LETTER XXI.

ON THE PREVALENCE OF TRUTH.

DEAR SON,

"TRUTH is mighty and will prevail," is the axiom that for ages has administered confolation to those reasoners, whose efforts in a favourite caufe have not been crowned with prefent fuccefs. That the foundation of this axiom is folid, I am by no means inclined to difpute; and far be it from me to attempt extinguishing that hope, which has prevented fo many generous friends of mankind from finking into despondency. Yet if its application have in any instances led to expectations which probably can never be realised, or if a confident reliance upon it have damped the ardour of due exertion, it may be useful to reduce it within the limits of ftrict reality.

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In fact, the affertion that " truth must always finally prevail," appears to me muchtoo general, and not to be acquiefced in without many diftinctions and limitations. The grounds of fome of thefe will be the fubject of my prefent letter.

Of the obstacles to the prevalence of truth, there are fome apparently fo connected with the nature and condition of man, that a majority of the fpecies must ever labout under their influence. Such are, especially, thofe proceeding from the operation of ungoverned paffions and defires, during which the mind is never permitted to exercife that calm judgment which is abfolutely neceffary for the inveftigation of truth. Every fubject which ftrongly excites the emotions of hope and fear, is liable to this cause of error. The medium through which it is viewed, is fo ruffled, that it tranfmits all objects falfe and distorted. In cafes like thefe, the fpecies receives no improvement, and each individual has the whole procefs of melioration to go through for himself. He must

by his own exertions acquire the due regulation of his heart, as much as the free, ufe of his limbs, and the attainments of his predeceffors afford him no affistance. As a man born, in the eighteenth century is no better able to endure cold, hunger, and fatigue, than one born in the first, so neither can he better refift the impreffions of terror and defire.

Now, many of thofe fubjects in which falfe opinions are moft prevalent, lay fuch hold on the weak parts of man, his paffions and affections, that he is in general incapa→ citated from making proper ufe of the experience of past ages, and feems doomed to run a perpetual round of the fame follies and mistakes. This is the caufe why reafon has not been able to do more in abolishing fuperftition. Various fpecies of it have occafionally been rendered unfashionable by ridicule or detection; but the principle itself ftill keeps its hold in the human breaft, ready to feize every opportunity of regaining all the influence it may have loft. In countries the most enlightened

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enlightened by fcience and letters, it is wonderful how much fuperftition is conftantly lurking among the vulgar of all ranks, nay, among the enlightened themfelves: for where the temper difposes to it, both learning and science may be made to afford additional materials for it to work upon. upon. A faith in omens, prophefies, and horoscopes, in fortunate names and numbers, in warnings and apparitions, in fupernatural cures, and other fraudulent pretenfions respecting the principal objects of hope and fear, is no more likely at the present day to be eradicated, than it was at any former period. Reafon has no greater power over these delusions, than the Roman fenate had over the influence of the Chaldean foothfayers: "Genus hominum (fays Tacitus) quod in civitate nostra et vetabitur femper, et retinebitur." It has rendered them in a certain degree difcreditable, and reduced them to operate more in fecret than formerly, and more individuals have been freed from their fway; but he muft know little of the

actual

actual state of things, who supposes their prefent influence to be inconsiderable, or, perhaps, diminishing. It might, indeed, be imagined, that caufes which had gradually been producing a certain effect, might confidently be expected to go on producing it in a greater and greater degree; but I fear this will not be found to correfpond with the real march of human affairs, which, in many cafes, more refembles the motion of a pendulum, which having fwung to a certain height, thenceforth moves in a contrary direction. Thus it feems as if fuperftition, after having been weakened by the repeated attacks of wits and philosophers, was at present recovering its ftrength. It has obviously met with encouragement from persons of fome note, who have probably feen a connexion between that ftate of mind which makes men fubmiffive to fuperftitious belief, and the docility neceffary for the reception of fyftems of faith which they were interested in fupporting. Mysteries of all forts are allied, and one formula of arguing serves

equally