ndscape is beautiful," said the gentleman; "the golden sun, the
mighty river, the vast forest, are admirable. How lovely, and pleasant
and cheerful, every object appears!"

"How happens it," said the baron, "that you could see such proof of my
son's existence, in the imperfect work of his hands, and yet you can
see no proof of the existence of a Creator, in the wonders and beauties
which are now before you? Let me never hear you say again that you
believe not in the existence of God, unless you would have me think
that you have lost the use of your reason."

LESSON XXXVII

REPUBLICS

The name Republic is written upon the oldest monuments of mankind. It
has been connected in all ages with the noble and the great in art and
letters.

It might be asked, what land has ever felt the influence of liberty,
that has not flourished like the spring? With regard to ourselves, we
can truly say that we live under a form of government the equal of
which the world has never seen. Is it, then, nothing to be free? How
many nations in the history of the world have proved themselves worthy
of being so?

Were all men as enlightened, as brave and as self-respecting as they
ought to be, would they suffer themselves to be insulted by any other
form of government than a republic? Can anything be more striking or
more sublime, than the idea of a republic like ours; which spreads over
a territory far more extensive than that of the ancient Roman empire?

And upon what is this great and glorious combination of states, so
admirably united, really founded? It is founded upon the maxims of
common sense and reason, without military despotism or monarchical
domination of any kind. The people simply govern themselves, and the
government is of the people, by the people and for the people.

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT

We must have an end of all persecution of ideas.

I condemn the government of France and Prussia when they oppress the
Jesuits.

I condemn the government of Russia when it oppresses the Jews.

I affirm that to persecute ideas is like persecuting light, air,
electricity, or the magnetic fluid.

Ideas escape all persecution. When repressed they explode like powder.

LESSON XXXVIII

FALSE NOTIONS OF LIBERTY

People talk of liberty as if it meant the liberty of doing what a man
likes. The only liberty that a man should ask for is the privilege of
removing all restrictions that prevent his doing what he