of destruction, unless the motive were pure, the
quarrel legitimate, and the necessity inevitable. The policy of an
action may be determined from the tardy lessons of experience; but,
before we act, our conscience should be satisfied of the justice and
propriety of our enterprise. In the age of the crusades, the Christians,
both of the East and West, were persuaded of their lawfulness and merit;
their arguments are clouded by the perpetual abuse of Scripture and
rhetoric; but they seem to insist on the right of natural and religious
defence, their peculiar title to the Holy Land, and the impiety of their
Pagan and Mahometan foes. [20]

I. The right of a just defence may fairly include our civil and
spiritual allies: it depends on the existence of danger; and that danger
must be estimated by the twofold consideration of the malice, and
the power, of our enemies. A pernicious tenet has been imputed to the
Mahometans, the duty of extirpating all other religions by the sword.
This charge of ignorance and bigotry is refuted by the Koran, by the
history of the Mussulman conquerors, and by their public and legal
toleration of the Christian worship. But it cannot be denied, that the
Oriental churches are depressed under their iron yoke; that, in peace
and war, they assert a divine and indefeasible claim of universal
empire; and that, in their orthodox creed, the unbelieving nations are
continually threatened with the loss of religion or liberty. In the
eleventh century, the victorious arms of the Turks presented a real
and urgent apprehension of these losses. They had subdued, in less
than thirty years, the kingdoms of Asia, as far as Jerusalem and the
Hellespont; and the Greek empire tottered on the verge of destruction.
Besides an honest sympathy for their brethren, the Latins had a right
and interest in the support of Constantinople, the most important
barrier of the West; and the privilege of defence must reach to prevent,
as well as to repel, an impending assault. But this salutary purpose
might have been accomplished by a moderate succor; and our calmer
reason must disclaim the innumerable hosts, and remote operations, which
overwhelmed Asia and depopulated Europe. [2011]

[Footnote 20: If the reader will turn to the first scene of the First
Part of Henry the Fourth, he will see in the text of Shakespeare the
natural feelings of enthusiasm; and in the notes of Dr. Johnson the
workings of a bigoted, though vigorous mind,