a State into disorder and the universe
into combustion.

In almost all countries, priests and devout persons are charged with
forming the mind and the heart of the young princes destined to govern
the nations. What enlightenment can teachers of this stamp give? Filled
themselves with prejudices, they will hold up to their pupil
superstition as the most important and the most sacred thing, its
chimerical duties as the most holy obligations, intolerance, and the
spirit of persecution, as the true foundations of his future authority;
they will try to make him a chief of party, a turbulent fanatic, and a
tyrant; they will suppress at an early period his reason; they will
premonish him against it; they will prevent truth from reaching him;
they will prejudice him against true talents, and prepossess him in
favor of despicable talents; finally they will make of him an imbecile
devotee, who will have no idea of justice or of injustice, of true glory
or of true greatness, and who will be devoid of the intelligence and
virtue necessary to the government of a great kingdom. Here, in brief,
is the plan of education for a child destined to make, one day, the
happiness or the misery of several millions of men.

CL.--THE SHIELD OF RELIGION IS FOR TYRANNY, A WEAK RAMPART AGAINST THE
DESPAIR OF THE PEOPLE. A DESPOT IS A MADMAN, WHO INJURES HIMSELF AND
SLEEPS UPON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE.

Priests in all times have shown themselves supporters of despotism, and
the enemies of public liberty. Their profession requires vile and
submissive slaves, who never have the audacity to reason. In an absolute
government, their great object is to secure control of the mind of a
weak and stupid prince, in order to make themselves masters of the
people. Instead of leading the people to salvation, priests have always
led them to servitude.

For the sake of the supernatural titles which religion has forged for
the most wicked princes, the latter have generally united with the
priests, who, sure of governing by controlling the opinion of the
sovereign himself, have charge of tying the hands of the people and of
keeping them under their yoke. But it is vain that the tyrant, protected
by the shield of religion, flatters himself with being sheltered from
all the blows of fate. Opinion is a weak rampart against the despair of
the people. Besides, the priest is the friend of the tyrant only so long
as he finds his profit by the tyranny; he preaches s