comedian. He leads his conspirator through cities and provinces, to gather
associates; the pope, or the king of Spain, or some cardinal, directs the
plot; he has at his finger-ends the closest secrets of the conspiracy; he
recites letters, which were never written; and, most commonly, Jesuits, but
sometimes Dominicans, even Capuchins, are his principal actors. These men
give anticipated absolution to the assassin; they promise him the crown and
palm of martyrdom; they impart to him the pope's benediction; and, to use
your odious cant, they give him the sacrament upon it. All this is sweet
reading to bigoted sectaries; and, with them, the word of De Thou is
paramount to demonstrative proof. {299}

I have sketched De Thou's character, because he stands foremost among the
modern corrupters of history, too successfully followed by Voltaire, by
Hume, by Robertson, and a throng of servile imitators in France and in
England, whose historical romances have so much contributed to render
religion odious, and to plunge mankind into scepticism and infidelity.

Having already mentioned the writer of the historical and biographical
articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica, I here recommend to Laicus to
cultivate a more intimate correspondence with that accurate compiler, if he
be still engaged in historical pursuits. They will thus reciprocally gather
improvement by communication of their respective discoveries; they will
mutually support each other, and advance the common cause in which they are
engaged. How strange it is, that the historian of the Encyclopedia, so well
informed of whatever concerns Jesuits, should not have known, that Louis
XIV was a professed member of that order, bound by four solemn {300} vows;
_viz._ of voluntary poverty, perpetual chastity, and entire obedience to
the general of the society in all things, and likewise to the pope with
respect to foreign missions! Surely he would have enriched the Encyclopedia
with this prominent fact, so undoubtedly ascertained by Laicus and cardinal
de Noailles. How strange again it is, that the penetrating Laicus should
have been ignorant, that this very Louis XIV, this professed Jesuit, so far
forgot the humility of his religious profession, as to arrogate to himself
the worship and honours, which religion appropriates to the Divinity! And
yet this important fact, which had escaped all the writers of that royal
Jesuit's life, is consigned to posterity for an historical truth,