14 preoccupations are non-ecclesiastical ; they lean toward, politics, or, more often still, towards business. The principal representatives of so-called Christian society are Jews, "the epoch's ·kings." And amongst those who devote their lives to higher pursuits-science, art, poetry-~l1ow many, unless forced to do so, occupy themselves with theology? Enter the University of Geneva. At all the courses of lectures-medicine, natural history, mathematics, even jurisprudence-you will find voluntary listeners ; at every one except at those upon theology. The Christian religion is like a snow-wreath melting in the sun: traces ar_e visible here and there, but beneath the streaks of dirty white the earth shows, already clear of rime. The religion which is thus becoming detached, like a garment, from European civilisation, was extremely convenient for the explanation of misery, injustice, and social inequality. It had one solution for everything-miracles. A Supreme will had pre-ordained all things. ,Injustice was an apparent evil, but it was preparing good things to come. "God giveth sustenance to the young birds. He prcpareth eternal blessedness for the afflicted. Their misery below is but the harbinger of felicity on high ! " These things were ceaselessly repeated to the oppressed as long as they believed them ; but now such arguments have lost all credence, and are no longer met with, except in the petty literature of religious tracts. What is to be done to replace the departing religion ? As the worker believes no longer in miracles, can he perhaps be induced to believe in lies i And so learned economists, academicians, merchants, and financiers have contrived to introduce into science the bold proposition '.hat property and prosperity are always the rew<1;rdof labour! It would be scarcely decent to discuss such an asse1tion. When they pretend that labour is the origin of fortune, economists know perfectly well that they are not speaking the truth. They know as well as the Socialists that wealth is not the product of personal labour, but of the labour of others : they are not ignorant that the runs of luck on the Exchange and the speculations which create great fortunes have no more connection with labour tban the exploits of brigands in the forests; they dare not pretend that the individual who has five thousand pounds a day, just what is required to support one hundred thousand persons like himself. is distinguished from other men by an intelligence Bibi oteca G "lo B anco
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