The Sun.
London, England, 1802-04-17 00:00:00

THE CONCORDAT.

we have promised to our Readers to lay efore them the
Substance of the Report of PoarAtt's tot he Legislative
Body of Prance, and his Speech to the Council of State,
on the subject of the Concordat, and the Organization of
Public Worship. They run to a prodigious length, but
the following Analysis will, we think, be found sufficient-
IYample and satisladory.]

"The Orator first established, in a manner equally
solid and eloquent, the necessity of a positive Re-
ligion, in order to give morality the requisite ener-
gY, stability, and certainty, which it could never
obtain from the 'philosOphy of men. The idea of a
God, in the charaaer of Legislator, is as essential
to the intelligent world, as that of a Creator, and
first Mover of all secondary causes is to the physical
world. The 'Laws Only regulate 'certain aftions,
"igion embraces the whole a the Laws only re..
strain the hands, Religion regulates the heart a the
taws nly respea fellow Citizens, Religion em-
braces one human race.
'tile" What would Morality he,' if it remained con_
d to the lofty regions of Science, and if Religi-'
Institutions did not.make it descend within the
reach of the body of the People ? Morality, with..
0111
Positive precepts, would leave reason without
trule Morality, without religious maxims, would
he like justice (without Tribunals. The force of
aaunian laws depends less upon their goodness, than
nit .Power which supports them : their principal
aateralticonsists in their being laws ; a .matter of
1,--I;4l4tiona but- a decisive faa. -Consequently, a
pl,gious Morality, which resolves itself into formal
ereepts, has necessarily a force which no Morality,
.eIY philosophical, can possess. The multitude
utOre impressed by that (Which commands, than by
14`" wbicb is proved. Men in general require to
be fi• •
xed ; they require rather maxims than de..
of ". A positive Religion has besides the advantage
uniting Morality to rites, to praaices which
become its own support. Good aaions are prepared
a." guaranteed by good habits; it is by praaising
such things as lead to virtue, or remind us of virtue,
4"at we learn to love and praaise Virtue itself. To
ienY the utility Of rites-and religious ceremonies,
an•atesPea to Morality, would be to deny the supe,
,iati-rereleyffes9. of sehsible things, to those which are
That Natural Religion to which
iiiet.,74Y. rise by the' efforts of a cultivated reason, is
tota-al ahstratt and intelleaual, and can never be-
cetrimoti to the People. Would not Religion
not ;*uut Worship soon be weakened ? Would it
taa„niallibly lead back the People to idolatry ?
I'4'7 a Religion that did not speak to the eyes and.
I,a
.'magination,along' preserVe the 'empire of the
nart? If those who professed the same creed, were
t, teat Y
aa
" no-Common tie, would there not soon be
tyisoi''nYreligious systems as individuals ? The
tle:e °fall ages have consta'itly shewn the laudable
toire of inculcating what is good, what is ac-
th4lin*
gto reason ; but have they ever agreed among
li:u tselves, as to what is good and reasonable ?—,
a..e s not every one his own opinion, rand is he not re-
-4d-to his individual_ suffrage ? Since the admirable .
ees of the Roman Consul,have any discoveries been
Since morals by the mtre exertions of.humanscience?
te"tee Ale Dissertations of PLATO, have less doubts
then entertained with regard to metaphysics ? If
I.llJe. be a-riy fixed' ideas about the Existence and
slip it); of Gob, with regard to the nature and de-
lahati"'of hp;' are, they not found among those
•by adheie M
to a certain worst.iip,' and are united.
codethe bonds of some positive religion ? As a.
a of laws is necessary to regulate our interests,'
VViotde of doftrine is necessary to 'fix our opinions.
Tit
out, according to the expression of Marla:
c I"R, " there is nothiitg longer certain but rin- -
ePta:
'"ta itself."
•
pro' ei,t is, therefore, the interest of ,Government to
that t-t religious institutions.. We, perceive more
Shall ever the necessity of -public.instruCtion ; and
ag i we not protea religious institutions which are,.
duct were, the canals through which. ideas Of order,
of Y.lionianity, and- ustice flow through all classes
b„1 hifiztns ? Science can never be partaken .of
be r? a small number; but by religion one may:
reli 41; strnaed 'WithoUt becoming 'learned. It is
saa;g;°n that points out, that reveals all 'the truths.
meane are useful to men, who have neither time nor
taiss for the lalaorious research. Who then would
Nvletlat dry up that sacred spring of knowledge,
hrin" diffuses through all good maxims, which
whiAs them before the eyes of every individual,
•tta,o,' Perpetuates them by uniting them with rer-
rOaant and durable establishments, and which corn-
drasicates to them that authoritative and 'popular
the Without which they be unknown- to
the multitude, and alniost to all men ? Let us hear
cep voice of all the virtuous Citizens, who in the
With 'mental assemblies, have expressed their wishes .
dull regard to what has passed before their eyes
(11 the last ten years.
t •
silentln IS time, say they, that theory should be
without'ef're faa, There can be no knowledge
ligio education, and no education without re- -
desernt. The public instruttors have taught in a
reli„i ' since it was imprudently, proclaimed that
InStt .„'l ought .never to be spoken of in schools.
libiouhasfor ten years been at a stand; re-
tha."_yrlust be taken for the basis of education.
4411;ectlildten are. at present given rip to them oat .
They rnus idleness, to the most alarining profligacy.
out ;n ate without any ideas of a Divinity, with_
arise notion of what is just and unjust. Hence
1406 u"rhAtous manners, hence a people become
Vita Whit it ought to be, we cannot but sigh over
ration's which threatens the present and future gene..
&ton 4; '7lll,na: We see that all France callS reli-
the assistance of morality and sociatys
„,Govl
errrmen.t has not to balance the principle
affairs it -must 'follow in the condua of Religious
th But many things. are to be weighed in
PlP2lC"ti()n of that prineiple, The religious
Prance is unfortunately too well known.
iiev_‘."-tY. in this reapeCt surrounded with ruin and
anon this: situation_ he'd raised'
in some per,
t -the - a - tatatin of forming a new Religion, which
'lets an , more-adapted -to-Republican man.
it_
one principles.
4'
kit protnalg But a Religion' is trot formed
aces a Lassa.- 411 the rived
trona tl •power of Laws•i
ICI; being feared, the power of

~.

Religion dePenels entirely oti its being
Belief is not to be forced in matters of •Religion ;
whatever has the appearance -of novelty carries
along with it the idea of- imposture and error.
Antiquity is agreeable to religious Institutions,
because that, with' regard to • these Institutions,
belief is the more lively and strong, in proportion
as the origin of its object is more remote, for we
do not carry along with it any necessary ideas that
might invalidate them. Moreover, a Religion is
not believed, unless it is supposed to be Divine ;
every thing is destroyed if we allow human agents
to interfere.
" Wisdom therefore prescribes to Governments
to adhere to the existing Religions; which are sanc-'
tioneel by Time, and the veneration of the People.
" These Religions, the one known by the name
of the Catholic, and the 'other by that of the Pro-
.testant Religion, are only branclth' of Christianity.
Then what just motive coulti'determine Politicians
to proscribe the Christian Worship ? The salutary,
influence of the Christian Religion on the manners
of Europe, and of all the Countries into which it
has penetrated, has been remarked,by all Writers.
If the Compass opened up the Universe, it is
Christianity which has rendered it sociable. Among
the Christian Nations, Letters and the Fine Arts
have always formed an agreeable alliance with Re-
ligion ; it is the same Religion, which in, raising
the Soul to the most elevated sensations, has ena-
bled genius to soar to a higher ,pitch of grandeur.
It is Religion that has produced our first and most
celebrated Orators,. which has furnished subjeets
and models to our most illustrious Poets ; it is she
Which has given rise to ,music amongst us, which
has direOed the pencil of our noblest Painters,
the chissel of our Sculptors, and to which we owe
our choicest pieces of Architetture. Can we ldok
upon a Religion as irreconcilable with our know-
ledge and manners, which a' DESCART2S, a NE W. 1

TON, and so many other., great men professed ;
which developed the genius of PAscat..and Bos-
SUET, and formed the mind of -FE NELON ? Does
not the Christian Religion teach us all that is just,
holy, and amiable ?-=-In every where recommending
the love of mankind, and raising it's to the Creator,
does it not fay the foundation of every good prin-
ciple ? Does it not disclose the true source -of
Morals ? If the great body of ;he Nation, if
,the.
must simple and least-instruaed minds are at pre-
sent more confirmed than SOCRATES 'and PLATO flit.-
merly were, in the great truths of the Unity of'God,
the Immortality of the Human Soul, and the exist-
ence of` a future state, do we not owe this to Christi-
anity ?—France has indeed been severely desolated,
but what. should have become of her during the,
storms of the Revolution, if, even unknown to
herself, these habitual sentiments had not served as
a counterpoise to our passions ?
"Piety has founded all benevolent institutions, and
also supported them. What did Ave do, when after
the general devastation, we wished to re-establishs
our hospitals ? We recalled those,Christian virgins,
known under the name of the Sisters of Charity,
who have generously devoted themselves to the
service of suffering Humanity. Neither self love nor
glory is able to incite unto thOse virtues which are
too painful to be Undergone for the sake of human
-applause. It is necessary to raise our regards
'above mankind ;. motives to encourage our benevo-
lent zeal, can only be found in that piety which
animates benevolence, which is a stranger to the
vanities of the world, and whieli :tualces us taste, in
the career of public good,:those :consolations which
reason alone could never bestow.

eg•Christianity does not s,anaion any particular,
form Of Government; it commands .the priests as.
well as the:peOple to respea them all, as they all
have for their objea the tranquillity of the present
life, and as being all devoted to the glory of God'
and the preserVation of social order. Is there any
religion better suited to the policy of all Govern-
ments ?.

" When we witness certain virtues, we seem' to.
behold a :ray of divine light an the earth'. And
shall we then' be able to preserve those virtues-when,
we dry up the source from which they -A flow ?=--.
Let us not deCeive ourselves ; it is religion alone:
that enables•.us to piss the immense sliace that sepa-
rates God froth men.

" 'The liberty which we have acquired, and the
philosophy' which enlightens 'us., -cannot indeed be
reconciled with the idea of a reigning religion in
France, and still less with that of an exclusive reli-
I call that an exclusive religion, the rites of
which are eXercised, while those .of every other re-
ligion are. prohibited ; a reigning religion, that
which is conneded,more than any other with the
state, and" Which enjoys in the political order, cer-
tain privileges which are refused to other worships,
the public exercise of which may nevertheless be au-
' thorised. But a religion may be protected, without
being either exclusive or reigning. To protect, a
religion, is to guarantee to those who profess it the,
peaceable enjoyment of the spiritual benefits which
they may propoSe to enjoy from it, in the same
manner the. security of their persons and property is
guaranteed. In that system there is nothing reign-
ing or exclusive ; for we may proted more thadone;
religion, we may protein them all.
" The'system Of protedion differs widely from
the system of. indifference • and neglth, which has
been so improperly adorned with the. name of
keligious toleration is a duty, a virtue
of one man to another, and with regard to public
right, that toleration is the respect of Government
for the consciences of the citizens, and for the ob-
jeets of'their belief and veneration. Must we in-
terfere no more with modes of worship, but conti.
nue that system of indifference and negleet which
appear to' have been adopted as soon as The violence
of the Re'vOlution was spent ? Does i)ot this plan of
proceeding, though certainly preferable to persecu-
tion, carry along with it other inconveniences and
dangers ? The Catholic religion, is that of the
great majority of the French people. To abandon
an engine so powerful, woukl be holding out a
temptation to the first ambitious .Revolutionist to
turn it against his country. ReligiouS'affairs have
always been arranged by the codes of different States,
in what regards the police of the State,
" A State is in a precarious :sittiation; when it'
contains A body of men who exercise a great infitt:
enge over the minds and consciences' of men, with.

- - •.! . •
-out these •tileii being etintidled**ith it iihdei sour:3
form or other: The•Governtnenr, p.erceiving the
necessity of ditelly interfering in niattets of reli-
gion by- means Of an oYerseeing proteaioni ai-id
caking into consideration the scandals and schisms
which desolkte the Catholic worship, professed by
th, great majority of the French people, has been
employed in devising the means' of extinguishing
these schisms. The intervention of the Roman
Pontiff was judged necessary ; and the Govern-
ment then resolved upon coining to a good un-
understanding with the Roman PontiiF., This was
the wish of the great majority -of-the French people
manifested in the proc4s verbaux of the General.
Councils of the Departments, and'in the correspond-
ence of the Government with the Prefeas.

. g‘ Would any one alarm us with the enterprizes of
the Court of Rome But the Pope, as a Sovereign,
is independent of every other_ Power ; though hi
must always stand in need of the assistance of
France. As the, head of a religious society, :the
Pope has only an authority limited by known
maxims, which have been preserved with particular
care among us, but which refer to' the general rights
of Nations. The Pope had formerly, in the reli-
gious orders, a Militia which obeyed him, which,
riad rooted out the proper-Pastors,. and were always
ready to propagate transmontain do&rines. Our
laws have disbanded that Militia, and they had the
power to do so ; for no one ever disputed the
lic power to dissolve and put an end to arbitrary
institutions, which .did not affect the essential. parts
of religion, and which were judged to be of a sus.
picious nature, and noxious to the State.!'
(To be tontinued.)
•

The late Mrs. PJNTO, formerly the celebrated
Miss BR ENT, was a memorable example of that
noughtless improvidence which has often marked the
eatrical charader. She was once in as high fame
as any vocal Performer of the present day, and with
common prudence might have realized a splendid
fortune: She, however, unfortunately relied upon
the continuance of her powers, and her influence
Upon a capricious Public. 'Her .talents declined,
and new objets attraded public notice. Hence,
instead of securing herself •a. IlAdsome provisiOn,
which she Might easily have: attained, she fell, into
indigence and obscurity, and was,upable 'to procure
the post of a Chonis Singer, after having been the
first vocal Performer of her day.'

STEPHEN KEMBLE, who has been some time in
London, on a visit to his brother, has been raising
many recruits for his SuMmer, campaign, and among
these are several veterans of much renown in the
theatricid field. We were'in
.hOpes that. the Public
would have seen this Gentleman's Falstaff before
he left, town, as it haS a considerable. degree of
provincial repute, and, according to the report.of
very good, judges, is a performance of great merit.
The Pope, it seems, permits such of 'the C.'atho-.
_ lic Ecclesiastics as entered into the pale of matri-
nlony.since the French Revolution, to• retain their
rwives. It is to
.be hoped that these Ecclesiastics
have reason to consider this condescension of -h4
Holiness as a blessing.
A Leopard lately escaped horn the Menagerie at
Schoenbrunn, near 'Vienna, and had reached the
Country, to -the terror of the inhabitants. Thirty
determined Cavaliers pursued him, took him, and
brought him back to his prison.
A few dayS ago, Ann Hudson summoned Mrs.
Henderson before the Commissioners of Requests', to
enforce the payment of rl. Bs. alledged to be due to
her .for two Months wages. The girl said,, she had
hired herself to. Mrs'. H. who was a maiden lady,
residing at Somers Town, on the 6th of Feb, last,
and was astonished to find that her particular ser-
vices were to be dire led to the care and mainte-
nance of six-favourite- Cats, for whom she was to
'purchase
,food, prepare it for their eating, and to
give it up after their particular palates.- Each cat
was allowed id. a day, making.in the whole 35.6d.'
a week, which money, she said, had'been given to
her by her mistress,. and' which -sliehad regularly, ex-
Fended ; fiat finding she could nor, give satisfac-
tion, and feeling herself degraded, in so strange an
'employment, she deterinined on quitting, to. which
her mistress consented, insisting at the same time on
stopping 6d. a week out of her wages, that sum hav-
ing been regulatly cribbed out of the allowance made,
.to her little
.fa,v,ourites. She would not consent to
this stoppage, ,and, her mistress had refused to pay
her.,, The Lady, in her turn made her complaint,
'and contended, that the .Maid had converted the.
allowances of the Cars to other purposes. The
Commissioner's decided it; favour of the Servant.
Yesterday ainga Jew undertook to walk five
'miles on the Whitechapel-road•within the hour, for
a wager of 20 guineas, carrying at the. same time a
weight of fifty:pounds. -It became a.matter of dis-
pute whether • he had lost, or won ;. but .an immense
number of Jews being .present, they carried the
point their own way.
A melancholy accident occurred at' Braintree, in
Essex, ,on Sunday night last, at the ,house:of Mr.. J.
Theedham, maltster, of that place; whose eldest
daughter, about 23 years of age, was so much bruised
by the falling in upon her of. an upper:floor, over-
loaded with malt, and under which -she slept; as to
occasion her instant death. It 'appears that for want
of room in his malting, Mr. Theedham had laid
about 30 quarters Of malt in a garret, in the room
under which the deceased slept in one bed, and two
children in another in the corner of the same room.
—That about ten •at night the accident happened,. ,
which so alarmed Mr. Theedham, that he immedi-
ately rushed to 'the spot, and in his htirry, pecipi-
tared himself among the ruins, and it was with much
difficulty that he made shift, 'td..crawl 'out, Mr.
Theedham returned, and after some labour dr6v out
the two children, who had providentially received
but little injury.
About twelve o'clock on. Saturday evening last,
the Nuneaton Carrier froni COVentry, and two per,
sons in his cart, were stopped and robbed of money
and goods, by four villains armed ivith.
about a quarter of a mile from Nu4eaton. kfortu-
nately happened' that a post-chaise came in 'Sight
just before they-hat. time to make 'off with the
whole of the booty, in consequence
.of which they
were compelled to leave a bag, containing a large
quantity of manufactured silk, easily &c. behind,