to a humble and submissive piety. The learned, many of them, contradict every line, but the devout consider every line sacred. Let us dread falling into the misfortune of believing and trusting to our reason; but let us bring ourselves into subjection in understanding as well as in heart.

"And Abraham said that Sarah was his sister, and the King of Gerar took her for himself."

those wandering robbers called patriarchs {within his city; he has the incredible politeness or kindness to undergo, with his son, his court, and his people, the rite of circumcision, thus condescending to the superstition of a petty horde that could not call half a league of territory their own! And in return for this astonishing hospitality and goodness, how do our holy patriarchs act? They wait for the day when the process of circumcision We admit, as we have said under the generally induces fever, when Simeon article ABRAHAM, that Sarah was at this and Levi run through the whole city with time ninety years of age, that she had poignards in their hands, and massacre been already carried away by a king of the king, the prince his son, and all the Egypt, and that a king of this same inhabitants. We are precluded from horrid wilderness of Gerar, likewise, the horror appropriate to this infernal many years afterwards, carried away the counterpart of the tragedy of St. Barthowife of Isaac, Abraham's son. We have lomew, only by a sense of its absolute also spoken of his servant Hagar, who impossibility. It is an abominable robore him a son, and of the manner in mance; but it is evidently a ridiculous which the patriarch sent her and her son romance. It is impossible that two men away. It is well known how infidels could have slaughtered in quiet the whole triumph on the subject of all these histo- population of a city. The people might ries, with what a disdainful smile they suffer in a slight degree from the operaspeak of them, and that they place the tion which had preceded; but notwithstory of one Abimelech falling in love standing this, they would have risen in selfwith Sarah whom Abraham had passed defence against two diabolical miscreants; as his sister, and of another Abimelech they would have instantly assembled, falling in love with Rebecca, whom Isaac {would have surrounded them, and dealso passes as his sister, even beneathstroyed them with the summary and the thousand and one nights of the Ara- complete vengeance merited by their bian fables. We cannot too often remark, atrocity. that the great error of all these learned critics is their wishing to try everything by the test of our feeble reason, and to judge of the ancient Arabs as they judge of the courts of France or of England.

"And the soul of Sichem, King Hamor's son, was bound up with the soul of Dinah, and he soothed her grief by his tender caresses, and he went to Hamor his father, and said to him, give me that woman to be my wife."

Here our critics exclaim in terms of stronger disgust than ever. What! say they; the son of a king is desirous to marry a vagabond girl; the marriage is celebrated; Jacob the father, and Dinah the daughter, are loaded with presents; the King of Sichem deigns to receive

But there is a still more palpable impossibility. It is, that according to the accurate computation of time, Dinah, this daughter of Jacob, could be only three years old; and that, even by forcing up chronology as far as possible in favour of the narrative, she could at the very most be only five. It is here, then, that we are assailed with bursts of indignant exclamation! What! it is said, what! is it this book, the book of a rejected and reprobate people; a book so long unknown to all the world; a book in which sound reason and decent manners are outraged in every page-that is held up to us as irrefragable, holy, and dictated by God himself? Is it not even impious to believe it? or could anything less than

the fury of cannibals urge to the persecution of sensible and modest men for not believing it?

or the priest (sacrificateur) who came to Samaria, or Esdras, or any other person! In what respect can our government, our To this we reply,-The church declares laws, our fortunes, our morals, our wellits belief in it. The copyists may have being, be bound up with the unknown mixed up some revolting absurdities with chiefs of a wretched and barbarous counrespectable and genuine histories. It try called Edom or Idumea, always inbelongs to the holy church only to de- habited by robbers? Alas! those poor cide. The profane ought to be guided { Arabs, who have not shirts to their backs, by her. Those absurdities, those alleged neither know nor care whether or not we horrors, do not affect the substance of are in existence! They go on steadily our faith. How lamentable would be the plundering caravans and eating barley fate of mankind, if religion and virtue de- bread, while we are perplexing and torpended upon what formerly happened to menting ourselves to know whether any Sichem and to little Dinah ! petty kings flourished in a particular "These are the kings who reigned incanton of Arabia Petrea, before they exthe land of Edom before the children ofisted in a particular canton adjoining the Israel had a king." west of the lake of Sodom!

This is the celebrated passage which has proved one of the great stumbling stones. This it was which decided the great Newton, the pious and acute Samuel Clarke, the profound and philosophic Bolingbroke, the learned Le Clerc, the ingenious Freret, and a host of other enlightened men, to maintain that it was impossible Moses could have been the author of Genesis.

We admit, that in fact these words could not have been written until after the time that the Jews had kings.

O miseras hominum curas! O pectora coeca! Lucretius, book ii. v. 14. Blind, wretched man! in what dark paths of strife Thou walk'st the little journey of thy life!-Creech.

GENII.

THE doctrines of judicial astrology and magic have spread all over the world. Look back to the ancient Zoroaster, and you will find that of the genii long established. All antiquity abounds in astrologers and magicians; such ideas were therefore very natural. At present, we smile at the number who entertained It is principally this verse that deter-them: if we were in their situation,-if mined Astruc to give up the inspired like them we were only beginning to authority of the whole book of Genesis, cultivate the sciences, we should perhaps and suppose the author had derived his believe just the same. Let us suppose materials from existing memoirs and re- ourselves intelligent people, beginning to cords. His work is ingenious and accu- reason on our own existence, and to obrate, but it is rash, not to say audacious. serve the stars. The earth, we might say, Even a council would scarcely have ven- is no doubt immoveable in the midst of tured on such an enterprise. And to the world; the sun and planets only rewhat purpose has it served Astruc's {volve in her service, and the stars are only thankless and dangerous labour to made for us; man, therefore, is the great double the darkness he wished to en-object of all nature. What is the intenlighten? Here is the fruit of the tree of tion of all these globes, and of the immenknowledge, of which we are all so de- {sity of heaven thus destined for our use? sirous of eating. Why must it be, that It is very likely that all space and these the fruit of the tree of ignorance should globes are peopled with substances, and be more nourishing and more digestible? since we are the favourites of nature, But of what consequence can it be to us, placed in the centre of the universe, and after all, whether any particular verse or all is made for man, these substances are chapter was written by Moses, or Samuel, evidently destined to watch over man.

The first man who believed the things are white, and the bad black, except among the negroes, where it is necessarily the reverse. Plato without difficulty admits of a good and an evil genius for every individual. The evil genius of Brutus appeared to him, and announced to him his death before the battle of Philippi. Have not grave historians said so? And would not Plutarch have been very injudicious to have assured us of this fact, if it were not true?

Further, consider what a source of

at all possible, would soon find disciples persuaded that it existed. We might then commence by saying, genii perhaps exist, and nobody could affirm the contrary; for where is the impossibility of the air and planets being peopled? We might afterwards say, there are genii, and certainly no one could prove that there are not. Soon after, some sages might see these genii; and we should have no right to say to them, You have not seen them; as these persons might be honour-feasts, amusements, good tales, and bon able, and altogether worthy of credit. One might see the genius of the empire or of his own city; another that of Mars or Saturn; the genii of the four elements might be manifested to several philoso-pleasure of seeing their genii grow up. phers; more than one sage might see his own genius; all at first might be little more than dreaming, but dreams are the symbols of truth.

mots, originated in the belief of genii !

There were male and female genii. The genii of the ladies were called by the Romans little Junos. They also had the

In infancy, they were a kind of Cupid with wings, and when they protected old age, they wore long beards, and even sometimes the forms of serpents. At Rome, there is preserved a marble, on which is represented a serpent under a palm tree, to which are attached two crowns with this inscription, "To the genius of the Augusti ;" it was the emblem of immortality.

It was soon known exactly how these genii were formed. To visit our globe, they must necessarily have wings; they therefore had wings. We only know of bodies; they therefore had bodies, but bodies much finer than ours, since they were genii, and much lighter, because What demonstrative proof have we at they came from so great a distance. The present, that the genii, so universally adsages who had the privilege of conversing mitted by so many enlightened nations, with the genii, inspired others with the are only phantoms of the imagination? hope of enjoying the same happiness. A All that can be said is reduced to this,― sceptic would have been ill received, if I have never seen a genius, and no one he had said to them, I have seen no of my acquaintance has ever seen one; genius, therefore there are none. They Brutus has not written, that his genius would have replied, You reason ill; it appeared to him before the battle of Phidoes not follow that a thing exists not, lippi; neither Newton, Locke, nor even which is unknown to you. There is no Descartes, who gave the reins to his imacontradiction in the doctrine which in- gination,-neither kings nor ministers of culcates these ethereal powers; no im- state have ever been suspected of compossibility that they may visit us; they muning with their genii; therefore I do show themselves to our sages, they mani-not believe a thing of which there is not fest themselves to us; you are not worthy of seeing genii.

Everything on earth is composed of good and evil; there are therefore incontestibly good and bad genii. The Persians had their peris and dives; the Greeks, their demons and cacodemons; the Latins, bonos et malos genios. The good genii

the least proof. I confess their existence is not impossible; but the possibility is not a proof of the reality. It is possible that there may be satyrs, with little turned-up tails and goats' feet; but I must see several to believe in them; for if I saw but one, I should still doubt their existence.

GENIUS.

Or genius or demon, we have already spoken in the article ANGEL. It is not easy to know precisely whether the peris of the Persians were invented before the demons of the Greeks, but it is very probable.

It may be, that the souls of the dead, called shades, manes, &c., passed for demons. Hercules, in Hesiod, says that a demon dictated his labours.

"It is impossible for us to say, that demons are neither mortal or eternal, for all that has life either lives eternally, or loses the breath of life by death; and Apuleius has said, that as to time, the demons are eternal. What then remains, but that demons hold a medium situation, and have one quality higher and another lower than mankind; and as, of these two things, eternity is the only higher thing which they exclusively possess, to complete the allotted medium, what must be the lower, if not misery?"

This is powerful reasoning!

The demon of Socrates had so great a reputation, that Apuleius, the author of the "Golden Ass," who was himself As I have never seen any genii, demons, a magician of good repute, says in his peris, or hobgoblins, whether beneficent Treatise on the Genius of Socrates, that or mischievous, I cannot speak of them a man must be without religion who from knowledge. I only relate what has denies it. You see that Apuleius rea-been said by people who have seen them. sons precisely like brothers Garasse and Bertier,-Thou dost not believe that which I believe; thou art therefore without religion. And the Jansenists have said as much of brother Bertier, as well as of all the world except themselves. These demons, says the very religious and filthy Apuleius, are intermediate powers between ether and our lower region. They live in our atmosphere, and bear our prayers and merits to the gods. They treat of succours and benefits, as interpreters and ambassadors. Plato says, that it is by their ministry that revelations, presages, and the miracles of magicians, are effected. "Cæterum sunt quædam divinæ media potestates, inter summum æthera, et infimas terras, in isto intersitæ æris spatio, per quas et It is very probable that many people desideria nostra et merita ad deos com- now play at chess better than the inventor meant. Hos Græco nomina demonias of the game, and that they might gain nuncupant. Inter terricolas cœli co- the prize of corn promised him by the lasque victores, hinc pecum, inde dono-Indian king. But this inventor was a rum: qui ultrò citroque portant, hinc genius, and those who might now gain petitiones, inde suppetias: ceu quidam the prize would be no such thing. Le utriusque interpretes, et salutigeri. Per Poussin, who was a great painter before hos eosdem, ut Plato in symposio autu- he had seen any good pictures, had a mat, cuncta denunctiata, et majorum varia genius for painting. Lulli, who never miracula, omnesque præsagium species saw any good musician in France, had a reguntur.' genius for music.

Among the Romans, the word genius was not used to express a rare talent, as with us: the term for that quality was ingenium. We use the word genius indifferently in speaking of the tutelar de{mon of a town of antiquity, or an artist, or musician. The term genius seems to have been intended to designate not great talents generally, but those into which invention enters. Invention, above every thing, appeared a gift from the gods-this ingenium, quasi ingenitum, a kind of divine inspiration. Now an artist. however perfect he may be in his profession, if he have no invention, if he be not original, is not considered a genius. He is only inspired by the artists his predecessors, even when he surpasses them.

St. Augustin has condescended to refute Apuleius in these words :

Which is the most desirable to possess, a genius without a master, or the

attainment of perfection by imitating and surpassing the masters which precede us?

French, English, and Spanish people, to feel this difference.

We have said, that the particular genius of a man for an art is a different thing from his general talent; but this name is only given to a very superior ability. How many people have talent for poetry, music, and painting; yet it would be ridiculous to call them ge

If you put this question to artists, they will perhaps be divided; if you put it to the public, it will not hesitate. Do you like a beautiful Gobelin tapestry better than one made in Flanders at the commencement of the arts? Do you prefer modern masterpieces of engraving to theniuses. first wood-cuts? the music of the present; day to the first airs, which resembled the Gregorian chaunt? the makers of the artillery of our time to the genius which invented the first cannon? every body will answer yes. All purchasers will say, I own that the inventor of the shuttle had more genius than the manufacturer who? made my cloth, but my cloth is worth more than that of the inventor.

In short, every one in conscience will confess, that we respect the geniuses who invented the arts, but that minds which perfect them are of more present benefit.

SECTION II.

The article 'Genius' has been treated of, in the Encyclopedia, by men who possess it. We shall hazard very little

after them.

Every town, every man possessed a genius. It was imagined that those who performed extraordinary things were inspired by their genius. The nine muses were nine genii, whom it was necessary to invoke; therefore Ovid says:—

Et Deus in nobis, agitante calescimus i!!o.
The God within us, he the mind inspires.

Genius, conducted by taste, will never commit a gross fault. Racine, since his Andromache, Le Poussin, and Raineau, have never committed one.

Genius, without taste, will often commit enormous errors; and, what is worse, it will not be sensible of them.

GEOGRAPHY.

GEOGRAPHY is one of those sciences which will always require to be perfected.

Notwithstanding the pains that have been taken, it has hitherto been impossible to have an exact description of the earth. For this great work, it would be necessary that all sovereigns should come to an understanding, and lend mutual assistance. But they have ever taken more pains to ravage the world than to measure it.

No one has yet been able to make an exact map of Upper Egypt, nor of the regions bordering on the Red Sea nor of the vast country of Arabia.

Of Africa. we know only the coasts: all the interior is no more known that it was in the times of Atlas and Hercu

But, properly speaking, is genius any-les. There is not a single well-detailed thing but capability? What is capability but a disposition to succeed in an art? Why do we say the genius of a language? It is, that every language, by its terminations, articles, participles, and shorter or longer words, will necessarily have exclusive properties of its own.

By the genius of a nation is meant the character, manners, talents, and even vices, which distinguish one people from another. It is sufficient to see the

map of all the Grand Turk's possessions in Asia; all is placed at random, excepting some few large towns, the crumbling remains of which are still existing. In the States of the Great Mogul something is known of the relative positions of Agra and Delhi; but from thence to the kingdom of Golconda everything is laid down

at a venture.

It is known that Japan extends from about the thirtieth to the fortieth degree