and, therefore, that there is no want of a
Heaven or a Hell. With far more contradiction the Western poet
sings:--

Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed
In one self-place; but when we are in hell,
And where hell is there must we ever be,
And, to be short, when all this world dissolves,
And every creature shall be purified,
All places shall be hell which are not heaven.

For what want is there of a Hell when all are pure? He enlarges
upon the ancient Buddhist theory, that Happiness and Misery are
equally distributed among men and beasts; some enjoy much and
suffer much; others the reverse. Hence Diderot declares, "Sober
passions produce only the commonplace . . . the man of moderate
passion lives and dies like a brute." And again we have the half
truth:--

That the mark of rank in nature
Is capacity for pain.