of the system of concordats, a system which has nothing in it contrary to first principles, so long as liberty is maintained.  But the establishment of national religions, decreed by the temporal power and varying in different states, manifestly supposes a foundation of scepticism.  For the idea of truth, one and universal in itself, is substituted the idea of decisions obligatory for those only who are under the jurisdiction of a definite political body.  If the State, without pretending to decree dogma, receives it from the hands of the Church, and imposes it upon its subjects, it seems at first that the temporal power has placed itself at the service of the Church, but that the idea of truth is preserved.  But when the question is studied more closely, it is seen that this is not the case, and that the state usurps in fact, in this combination, the attributes of the spiritual power.  In fact, before protecting the true religion, it is necessary to ascertain which it is; and in order to ascertain the true religion, the political power must constitute itself judge of religious truth.  So we come back, by a detour, to the conception of national religions.  The Emperor of Russia and the Emperor of Austria will inquire respectively which is the only true religion, to the exclusive maintenance of which they are to consecrate their temporal power.  To the same question they will give two different replies; and each nation will have its own form of worship, just as each nation has its own ruler.

[27] Etudes orientales, 1861.

[28] Unite morale des peuples modernes,—­a lecture delivered at Lyons, 10 April, 1839.  This lecture is inserted after the Genie des Religions in the complete works of the author.

[29] Franck, Philosophie du droit ecclesiastique, pages 117 and 118.

[30] Schmidt, Essai historique sur la Societe civile dans le monde romain.  Bk. 1. ch. 3.

[31]

     La liberte que j’aime est nee avec notre ame
     Le jour ou le plus juste a brave le plus fort.

[32] Tertullian.

[33] Le Pere Lacordaire, by the Comte de Montalembert, p. 25.

[34] De l’autre rive, by Iscander (in Russian).  Iscander is the pseudonyme of M. Herzen.

[35] “The man of thought knows that the world only belongs to him as a subject of study, and, even if he could reform it, perhaps he would find it so curious as it is that he would not have the courage to do so.”—­Ernest Renan, preface to Etudes d’histoire religieuse, 1857.  The author has manifested better sentiments in 1859, in the preface to his Essais de morale et de critique.

[36] De Legibus, ii. 7.

[37]

     Dors-tu content, Voltaire, et ton hideux sourire
     Voltige-t-il encor sur tes os decharnes?

[38] Hume, Essay VIII.  On liberty and necessity. [Not having access to the original, I re-translate the French translation.—­TR.]