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who has all his life denied the immortality of the soul； the effort is
very irksome； while those who laugh are not on our side。〃 It is not
long before the continued scandal of confession tickets and the
stubbornness of the bishops in not allowing ecclesiastical property to
be taxed； excites opinion against the clergy； and； as a matter of
course； against religion itself。 〃There is danger；〃 says Barbier in
1751； 〃that this may end seriously； we may some day see a revolution
in this country in favor of Protestantism。〃＇17＇ 〃The hatred against
the priests；〃 writes d'Argenson in 1753； 〃is carried to extremes。
They scarcely show themselves in the streets without being hooted at。
。 。 。As our nation and our century are quite otherwise enlightened
（than in the time of Luther）； it will be carried far enough； they will
expel the priests； abolish the priesthood and get rid of all
revelation and all mystery。 。 。 。 One dare not speak in behalf
of the clergy in social circles； one is scoffed at and regarded as a
familiar of the inquisition。 The priests remark that； this year；
there is a diminution of more than one…third in the number of
communicants。 The College of the Jesuits is being deserted； one
hundred and twenty boarders have been withdrawn from these so greatly
defamed monks。 It has been observed also that； during the carnival
in Paris； the number of masks counterfeiting ecclesiastical dress；
bishops； abbés； monks and nuns； was never so great。〃 … So deep is
this antipathy； the most mediocre books become the rage so long as
they are anti…Christian and condemned as such。 In 1748 a work by
Toussaint called 〃Les Moeurs；〃 in favor of natural religion； suddenly
becomes so famous； 〃that there is no one among a certain class of
people；〃 writes Barbier； 〃man or woman； pretending to be intellectual；
who is not eager to read it。〃 People accost each other on their
promenades； Have you read 〃Les Moeurs〃？ … Ten years later they are
beyond deism。 〃Materialism；〃 Barbier further said； 〃is the great
grievance。 。 。 。 〃 〃Almost all people of erudition and taste；
writes d'Argenson； 〃inveigh against our holy religion。 。 。 。
It is attacked on all sides； and what animates unbelievers still more
is the efforts made by the devout to compel belief。 They publish
books which are but little read； debates no longer take place；
everything being laughed at； while people persist in materialism。〃
Horace Walpole； who returns to France in 1765；＇18＇ and whose good
sense anticipates the danger； is astonished at such imprudence： 〃I
dined to day with a dozen scholars and scientists； and although all
the servants were around us and listening； the conversation was much
more unrestrained； even on the Old Testament； than I would allow at my
own table in England even if a single footman was present。〃 People
dogmatize everywhere。 〃Joking is as much out of fashion as jumping
jacks and tumblers。 Our good folks have no time to laugh！ There is
God and the king to be hauled down first； and men and women； one and
all； are devoutly employed in the demolition。 They think me quite
profane for having any belief left。 。 。 。 Do you know who the
philosophers are； or what the term means here？ In the first place it
comprehends almost everybody； and in the next； means men； who； avowing
war against popery； take aim； many of them； at a subversion of all
religion。 。 。 。 These savants； … I beg their pardons； these
philosophers … are insupportable； superficial； overbearing and
fanatic： they preach incessantly； and their avowed doctrine is
atheism； you would not believe how openly。 Voltaire himself does not
satisfy them。 One of their lady devotees said of him； 'He is a
bigot； a deist！' 〃
This is very strong； and yet we have not come to the end of it；
for； thus far； impiety is less a conviction than the fashion。
Walpole； a careful observer； is not deluded by it。 〃By what I have
said of their religious or rather irreligious opinions； you must not
conclude their people of quality atheists … at least not the men。
Happily for them； poor souls！ they are not capable of going so far
into thinking。 They assent to a great deal because it is the
fashion； and because they don't know how to contradict。〃 Now that
〃dandies are outmoded〃 and everybody is 〃a philosopher；〃 〃they are
philosophers。〃 It is essential to be like all the rest of the world。
But that which they best appreciate in the new materialism is the
pungency of paradox and the freedom given to pleasure。 They are like
the boys of good families； fond of playing tricks on their
ecclesiastical preceptor。 They take out of learned theories just
what is wanted to make a dunce…cap； and derive the more amusement from
the fun if it is seasoned with impiety。 A seignior of the court
having seen Doyen's picture of 〃St。 Genevieve and the plague…
stricken；〃 sends to a painter the following day to come to him at his
mistress's domicile： 〃I would like；〃 he says to him； 〃to have Madame
painted in a swing put in motion by a bishop； you may place me in such
a way that I may see the ankles of that handsome woman； and even more；
if you want to enliven your picture。〃＇19＇ The licentious song
〃Marotte〃 〃spreads like wildfire； 〃 〃a fortnight after its
publication；〃 says Collé； 〃I met no one without a copy； and it is the
vaudeville； or rather； the clerical assembly； which gives it its
popularity。〃 The more irreligious a licentious book is the more it is
prized； when it cannot be printed it is copied in manuscript。 Collé
counts 〃perhaps two thousand manuscript copies of' La Pucelle 'by
Voltaire； scattered about Paris in one month。〃 The magistrates
themselves burn it only for form's sake。 〃It must not be supposed
that the hangman is allowed to burn the books whose titles figure in
the decree of the Court。 Messieurs would be loath to deprive their
libraries of the copy of those works which fall to them by right； and
make the registrar supply its place with a few poor records of
chicanery of which there is no scanty provision。〃＇20＇
But； as the century advances； unbelief； less noisy； becomes more
solid。 It invigorates itself at the fountain…head； the women
themselves begin to be infatuated with the sciences。 In 1782；＇21＇
one of Mme。 de Genlis's characters writes；
Five years ago I left them thinking only of their attire and the
preparation of their suppers； I now find them all scientific and
witty。〃 We find in the study of a fashionable woman； alongside of a
small altar dedicated to Benevolence or Friendship； a dictionary of
natural history and treatises on physics and chemistry。 A woman no
longer has herself painted as a goddess on a cloud but in a
laboratory； seated amidst squares and telescopes＇22＇。 The Marquise
de Nesle； the Comtesse de Brancas； the Comtesse de Pons； the Marquise
de Polignac； are with Rouelle when he undertakes to melt and
volatilize the diamond。 Associations of twenty or twenty…five
persons are formed in the drawing…rooms to attend lectures either on
physics； applied chemistry； mineralogy or on botany。 Fashionable
women at the public meetings of the Academy of Inscriptions applaud
dissertations on the bull Apis； and reports on the Egyptian；
Phoenician and Greek languages。 Finally； in 1786； they succeed in
opening the doors of the College de France。 Nothing deters them。
Many of them use the lancet and even the scalpel； the Marquise de
Voyer attends at dissections； and the young Comtesse de Coigny
dissects with her own hands。 The current infidelity finds fresh
support on this foundation； which is that of the prevailing
philosophy。 Towards the end of the century＇23＇ 〃we see young persons
who have been in society six or seven years openly pluming themselves
on their irreligion； thinking that impiety makes up for wit； and that
to be an atheist is to be a philosopher。〃 There are； undoubtedly； a
good many deists； especially after Rousseau appeared； but I question
whether； out of a hundred persons； there were in Paris at this time
ten Christian men or women。 〃The fashionable world for ten years
past；〃 says Mercier＇24＇ in 1783； 〃has not attended mass。 People go
only on Sundays so as not to scandalize their lackeys； while the
lackeys well know that it is on their account。〃 The Duc de Coigny；＇25＇
on his estate near Amiens； refuses to be prayed for and threatens his
curate if he takes that liberty to have him cast out of his pulpit；
his son becomes ill and he prohibits the administering of the
sacraments； the son dies and he opposes the usual obsequies； burying
the body in his garden； becoming ill himself he closes his door
against the bishop of Amiens； who comes to see him twelve times； and
dies as he had lived。 A scandal of this kind is doubtless notorious
and； therefore； rare。 Almost everybody； male and female； 〃ally with
freedom of ideas a proper ob