"
What could better than such an idyll, ruled with an iron hand, in the
presence of moral symbols and colored pasteboard divinities, could
better please the counterfeit moralist, unable to distinguish the
false from the true, and whose skin-deep sensibility is borrowed from
sentimental authors! "For the first time" his glowing countenance
beams with joy, while "the enthusiasm"[164] of the scribe overflows,
as usual, in book phraseology.
"Behold!" he exclaims, "that which is most interesting in humanity!
The Universe is here assembled! O, Nature, how sublime, how exquisite
is thy power! How tyrants must quail at the contemplation of this
festival !"
Is not he himself its most dazzling ornament? Was not he unanimously
chosen to preside over the Convention and conduct the ceremonies? Is
he not the founder of the new cult, the only pure worship on the face
of the earth, approved of by morality and reason? Wearing the uniform
of a representative, nankeen breeches, blue coat, tri-colored sash and
plumed hat,[165] holding in his hand a bouquet of flowers and grain,
he marches at the head of the Convention and officiates on the
platform; he sets fire to the veil which hides from view the idol
representing "Atheism," and suddenly, through an ingenious
contrivance, the majestic statue of "Wisdom" appears in its place.
Pages:
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343