cy. From all these considerations it
is clearer than the sun at noonday, that the true schismatics are those
who condemn other men's writings, and seditiously stir up the
quarrelsome masses against their authors, rather than those authors
themselves, who generally write only for the learned, and appeal solely
to reason. In fact, the real disturbers of the peace are those who, in a
free state, seek to curtail the liberty of judgment which they are
unable to tyrannize over.

I have thus shown:--I. That it is impossible to deprive men of the
liberty of saying what they think. II. That such liberty can be conceded
to every man without injury to the rights and authority of the sovereign
power, and that every man may retain it without injury to such rights,
provided that he does not presume upon it to the extent of introducing
any new rights into the state, or acting in any way contrary to the
existing laws. III. That every man may enjoy this liberty without
detriment to the public peace, and that no inconveniences arise
therefrom which cannot easily be checked. IV. That every man may enjoy
it without injury to his allegiance. V. That laws dealing with
speculative problems are entirely useless. VI. Lastly, that not only may
such liberty be granted without prejudice to the public peace, to
loyalty, and to the rights of rulers, but that it is even necessary for
their preservation. For when people try to take it away, and bring to
trial, not only the acts which alone are capable of offending, but also
the opinions of mankind, they only succeed in surrounding their victims
with an appearance of martyrdom, and raise feelings of pity and revenge
rather than of terror. Uprightness and good faith are thus corrupted,
flatterers and traitors are encouraged, and sectarians triumph, inasmuch
as concessions have been made to their animosity, and they have gained
the state sanction for the doctrines of which they are the interpreters.
Hence they arrogate to themselves the state authority and rights, and do
not scruple to assert that they have been directly chosen by God, and
that their laws are Divine, whereas the laws of the state are human, and
should therefore yield obedience to the laws of God--in other words, to
their own laws. Every one must see that this is not a state of affairs
conducive to public welfare. Wherefore, the safest way for a state is to
lay down the rule that religion is comprised solely in the exercise of
charity and