on necessary for the vulgar

195. Logical systems are not adapted to the capacity of the vulgar

196. On the futility and danger of Theology

197. On the evils produced by implicit faith

198. On the evils produced by implicit faith

199. All Religions were established by impostors, in days of ignorance

200. All Religions borrow from one another ridiculous ceremonies

201. Theology has always diverted philosophy from its right path

202. Theology explains nothing

203. Theology has always fettered Morality, and retarded progress

204. Theology has always fettered Morality, and retarded progress

205. Religion is an extravagance and a calamity

206. Religion prevents us from seeing the true causes of misfortunes

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

The chief design in reprinting this translation, is to preserve "_the
strongest atheistical work_" for present and future generations of English
Freethinkers.

The real author was, unquestionably, Paul Thyry; Baron D'Holbach, and not
John Meslier, to whom this work has been wrongly attributed, under the
title of "Le Bon Sens" (Common Sense).

In 1770, Baron D'Holbach published his masterpiece, "Systeme de la
Nature," which for a long time passed as the posthumous work of M. de
Mirabaud. That text-book of "Atheistical Philosophy" caused a great
sensation, and two years later, 1772, the Baron published this excellent
abridgment of it, freed from arbitrary ideas; and by its clearness of
expression, facility, and precision of style, rendered it most suitable
for the average student.

"Le Bon Sens" was privately printed in Amsterdam, and the author's name
was kept a profound secret; hence, Baron D'Holbach escaped persecution.

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE

When we examine the opinions of men, we find that nothing is more
uncommon, than common sense; or, in other words, they lack judgment
to discover plain truths, or to reject absurdities, and palpable
contradictions. We have an example of this in Theology, a system revered
in all countries by a great number of men; an object regarded by them
as most important, and indispensable to happiness. An examination of
the principles upon which this pretended system is founded, forces us
to acknowledge, that these principles are only suppositions, imagined
by ignorance, propagated by enthusiasm or knavery, adopted by timid
credulity, preserved by custom which never reasons, and revered solely
because not understood.

In a word