common fense fhudder in every page; that in order to have his koran refpected and believed, he should bring rapine and destruction into his country; that he fhould murder the fathers; ravish the daughters; that he should leave the conquered, only the alternative of his religion or of death; all this is certainly what cannot be excufable, but in the eyes of a muffulman, in whom superstition has stifled all natural light of reason, or sparkle of humanity. I know that Mahomet did not contrive precisely fuch a plot, as makes the fubject of this tragedy. History only says, that he took away the wife of Seide, one of his difciples, and that he perfecuted Abufofian, whom I call Zopire; but is not the man, that wages war with his own country, and dares affert that it is by God's direction, capable of any thing? I did not merely pretend to represent a real action on the stage, but real manners} and to make men think, as in fact they do think, in the circumftances in which I place them; and in fine, to fhew what H 2 horrid horrid crimes knavery can invent, and fanaticifm put in execution. Mahomet here is no more than Tartuffe armed with power. I fhall think myself well rewarded for my labour, if any of these weak minds, that are ever ready to receive the impreffions of a foreign fury, not to be found at the bottom of their own hearts, can ftrengthen itself against fuch dangerous illufions, by the reading of this work; if, being ftruck with horror at the unfortunate obedience of Seide, it fays to itfelf: " Why should I blindly obey the rage of those who cry out; hate, perfecute, destroy whoever dares to differ with us in opinion, on fubjects indifferent to us, and which we do not understand ?" I wish I could contribute to eradicate fuch fentiments from among men! The fpirit of indulgence might make brothers of us all; that of perfecution is capable. of producing only monsters. Thus thinks your majefty. It would be to me the greatest comfort to live near. fo philofophic a king. My attachment to to you is equal to my regret; and if other duties call me away, they fhall never efface from my breast the sentiments which I owe to a prince who thinks and speaks as a man, who defpifes that falfe gravity, which always hides lowness and ignorance; who communicates his thoughts with freedom, because he can be under no fear of being found out; who is always defirous of being informed, and who can inftruct the moft learned. I fhall always remain with the most profound refpect, and the most lively acknowledgments, &c. Rotterdam, Januáry 20, 1742. H 3 A LET LETTER To Pope BENEDICT the Fourteenth, On fending him his tragedy of Mahomet*. Moft bleffed Father, YOUR OUR holiness will pardon the liberty that one of the loweft of the faithful, but one of the greatest admirers of virtue, makes bold to take in submitting to the chief of the true religion, this performance against the founder of a falfe and barbarous fect. To whom could I more properly dedicate the fatire of the cruelty and errors of a falfe prophet, than to the vicar and follower of a God of lenity and truth? Your holiness will therefore give me leave to lay at your feet this little book Written originally in Italian, and |