The rise and dissolution of the infidel societies in this metropolis : including, the origin of modern deism and atheism; the genius and conduct of those associations; their lecture-rooms, field-meetings, and deputations; from the publication of Paine's Age of reason till the present period / [William Hamilton Reid].

  • William Hamilton Reid
Date:
1800
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The rise and dissolution of the infidel societies in this metropolis : including, the origin of modern deism and atheism; the genius and conduct of those associations; their lecture-rooms, field-meetings, and deputations; from the publication of Paine's Age of reason till the present period / [William Hamilton Reid]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 100 ] - ' . . ‘ . •*. order tire burning of all his political pamphlets: and he leaves the ftage, after mod appofitely ob- ferving, <c It is true, one may ealily condemn a “ government in theory, without having any idea “ of the pradtical part. So, to have a general cc notion of a Sea-chart, and to underltand the art cc of navigation, are two things effentially different. “ In reading political tradts, it is alfo eafy to ob- “ tain a facility in fpeaking upon a variety of C£ fubjedts; but much more than this, is neceilary <c to underlland the conllitution of a country. cc From what has befallen me to-day, every per- “ fon, of the fame rank in fociety, may derive 6C an exemplary conviction, that a man, who has £C no other capacity than that of cenfuring his fuperiors and governors, mult be totally unfit to adminilter in their places. For an illiterate *c Mechanic, to take upon him the office of a Statefman, is juft the fame as if the latter <c fhould affume the profeffion of the former with- sc out any previous inftrudtion.” Thus far, as to the fimilarity of caufes and effedts, and the general opinion of the friends of good government, relative to Secret Societies, in England, France, and Germany. As to the variety of the means, adopted in thofe countries, for promoting their purpofes, and the few made life of by the Englilh Societies, the latter was probably for want of time; efpecially, if the opinion, <c That the Englifh generally improve £t upon the difcoveries made by the French,” can apply in this particular. Profeffor Robifon has molt copiouily difplayed the addrefs of the French and German Illuminati, in qualifying their revolutionary poifon to all ftates and conditions of men; and has intimated, more than once, that it was a principal objedt with them.