Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-08-17
Quincy, JUNE II, 1913.

| Quincy, JUNE II, 1913.
| REVEREND SIR IN answer to the inoui-
RES IN your letter of the 18th instant, cheer
July state, first, that never published or made
translation OF Voltaire's Philosophical Die
tIonary; second, that ! never read that work.
and am therefore unable to give an opinion
upon ltS merits third, that never saw the
DOCK mentioned by you as purporting to be
| a translation OF Foltaire's Philosophical Die
iionary, by John Quincy Adams; fourth, that
! nave heard OF person, stranger to me,
bearing that name, but know not how he came
by 1t, nor to what family he belongs.
have read extracts from Voltaire's Phi
losophicai Dictionary and others of his writ
lngs injected with infdelity, but have also
read and seen performed on the stage his
tragedies of Zaire, Alzire, and DIahomet, and
have read his epic poem of the Henrade, |
nave read his writings in which he complains
that he had been accused of irreligous pro-
pensi!ies, and appeals to these tragedies all
ana this epic poem as proofs of his orlh odoxy.
lie boasts that when his tragedy of Zaire was
llrst performed it was called the Christian ira
gedy. In the tragedy of Attire a Spanish
Vlceroy is murdered by Peruvian Indian
and when the assassin is brought before him.
as he ls dying, he says:
Learn now the difference between thy gods and mine
my gods command thee to revenge and murder;
And mine, when thou hast stabbed me to the heart
Command me to pity and forgive thee l''
IN his Henriade he gloriiies Henry the Fourth
Which R his ancestor, ST. LOUIS, proves to him
, the truth of the doctrine of transubstantation !:
and he dedicated his tragedy of Mahomet to
Pope Benedict XIV, assuring him that in ex.
DOSlDU the Of, fol rel; a.
was no person to whom the work could with
so much propriety be dedicated as to the head
OF the true religion: compliment for which
the sovereign pontff rewarded him, as a true
and faithful son Of the holy church, with his
paternal and apostolic benediction.
Now, if the infidel neighbor Of the Rev. Mr..
! Hubbard declared that he would have no fur
| Their confidence in me if had been blowing
hot and cold, by publishing translation o!
Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary, and We.
protesting for myself religious sentiments and
opinions, how could he have any confidence
IN Voltarie HIMSELF such an adept in the art
OF blowing hot and cold that he wrote with
the same pen his Philosophical Dictionary
and his Henrlade, his Zaire, his Alzire, and
his Mahomet? How could the infdel Justify
| himself for recommending to his friend the
work OF such weathercock in religious O.
/ plnlons as Voltaire, and yet profess to with
draw all his confidence in me for my suppos-
ed Inconsistency in publishing the infidel trash
OF Voltarie, and yet avowing religious senti-
men!s for myself?
| The truth is that Voltaire was livelv. sar.
castIca, disingenuous. prejudiced, fana,ica
dISbellever III Christianity, ready to assume
the mask of religion, or to cast it away, Jus
as 1t suited his interest or his humor: inten
above all things upon making himself name
and flatterlng himself that his easiest wav tc
do it was by demolishing the Christian reli
! glon. never thought his Philosophical Die
tionary worth reading, and read his Bibl
only to despse it.
y have read also his Maid of Orleans, ant
despised him also for Embellishments for it
perverslon of all moral principle and all de
cency. Its injustice 10 one of the brightes
characters in human history is its most cryin
sin. Frenchman who can think or spea
of Joan of Arc without reverence, must have
heart colder than the everlasting ice Of tn
poles.
You are at liberty, sir, to make such use @
this letter as you think proper. am certain
ly not ambitious of the reputation of spendin
my time in translating or in publishing VoI
taire's Philosophical Dictionary.
There are very few from some of who's
writings have recoicd with more disgust an
horror; of his iufdelity and dlssoute moral
S ] have had more than a surGeit; and if | has
t ever derived any benefit from them 1t has OF
5 Iy been by that process which extracts heaIin
medicine from the deadlest Of poisons.
+, am, very respectfully and thankfully, DEF
r sir, your obedient servant,
I holm OITINCcY kIokRS
.
4 H.. ILL., ...I--- -. IL. &c