et; they amused
them upon the road by stories; in a word, they treated them in the way
of nurses, who employ songs and menaces to put the children to sleep, or
to force them to be quiet.

XVI.--THAT WHICH SERVES AS A BASIS FOR ALL RELIGION IS VERY UNCERTAIN.

The existence of a God is the basis of all religion. Few people seem to
doubt this existence, but this fundamental principle is precisely the
one which prevents every mind from reasoning. The first question of
every catechism was, and will always be, the most difficult one to
answer.

XVII.--IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CONVINCED OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

Can one honestly say that he is convinced of the existence of a being
whose nature is not known, who remains inaccessible to all our senses,
and of whose qualities we are constantly assured that they are
incomprehensible to us? In order to persuade me that a being exists, or
can exist, he must begin by telling me what this being is; in order to
make me believe the existence or the possibility of such a being, he
must tell me things about him which are not contradictory, and which do
not destroy one another; finally, in order to convince me fully of the
existence of this being, he must tell me things about him which I can
comprehend, and prove to me that it is impossible that the being to whom
he attributes these qualities does not exist.

XVIII.--CONTINUATION.

A thing is impossible when it is composed of two ideas so antagonistic,
that we can not think of them at the same time. Evidence can be relied
on only when confirmed by the constant testimony of our senses, which
alone give birth to ideas, and enable us to judge of their conformity or
of their incompatibility. That which exists necessarily, is that of
which the non-existence would imply contradiction. These principles,
universally recognized, are at fault when the question of the existence
of God is considered; what has been said of Him is either unintelligible
or perfectly contradictory; and for this reason must appear impossible
to every man of common sense.

XIX.--THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IS NOT PROVED.

All human intelligences are more or less enlightened and cultivated. By
what fatality is it that the science of God has never been explained?
The most civilized nations and the most profound thinkers are of the
same opinion in regard to the matter as the most barbarous nations and
the most ignorant and rustic people. As we examine