ity of the soul, that the very philosopher, who could not
believe that such cruelties, as we read in history, had been commanded by
God, in leaving the bloody intolerance, he believed, and still believes in
a life to come.

Religion is lovely, pure, innocent, sympathetic, and disinterested. From
religion we derive the nobility of our mind, and heart. Religion, as I
understand it myself, is a branch of literature, and imagination which
links us to heaven. But, as my religion differs from the religion of the
many; besides, religion, being a spontaneous sentiment of the heart, it is
our duty to leave any one freely in the hand of God, who will lead them to
truth. As far as my neighbor does not interfere with my temporal
existence, and acts honestly with me on this traveling land, he may differ
from my religion as well as I do differ from his own. It is a matter which
does regard his future happiness, it is a matter of his own conscience,
and of his God: and no law can force, or control the free mind of man in
this world for what it belongs to heaven.

CHAPTER IX.

INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.

Learned americans, and the british writers applied in vain to congress for
a lawful protection of their honest labor. A subject of such an importance
as the International Copy-right, the truly, and best pride of nations, had
been neglected, in order to give place to long speeches on dollars and
cents, and on the presidential election. Had rich booksellers prevented
the senators from doing their duty; be it ignorance, or neglect, it is
what I cannot tell. But, a nation like this, bound to protect the smallest
invention of any mechanic (and I feel happy to say that the most
insignificant mechanic is protected) that honorable senate has done
nothing for the protection of an american Milton, or an american Hume. How
can America keep up with the mind's improvements of the other nations,
the aurora of civil society, the moral national power, when the creators
of new thoughts, and the historians of man's deeds, are not protected?

Though the printer, or bookseller, cannot have any work, nor business,
without the writer, there is, perhaps, no other profession on earth so
much dependent to another, as the writer to the printer, and bookseller.
Each must live with his own labor; but, as the writer cannot live with his
own productions, unless protected by law, legislators are bound to protect
the writers of two nations, speaking the sam