should not be troubled with a new inftitution upon this occafion. Some antient exploded order might be revived, which would furnish both a motto and a name, the ladies might be permitted to choofe for themselves. There are for inftance the obfolete orders of the Dragon in Germany, of the Rue in Scotland, and the Porcupine in France, all well founding names, and very applicable to my intended female inftitution. Adieu. LETTER CX. TO THE SAME. RELIGIOUS fects in England are far more numerous than in China. Every man who has intereft enough to hire a conventicle here, may fet up for himfelf and fell off a new religion. The fellers of the neweft pattern at prefent give extreme good bargains; and let their difciples have a great deal of confidence for very little money. Their fhops are much frequented, and their cuftomers every day increafing, for people are naturally fond of going to Paradife at as fmall expence as poffible. Yet you must not conceive this modern fect as differing in opinion from thofe of the established religion: difference of opinion indeed formerly divided their fectaries, and fometimes drew their armies to the field. White gowns and black mantles, flapped hats and crofs pocket holes were once the obvious caufes of quarrel; men then had fome reafon for fighting, they knew what they fought about i about; but at prefent they are arrived at such refinement in religion-making, that they have actually formed a new fect without a new opinion; they quarrel for opinions they both equally defend; they hate each other, and that is all the difference between them. But though their principles are the fame, their practice is fomewhat different. Thofe of the eftablished religion laugh when they are pleafed, and their groans are feldom extorted but by pain or danger. The new fect, on the contrary, weep for their amufement, and ufe little mufic except a chorus of fighs and groans, or tunes that are made to imitate groaning. Laughter is their averfion; lovers court each other from the Lamentations; the bridegroom approaches the nuptial couch in forrowful folemnity, and the bride looks more difmal than an undertaker's fhop. Dancing round the room is with them running in a direct line to the devil; and as for gaming, though but in jeft, they would fooner play with a rattle-fnake's tail, than finger a dice-box. By this time you perceive that I am defcribing a fect of enthufiafts, and you have already compared them with the Faquirs, Bramins, and Talapoins of the Eaft. Among these, you know, are generations that have been never known to fmile, and voluntary affliction makes up all the merit they can boaft of. Enthufiafms in every country produce the fame effects; ftick the Faquir with pins, or confine the Bramin to a vermine hofpital, fpread the Talapoin on the ground, or load the fectary's brow with contrition; thofe worshipers who difcard the light of reafon, are ever gloomy; their fears increase in proportion to their ignorance, as men are continually under apprehenfions who walk in darkness. Yet Yet there is still a ftronger reafon for the enthufiaft's being an enemy to laughter, namely, his being himself fo proper an object of ridicule. It is remarkable that the propagators of falfe doctrines have ever been averfe to mirth, and always begin by recommending gravity, when they intended to diffeminate impofture. Fohi, the idol of China, is represented as having never laughed; Zoroafter, the leader of the Bramins, is faid to have laughed but twice, upon his coming into the world, and upon his leaving it; and Mahomet himself, though a lover of pleasure, was a profeffed oppofer of gaiety. Upon a certain occafion telling his followers, that they would all appear naked at the refurrection, his favourite wife reprefented fuch an affembly as immodeft and unbecoming. Foolifh woman, cried the grave prophet, though the whole affembly be naked, on that day they fhall have forgotten to laugh. Men like him oppofed ridicule, becaufe they knew it to be a moft formidable antagonist, and preached up gravity, to conceal their own want of importance. Ridicule has ever been the most powerful enemy of enthufiafm, and properly the only antagonift that can be oppofed to it with fuccefs. Perfecution only ferves to propagate new religions; they acquire fresh vigour beneath the executioner and the axe, and like fome vivacious infects, multiply by diffection. It is alfo impoffible to combat enthufiafm with reafon, for though it makes a fhew of refiftance, it foon eludes the preffure, refers you to diftinctions not to be understood, and feelings which it cannot explain. A man who would endeavour to fix an enthufiaft by argument, might as well attempt to fpread quickfilver with his fingers. The only way to conquer a vifionary is to delpife him; the stake, the faggot, and the difputing doc tor tor in fome measure ennoble the opinions they are brought to oppofe: they are harmless against innovating pride; contempt alone is truly dreadful. Hunters generally know the most vulnerable part of the beafts they purfue, by the care which every animal takes to defend the fide which is weakeft; on what fide the enthufiaft is moft vulnerable, may be known by the care which he takes in the beginning to work his difciples into gravity, and guard them against the power of ridicule. When Philip the fecond was King of Spain, there was a conteft in Salamanca between two orders of friars for fuperiority. The legend of one fide contained more extraordinary miracles, but the legend of the other was reckoned moft authentic. They reviled each other, as it is ufual in difputes of divi nity, the people were divided into factions, and a civil war appeared unavoidable. In order to prevent fuch an imminent calamity, the combatants were prevailed upon to fubmit their legends to the fiery trial, and that which came forth untouched by the fire was to have the victory, and to be honoured with a double fhare of reverence. Whenever the people flock to see a miracle, it is an hundred to one but that they see a miracle; incredible therefore were the numbers that were gathered round upon this oocafion; the friars on each fide approached, and confidently threw their refpective legends into the flames, when lo! to the utter difappointment of all the affembly, inftead of a miracle, both legends were confumed. Nothing but thus turning both parties into contempt, could have prevented the effufion of blood. The people now laughed at their former folly, and wondered why they fell out. Adieu. LETTER THE English are at present employed in celebrating a feaft which becomes general every feventh year; the parliament of the nation being then diffolved and another appointed to be chofen. This folemnity falls infinitely fhort of our feaft of the lanterns in magnificence and fplendour; it is also furpaffed by others of the Eaft in unanimity and pure devotion, but no feftival in the world can com-pare with it for eating. Their eating indeed amazes me; had I five hundred heads, and were each head furnished with brains, yet would they all be infufficient to compute the number of cows, pigs, geefe, and turkies, which upon this occafion die for the good of their country! To fay the truth, eating feems to make a grand ingredient in all English parties of zeal, bufinefs, or amusement. When a church is to be built, or an hofpital endowed, the directors affemble, and instead of confulting upon it, they eat upon it, by which means the bufinefs goes forward with fuccefs. When the poor are to be relieved, the officers appointed to dole out public charity, affemble and eat upon it: nor has it ever been known, that they filled the bellies of the poor till they had previously fatisfied their own. But in the election of magiftrates the people feem to exceed all bounds; the merits of a candidate are often measured by the number of his treats; his conftituents affemble, eat upon him, and lend their applause, not to his in tegrity |