"
Page 464: "If He [God] has not known how or has not wished to give us a
social code productive of justice, industrial attraction and passional
harmony;--_if he has not known how_, how could he have supposed
our weak reason would succeed in a task in which he himself doubted of
success? _If he has not wished_, how can our legislators hope to
organize a society which would lead to the results above mentioned, and
of which he wished to deprive us.... What motive could he have had to
refuse us such a code? Six views may be taken on the subject of this
omission.
"_First--either he has not known how_ to give us a social code
guaranteeing truth, justice and industrial attraction; in this case why
create in us the want of it, without having the means of satisfying
that want which he satisfies in creatures inferior to us, to which he
assigns a mode of existence adapted to their attractions and instincts:
"Second--_or he has not wished_ to give us this code; which thus
supposes the Creator to be the persecutor of mankind, creating in us
wants which it is impossible to satisfy, inasmuch as none of our codes
can extirpate our permanent scourges:
"Third--_or he has known how and has not wished_; in which case
the Creator becomes a malignant being, knowing how to do good, but
preferring the reign of evil:
"Fourth--_or he has wished and has not known how_; in this case he
is incapable of governing us, knowing and wishing the good which he
cannot realize, and which we still less can attain:
"Fifth--_or he has neither wished nor known how_; and we must
attribute to him both want of genius and evil intention:
"Sixth--_or he has known how and has wished_; in this case the
code exists, and he must have provided a mode for its revelation--for
of what use would it be if it were to remain hidden from men for whom
it is destined?"
Page 468: "If the human race were at the commencement of their social
career--in the first ages of civilization--they would perhaps be
excusable for founding some hope of social good upon human science,
upon the legislation of man; but long experience has proved the
impotency of human legislation, and shown clearly that the world has
nothing to hope from human laws and civilized constitutions.
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