Passions are the true counterpoise to passions; then let him not seek to destroy them; but let him endeavour to direct them; let him balance those which are prejudicial, by those which are useful to society. _Reason_, the fruit of experience, is only the art of choosing those passions to which for his own peculiar happiness he ought to listen. _Education_ is the true art of disseminating the proper method of cultivating advantageous passions in the heart of man. _Legislation_ is the art of restraining dangerous passions; of exciting those which may be conducive to the public welfare. _Superstition_ is only the miserable art of planting the unproductive labour--of nourishing in the soul of man those chimeras, those illusions, those impostures, those incertitudes from whence spring passions fatal to himself as well as to others: it is only by bearing up with fortitude against these that he can securely place himself on the road to happiness. _True religion_ is the art of advocating truth--of renouncing error--of contemplating reality--of drawing wisdom from experience--of cultivating man's nature to his own felicity, by teaching him to contribute to that of his associates; in short it is _reason, education_, and _legislation_, united to further the great end of human existence, by causing the passions of man to flow in a current genial to his own happiness. _Reason_ and _morals_ cannot effect any thing on mankind if they do not point out to each individual that his true interest is attached to a conduct that is either useful to others or beneficial to himself; this conduct to be useful must conciliate for him the benevolence, gain for him the favor of these beings who are necessary to his happiness: it is then for the interest of mankind, for the happiness of the human race, it is for the esteem of himself, for the love of his fellows, for the advantages which ensue, that education in early life should kindle the imagination of the citizen; this is the true means of obtaining those happy results with which habit should familiarize him; which public opinion should render dear to his heart; for which example ought continually to rouse his faculties; after which he should be taught to search with unceasing attention. _Government_ by the aid of recompences, ought to encourage him to follow this plan; by visiting crime with punishment it ought to deter those who are willing to interrupt it. Thus the hope of a true welfare, the fear of real evil, will be passions suitable to countervail those which by their impetuosity would injure society; these last will at least become very rare, if instead of feeding man's mind with unintelligible speculations, in lieu of vibrating on his ears words void of sense, he is only spoken to of realities, only shewn those interests which are in unison with truth.