Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers: Reprinted From an English Work, Entitled "Half-Hours With The Freethinkers."Bradlaugh, Charles
Religion
Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers: Reprinted From an English Work, Entitled "Half-Hours With The Freethinkers."
Bradlaugh, Charles
Rationalists -- Biography
The following description of D'Holbach is given in a little
sketch, published by Mr. Watson in 1834, as taken from Grimm's
"Correspondence:"--"D'Hol-bach's features were, taken separately,
regular, and even handsome, yet he was not a handsome man. His forehead,
large and open, like that of Diderot, indicated a vast and capacious
mind; but his forehead having fewer sinuosities, less roundness than
Diderot's, announced less warmth, less energy, and less fecundity of
ideas. A craniologist would say that in both D'Holbach and Diderot, the
philosophical organs were largely developed, but that Diderot excelled
in ideality; D'Holbach's countenance only indicated mildness, and the
habitual sincerity of his mind. He was incapable of personal hatred.
Though he detested priests and Jesuits, and all other supporters of
despotism and superstition; and though when speaking of such people, his
mildness and good temper were sometimes transformed into bitterness and
irritability; yet it is affirmed that when the Jesuits were expelled
from France, D'Holbach regarded them as objects of commiseration and of
pity, and afforded them pecuniary assistance."
The titles of D'Holbach's works may be found in Barbier's "Dictionary
of Anonymous Works," and in St. Surins's article in the "Biographie
Universelle," so in the little tract before mentioned as published by J.
Watson. D'Holbach contributed largely to the first French Encyclopaedia,
and other works of a like character. Of the "System of Nature" we have
already spoken, and shall rather leave our readers to the work itself
than take up more space in discussing its authorship.
After having lived a life of comfort, in affluent circumstances,
and always surrounded by a large circle of the best men of the day,
D'Holbach died on January the 21st, 1789, being, then sixty-six years
of age. The priests have never pictured to us any scene of horror
in relation to his dying moments. The good old man died cheered and
supported in his last struggle by those men whom he had many times
assisted in the hard fighting of the battle of life. J. A. Naigeon,
who had been his friend for thirty years; paid an eloquent tribute
to D'Holbach's memory, in an article which appeared in the "Journal de
Paris" of February the 9th, 1789, and we are not aware that any man has
ever written anything against D'Hol-bach's personal character.
EXTRACTS FROM "THE SYSTEM OF NATURE."
Although we may not attempt to express a decided opinion as to the
authorship of "Le Système de la Nature," we feel it our duty to present
some of its principal arguments to the consideration of our readers. The
author opens his work with this passage:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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