ld populations, in the course of time, be disposed to submit
willingly to the severe and exclusive regimen of reason.

XXVII. Independently of these external impediments, there exists a kind
of internal anarchy in man, arising from the want of a force exercising
the functions of an arbitrator between the mind and the heart, and
inclining the latter to shape its decisions on the motives of the
former. The truths, which he is frequently able to discover, satisfy his
intellect without affecting his will, minister food to the mind, but
operate not on the heart; in short, they establish a theory, but command
not practice. Hence it often happens that man sees right, approves it,
and yet adheres to wrong. Even after having gathered an abundant harvest
from long studies and profound meditations, he still feels the need of a
guide to direct his steps--of a means, available at all times, and
competent to enable him to subordinate the appetitive to the
intellectual faculties, and to cause the will to follow the judgments of
the mind rather than those of the heart.

XXVIII. The inadequacy of natural religion alone becomes still more
manifest, when we consider the weakness and limited extent of the human
understanding. To meditate assiduously on an abstract object, which does
not fall under the perception of the senses, is given only to a few
individuals endowed with uncommon penetration. But by far the greater
part of men, disinclined to submit to long and arduous researches,
concerning what they ought or ought not to believe and to do, prefer
living thoughtlessly; and when they even try to enter upon spiritual
meditations, they soon feel discouraged, and, often distrusting their
own powers, throw up the difficult task half way, to resume the course
of a reckless mode of life.

XXIX. But even the few privileged beings, who believe themselves equal
to the task, and plunge earnestly into spiritual researches, must
confess to the insufficiency of the intellectual powers, and admit, that
beside some few principles which they have succeeded in establishing,
many doubts remain to be cleared, many questions to be solved, many
objections to be overcome; and they must ultimately conclude, that
reason by itself is unable to answer on all that interests man to admit
or to deny, to seek or to avoid, to believe and to do, to hope and to
fear. There is not, in this wide range of spiritual subjects, a
proposition held by one as true, whic