1817 Sept. 10

Not Paul

Introd.

In the common way in which, among religionists of different sects and parties, the persons, acts and events in question have commonly been considered, the actors are any thing but human creatures: the world they are considered as moving /are represented as moving/ in is a purely ideal one.

Throughout the whole course of the present examination, the men in question will, all of them be alike considered as occupied /actuated/ by human interests, influenced by human desires, actuated by human motives - occupied influenced actuated by such interests desires and motives as all men are actuated by in general are actuated by.

In those books of fables in which under the name of fable are or at least have been in use to be, put into the hands of children the actors /characters/ are human creatures /beings/ with /[…?]/ the names of animals attached to them.

In the interpretation put upon the books /discourses/ here in question, the characters are a set of beings any thing rather than /not any thing but/ human, to which the names of men are attached with nothing human belonging /left/ to them but their names.

As to these appellations and epithets, by the use of which every thing that is undertaken to be proved is from first to last assumed - words of vague and ungrounded laudation distributed /applied/ on one side, vague and ungrounded vituperation on the other, they will be left to those who from weakness can not, or from disingenuousness will not, forbear to discredit and betray by the use of the instruments of falshood /deceit/ the cause of truth.