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suspected of concurring in any fraud, call it holy or unholy. But I want to know why, on the very same account, his OPINION is the less to be regarded? For my part, I find no difficulty in believing every article of the narration for which the cardinal gives his testimony: notwithstanding this, I may be of the same opinion with him; that the account given by the dean and canons, which is their testimony, not his, was all a fiction. But it is not with the cardinal's testimony we are here concerned about that there is no dispute. It is with his opinion. Are then a man's sentiments about a matter of fact, I must insist on it, the less worthy of regard, either because: he is a man of genius, and not at all credulous, or because he cannot be suspected of any concurrence in a holy fraud? Are they the more improbable on these accounts? The essayist, when he reflects, will be the last man in the world, that would assist in establishing a maxim so unfavourable, not only to candour, but even to genius and scepticism: and indeed there are few, if any, that would be greater sufferers by it than himself.

But leaving this, as one of the unfathomable depths of the essay, I proceed to the other circumstances. "The miracle," says the author, "of so singular a nature, as could scarce admit of a counterfeit." He did well at least to use the word scarce; for if every visitant was as little desirous of prying into the secret, as the cardinal, nothing could be more easily counterfeited: "And the witnesses very numerous, and "all of them, in a manner, spectators of the fact, to which "they gave their testimony." By the very numerous witnesses, I suppose he means the whole company in town, who were appealed to. They were all, in a manner, spectators of the fact. What precise abatement the author intended we should make, from the sense of the word spectators, on account of the qualifying phrase, in a manner, I shall not presume to determine; but shall observe, from the memoirs, that it was not so much as pretended by the canons, that any of the citizens had seen the miracle performed; it was only pretended, that they had seen the man formerly at the gate of the church, wanting a leg. Nor is it alleged, that any of them was at more pains in examining the matter, either before or after the recovery of the leg, than the cardinal was. They were therefore properly no spectators of the fact. The phrase, in a manner, ought I imagine to have been placed in the end of the sentence, which would have run thus: " to which they, in a 66 manner, give their testimony;" for no direct testimony was either asked of them, or given by them; their belief is inferred from their devotion.

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I have been the more particular in my remarks on the circumstances of this story, not because there was need of these remarks: for, though to the essayist the relation appeared very memorable, to me, and, I believe, to most people, it appears very trifling; but that the reader might have this further specimen of the author's talents in embellishing. To the above-mentioned, and all other such idle tales, this short and simple answer will, by every man of sense, be thought sufficient. The country where the miracle is said to have been wrought, is SPAIN: the people who propagated the faith of it, were THE CLERGY. What comparison, in point of credibility, can be made between miracles, which, with no visible support but their own evidence, had at once to encounter, and did in fact overcome the abhorrence of the priest, and the tyranny of the magistrate, the insolence of the learned, and the bigotry of the superstitious: what comparison, I say, can be made between such, and any prodigies said to have been performed in a country, where all the powers of the nation, secular and ecclesiastical, the literature of the schools, such as it is, and the prejudices of the people, conspire in establishing their credit; a country sunk in the most obdurate superstition that ever disgraced human nature*, a country where the awe of the inquisition is so great, that no person, whatever be his sentiments, dares mutter a syllable against any opinion that hath obtained the patronage of their spiritual guides? But that I may not be accused of prepossession, or suspected of exagge rating, I shall only give the sentiments of two eminent foreigners (who were not Protestants, and may therefore be supposed the more impartial) concerning that nation, and the influence which the holy tribunal has both on their character

This perhaps will appear to some to be too severe a censure on a country called Christian, and may be thought to reflect on Christianity itself. I do not think it fairly capable of such a construction. That the corruption of the best things produces the worst, hath grown into a proverb; and, on the most impartial enquiry, I do not imagine it will be found, that any species of idolatry ever tended so directly to extirpate humanity, gratitude, natural affection, equity, mutual confidence, good faith, and every amiable and generous principle from the human breast, as that gross perversion of the Christian religion which is established in Spain. It might easily be shown, that the human sacrifices offered by Heathens, had not half the tendency to corrupt the heart, and consequently deserve not to be viewed with half the horrour, as those celebrated among the Spaniards, with so much pomp, and barbarous festivity, at an auto da fe. It will not surely be affirmed, that our Saviour reflected on the Mosaick institution, or genuine Judaism, when he said, Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, YE MAKE him twofold more the child of bell than yourselves. Yet the words plainly imply, tha: even Pagans, by being converted to the Judaism that was then professed, were made children of hell, and consequently corrupted, instead of being reformed. See Matth. xxiii. 15.

and manners. Voltaire*, speaking of the inquisition as established in Spain, says, "Their form of proceeding is an infal"lible way to destroy whomsoever the inquisitors please. The prisoners are not confronted with the informers; and there “ is no informer who is not listened to. A publick criminal, an infamous person, a child, a prostitute, are creditable 46 accusers. Even the son may depose against his father; the "wife against her husband. In fine, the prisoner is compelled "to inform against himself, to divine, and to confess, the "crime laid to his charge; of which often he is ignorant. "This procedure, unheard of till the institution of this court, "makes the whole kingdom tremble. Suspicion reigns in every breast. breast. Friendship and openness are at an end. The "brother dreads his brother, the father his son. Hence taci"turnity is become the characteristick of a nation endued "with all the vivacity natural to the inhabitants of a warm "and fruitful climate. To this tribunal we must likewise "impute that profound ignorance of sound philosophy, in "which Spain lies buried, whilst Germany, England, France, "and even Italy, have discovered so many truths, and enlarged "the sphere of our knowledge. Never is human nature so "debased, as when ignorance is armed with power."—" It is necessary," says Montesquieuf, in the humble remonstrance to the inquisitors of Spain and Portugal, "that we advertise 66 you of one thing; it is, that if any person, in future times, "shall dare assert, that in the age wherein we live, the Euro" peans were civilized, you will be quoted to prove that they "were barbarians, and the idea people will form of you, will "be such as will dishonour your age, and bring hatred on all "your contemporaries."

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I come now to consider the miracles said to have been performed in the church-yard of Saint Medard, at the tomb of Abbé Paris. On these the author hath expatiated with great parade, exulting, that he hath found in them, as he imagines, what, in respect of number, and nature, and evidence, may outvie the miracles of holy writ. Yet should we admit them to be true, how they can be considered as proofs of any doctrine, or how they can affect the evidence of the miracles recorded in scripture, it will not perhaps be easy to discover. But setting that question aside, I propose to examine their evidence; and that, not by entering into a particular inquiry concerning each separate fact mentioned in Montgeron's collection, as such an inquiry would appear, to every judicious

* Essai sur l'histoire generale, chap. 118.

† De l'esprit de loix, liv. 25, chap. 13.

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reader, both tedious and impertinent; but by making a few” general observations, founded in unquestionable fact, and mostly supported even by the authority of Montgeron, that doughty champion of the Jansenist saint*.

First, Let it be remarked, that it was often objected by the enemies of the saint, and scarce contradicted, never confuted, by his friends, that the prostrations at his sepulchre produced more diseases, than they cured. The ingenious author lately quoted, in the account he gives of the affairs of the church in the ninth century, taking occasion incidentally to mention the miracles of the Abbé, speaks of this circumstance, as a thing universally known, and undeniable†. "I should not take no"tice," says he, "of an epidemical folly with which the peo"ple of Dijon were seized in 844, occasioned by one Saint "Benignus, who threw those into convulsions who prayed on "his tomb; I should not, I say, mention this popular super"stition, had it not been furiously revived in our days, in pa"rallel circumstances. It seems, as if the same follies were "destined to make their appearance, from time to time, on the theatre of the world: but good sense is also the same at "all times; and nothing so judicious hath been said, concern"ing the modern miracles wrought on the tomb of I know "not what deacon at Paris, as what a bishop of Lyons said, "concerning those of Dijon. A strange saint indeed, that "maims those who pay their devoirs to him. I should think, "miracles ought to be performed for the curing, and not for the "inflicting of maladies."

ἐσ

The second observation is, That the instances of persons cured are extremely few, compared with the multitudes of people in distress, who night and day attended the sepulchre, imploring in vain the intercession of the saint. The crowds of sick and infirm, who flocked to the tomb for relief, were, by all accounts, innumerable: whereas all the cures which the zealous and indefatigable Montgeron could procure vouchers of, amounted only to NINE‡. The author therefore must be understood, as speaking with great latitude, when he says,

The character of his book is very justly and very briefly expressed in Le Siecle de Louis XIV. in these words: "Si ce livre subsistait un jour, et que les autres fussent perdus, la posterite croirait que notre siecle a ete un tems de barbarie," chap 33.

Essai sur l'histoire generale, chap. 21.

It must be owned that the author of the Recueil after-mentioned, hath presented us with a much greater number; but let it be remarked, that that author doth not confine himself to the cures performed openly at the tomb of the deacon; he gives us also those that were wrought in the private chambers of the sick, by virtue of his relicks, by images of him, or by earth brought from under his monument. Nor is the collection restricted only to the cures effected by the saint; it includes also the judgments inflicted by him.

"There surely never was so great a number of miracles "ascribed to one person, as those which were lately said to "have been wrought in France, upon the tomb of Abbé Paris,

the famous Jansenist, with whose sanctity the people were "so long deluded*." If thousands of diseased persons had applied for medicine to some ignorant quack, in the assurance of his extraordinary abilities, would it be matter of surprise to a reasonable man, that, of so many, eight or nine should be found, whose distempers had taken a favourable turn, whilst they were using his specificks, and had thereby given countenance to the delusion? I think it would be matter of surprise that there were so few.

I shall observe, thirdly, That imposture was actually detected, and proved in several instances. That the reader may be satisfied of this, I must intreat him to have recourse to the Archbishop of Sens' Pastoral instructions; a book which Mr. Hume could not, with propriety, take any notice of, having positively asserted that "the enemies to those opinions, in whose favour the miracles were said to have been wrought, "were never able distinctly to refute or detect themt." This prelate, on the contrary, hath not only given a distinct refutation of some of these pretended miracles, but hath clearly detected the deceit and little artifices by which their credit was supported. I intend not to descend to particulars, and shall therefore only refer the reader to the book itself, and beg that he will peruse what relates to the cases of Jacques Laurent Menedrieuz, Jean Nivet, Sieur le Doulx, Laleu, Anne Coulon, the widow de Lorme, as well as Mademoiselle le Franc, of whom the essavist hath made mention in a note. In this perusal, the reader will observe the shameful prevarications of some Jansenist witnesses, for whom Mr. Hume would fain apologize, by telling us pleasantly, they were tampered with‡. İ shall only add on this head, that the detection of fraud in some instances, justly brings suspicion on all the other instances. A man whom I know to have lied to me, on several occasions, I shall suspect, on every occasion, where I have not access to discover, whether what he affirms be true or false. It is in the same way we judge of the spirit and conduct of parties, as of individuals.

I observe, fourthly, That all the cures recorded by Montgeron, as duly attested, were such as might have been effected by natural means. There are two kinds of miracles, to which Mr. Hume hath alluded in a note, though he does not directly make the distinction. One is, when the event, considered by

p. 195.

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p. 197. in the note,

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