l power and foreign
victory, surrounded by wealth and talent, with a court and literature
which were the glory of the country, he seemed likely to transmit his
power to coming generations. But the inherent weakness of despotism was
soon apparent. Unrestrained authority appertains only to the Divine
government, because power is there synonymous with goodness; but it is
always unsafe in human. The wisdom which partially supplied the place of
goodness in Louis XIV being wanting in his successor, unchecked
selfishness produced the corruption which brought inevitable ruin.

These remarks on the political state of France will sufficiently show why
a free criticism directed against either religion or tyranny should assume
revolutionary tendencies, and should manifest an antipathy to social and
ecclesiastical institutions, as well as to the principles on which they
were supposed to depend.

But the forces operating in the world of mind, as well as in society, must
also be understood, in order to estimate the influence of unbelief in
France. In a previous lecture we have seen that in the middle of the
seventeenth century the philosophy of Descartes had created a complete
revolution in modes of thought. It was only in the philosophy of Spinoza
that it produced theological unbelief; but by its indirect influence it
had led generally to an entire reconsideration of the first data of
reasoning, and the method of establishing truth; and thus had stimulated
the struggle of reason against faith, of inquiry against credulity, of
progress against reaction, and of hopefulness in the future against
reverence for the past. The activity of mind displayed in the literature
of the reign of Louis XIV is its first expression.(501) But thoughts
ferment long in society before they fully express themselves in form: they
first exist as suggestions; then they become doubts; lastly, they pass
into disbelief. It was not until the time of the regency,(502) which
ensued after the death of Louis, that the literature became impressed with
a thoroughly new tone.(503)

Other causes of a more direct kind cooperated. The English philosophy of
Locke, which marked an epoch in speculation, was introduced at that time.
This philosophy however could not have resulted in those speculations
which arose in France, if it had not been carried farther by the analysis
which Condillac employed in that country, analogous to that of Hume in
Scotland. In itself it expressed