the mechanism of man's actions; to develope in an easy way the arcana of
the most striking phenomena of the human heart: on the other hand, if
his ideas are only the result of unfruitful speculations, they cannot
interest the happiness of the human species. Whether he believes himself
a free agent, or whether he acknowledges the necessity of things, he
always equally follows the desires imprinted on his soul; which are to
preserve his existence and render himself happy. A rational education,
honest habits, wise systems, equitable laws, rewards uprightly
distributed, punishments justly inflicted, will conduct man to happiness
by making him virtuous; while thorny speculations, filled with
difficulties, can at most only have an influence over persons
unaccustomed to think.

After these reflections, it will be very easy to remove the difficulties
that are unceasingly opposed to the system of fatalism, which so many
persons, blinded by their superstitious prejudices, are desirous to have
considered as dangerous--as deserving of punishment--as calculated to
disturb public tranquility--as tending to unchain the passions--to
undermine the opinions man ought to have; and to confound his ideas of
vice and of virtue.

The opposers of necessity, say, that if all the actions of man are
necessary, no right whatever exists to punish bad ones, or even to he
angry with those who commit them: that nothing ought to be imputed to
them; that the laws would he unjust if they should decree punishment for
necessary actions; in short, that under this system man could neither
have merit nor demerit. In reply, it may he argued, that, to impute an
action to any one, is to attribute that action to him; to acknowledge
him for the author: thus, when even an action was supposed to be the
effect of an agent, and that agent _necessity_, the imputation would