THE LETIER TO M. D'ALEMBERT ON THE THEATRE
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most sublime of all books; it consoles me and instructs me every day, when other books inspire in me only disgust. But I maintain that, if the Scripture itself gave us some idea of God unworthy of Him, we would have to reject it on that point, just as you reject in geometry the demonstrations which lead to absurd conclusions. For, of whatever authenticity the sacred text may be, it is still more believable that the Bible was altered than that God is unjust or malevolent. These, Sir, are the reasons which would prevent me from blaming these sentiments in equitable and moderate theologians who, by their own doctrine, would teach that no one should be forced to adopt it. I will say more; ways of thinking so appropriate for a reasonable and feeble creature, so worthy of a just and merciful creator, appear to me preferable to that stupid acceptance which makes an animal out of man, and to that barbarous intolerance which delights in tormenting, already in this life, those whom it destines to eternal torments in the next. In this sense, I thank you, on behalf of my country, for the spirit of philosophy and humanity that you recognize in its clergy and for the justice you are pleased to do it. I am in agreement with you on this point. But for being humane, philosophic, and tolerant,· it does not follow that the members of the clergy are heretic. In the party name you give them, in the dogmas that you say are theirs, I can neither agree with you nor follow you. Although such a system may perhaps have nothing that does not do honor to those who adopt it, I will refrain from attributing it to my pastors who have not adopted it, for fear that the praise I might make of it would provide others with the subject for a very grave accusation·and would hurt those I had pretended to praise. Why should I take the responsibility for • Concerning Christian tolerance, the chapter which bears this title can be consulted in the eleventh book of Professor Vernet's Doctrine cbretienne.9 There it can be seen for what reasons the Church ought to use even more caution and circumspection in the censure of errors concerning the faith than in that of errors concerning morals [manners], and how the gentleness of the Christian, the reason of the wise man, and the zeal of the pastor are combined in the rules of this censorship.
