any doctrine is much more difficult than the supporting and
retaining of it.

     There is a great difference between historical facts and
speculative opinions; nor is the knowledge of the one propagated in
the same manner with that of the other. An historical fact, while it
passes by oral tradition from eye-witnesses and contemporaries, is
disguised in every successive narration, and may at last retain but
very small, if any, resemblance of the original truth, on which it
was founded. The frail memories of men, their love of exaggeration,
their supine carelessness; these principles, if not corrected by
books and writing, soon pervert the account of historical events;
where argument or reasoning has little or no place, nor can ever
recal the truth, which has once escaped those narrations. It is thus
the fables of H/ERCULES\, T/HESEUS\, B/ACCHUS\ are supposed to have
been originally founded in true history, corrupted by tradition. But
with regard to speculative opinions, the case is far otherwise. If
these opinions be founded on arguments so clear and obvious as to
carry conviction with the generality of mankind, the same arguments,
which at first diffused the opinions, will still preserve them in
their original purity. If the arguments be more abstruse, and more
remote from vulgar apprehension, the opinions will always be
confined to a few persons; and as soon as men leave the
contemplation of the arguments, the opinions will immediately be
lost and be buried in oblivion. Whichever side of this dilemma we
take, it must appear impossible, that theism could, from reasoning,
have been the primary religion of human race, and have afterwards,
by its corruption, given birth to polytheism and to all the various
superstitions of the heathen world. Reason, when obvious, prevents
these corruptions: When abstruse, it keeps the principles entirely
from the knowledge of the vulgar, who are alone liable to corrupt
any principle or opinion.

                S/ECT\. II. <Origin of Polytheism>.

                                  

     If we would, therefore, indulge our curiosity, in enquiring
concerning the origin of religion, we must turn our thoughts towards
polytheism, the primitive religion of uninstructed mankind.

     Were men led into the apprehension of invisible, intelligent
power by a contemplation of the works of nature, they could never
possibly entertain any conception but of one single being, who
bestowed existence and order on this vast machine, and adjusted all
its parts, according to one regular plan or connected system. For
though, to persons of a certain turn of mind, it may not appear
altogether absurd, that several independent beings, endowed with
superior wisdom, might conspire in the contrivance and execution of
one regular plan; yet is this a merely arbitrary supposition, which,
even if allowed possible, must be confessed neither to be supported
by probability nor necessity. All things in the universe are
evidently of a piece. Every thing is adjusted to every thing. One
design prevails throughout the whole. And this uniformity leads the
mind to acknowledge one author; because the conception of different
authors, without any distinction of attributes or operations, serves
only to give perplexity to the imagination, without bestowing any
satisfaction on the understanding. The statue of L/AOCOON\, as we
learn from P/LINY\, was the work of three artists: But it is
certain, that, were we not told so, we should never have imagined,
that a groupe of figures, cut from one stone, and united in one
plan, was not the work and contrivance of one statuary. To ascribe
any single effect to the combination of several causes, is not
surely a natural and obvious supposition.

     On the other hand, if, leaving the works of nature, we trace
the footsteps of invisible power in the various and contrary events
of human life, we are necessarily led into polytheism and to the
acknowledgment of several limited and imperfect deities. Storms and
tempests ruin what is nourished by the sun. The sun destroys what is
fostered by the moisture of dews and rains. War may be favourable to
a nation, whom the inclemency of the seasons afflicts with famine.
Sickness and pestilence may depopulate a kingdom, amidst the most
profuse plenty. The same nation is not, at the same time, equally
successful by sea and by land. And a nation, which now triumphs over
its enemies, may anon submit to their more prosperous arms. In
short, the conduct of events, or what we call the plan of a
particular providence, is so full of variety and uncertainty, that,
if we suppose it immediately ordered by any intelligent beings, we
must acknowledge a contrariety in their designs and intentions, a
constant combat of opposite powers, and a repentance or change of
intention in the same power, from impotence or levity. Each nation
has its tutelar deity. Each element is subjected to its invisible
power or agent. The province of each god is separate from that of
another. Nor are the operations of the same god always certain and
invariable. To-day he protects: To-morrow he abandons us. Prayers
and sacrifices, rites and ceremonies, well or ill performed, are the
sources of his favour or enmity, and produce all the good or ill
fortune, which are to be found amongst mankind.

     We may conclude, therefore, that, in all nations, which have
embraced polytheism, the first ideas of religion arose not from a
contemplation of the works of nature, but from a concern with regard
to the events of life, and from the incessant hopes and fears, which
actuate the human mind. Accordingly, we find, that all idolaters,
having separated the provinces of their deities, have recourse to
that invisible agent, to whose authority they are immediately
subjected, and whose province it is to superintend that course of
actions, in which they are, at any time, engaged. J/UNO\ is invoked
at marriages; L/UCINA\ at births. N/EPTUNE\ receives the prayers of