Of a particular Kind of Crimes.



The reader will perceive that I have omitted speaking of a certain class of 

crimes which has covered Europe with blood, and raised up those horrid 

piles, from whence, amidst clouds of whirling smoke, the groans of human 

victims, the crackling of their bones, and the frying of their still panting 

bowels, were a pleasing spectacle and agreeable harmony to the fanatic 

multitude. But men of understanding will perceive that the age and country 

in which I live, will not permit me to inquire into the nature of this 

crime. It were too tedious and foreign to my subject to prove the necessity 

of a perfect uniformity of opinions in a state, contrary to the examples of 

many nations; to prove that opinions, which differ from one another only in 

some subtle and obscure distinctions, beyond the reach of human capacity, 

may nevertheless disturb the public tranquillity, unless one only religion 

be established by authority; and that some opinions, by being contrasted and 

opposed to each other, in their collision strike out the truth; whilst 

others, feeble in themselves, require the support of power and authority. It 

would, I say, carry me too far, where I to prove, that, how odious soever is 

the empire of force over the opinions of mankind, from whom it only obtains 

dissimulation followed by contempt, and although it may seem contrary to the 

spirit of humanity and brotherly love, commanded us by reason, and 

authority, which we more respect, it is nevertheless necessary and 

indispensable. We are to believe, that all these paradoxes are solved beyond 

a doubt, and are conformable to the true interest of mankind, if practised 

by a lawful authority. I write only of crimes which violate the laws of 

nature and the social contract, and not of sins, even the temporal 

punishments of which must be determined from other principles than those of 

limited human philosophy.