he ideas prevailing
around him, he shrinks from openly emancipating himself from their
dominion, and, constrained by the force of circumstances, he becomes a
hypocrite, publicly applauding what his private judgment condemns. Where
a nation is making this passage, so universal do these practices become
that it may be truly said hypocrisy is organized. It is possible that
whole communities might be found living in this deplorable state. Such,
I conceive, must have been the case in many parts of the Roman empire
just before the introduction of Christianity. Even after ideas have
given way in public opinion, their political power may outlive their
intellectual vigour, and produce the disgraceful effect we here
consider.

It is not to be concealed, however, that, to some extent, this evil is
incident to the position of things. Indeed, it would be unfortunate if
national hypocrisy could not find a better excuse for itself than in
that of the individual. In civilized life, society is ever under the
imperious necessity of moving onward in legal forms, nor can such forms
be avoided without the most serious disasters ensuing. To absolve
communities too abruptly from the restraints of ancient ideas is not to
give them liberty, but to throw them into political vagabondism, and
hence it is that great statesmen will authorize and even compel
observances the essential significance of which has disappeared, and the
intellectual basis of which has been undermined. Truth reaches her full
action by degrees, and not at once; she first operates upon the reason,
the influence being purely intellectual and individual; she then extends
her sphere, exerting a moral control, particularly through public
opinion; at last she gathers for herself physical and political force.
It is in the time consumed in this gradual passage that organized
hypocrisy prevails. To bring nations to surrender themselves to new
ideas is not the affair of a day.

CHAPTER III.

DIGRESSION ON HINDU THEOLOGY AND EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION.

_Comparative Theology of India; its Phase of Sorcery; its
Anthropocentric Phase._

VEDAISM _the Contemplation of Matter, or Adoration of Nature,
set forth in the Vedas and Institutes of Menu.--The Universe
is God.--Transmutation of the World.--Doctrine of
Emanation.--Transmigration.--Absorption.--Penitential
Services.--Happiness in Absolute Quietude._

BUDDHISM _the Contemplation of Force.