XXVIII. The subject of this discourse, especially that part of it
which is contained in the second, third, and fourth paragraphs, leads
me opportunely to banish an error which is exceedingly vulgarized.
The world is so filled with the caprice of the occult influence of
the blood, that many people are led away with a notion, that children
by the force of it, not only inherit from thence those passions which
depend on the temperament, but also a propensity for the religion of
their ancestors. They don’t even stop here, for the lower sort extend
this influence to the milk with which children are nourished in their
infancy, giving credit to this ridiculous maxim, from here and there an
uncertain or fabulous experiment or instance, such for example, as a
person when he came to the state of manhood having turned Jew, which he
imbibed a disposition to do, by having sucked a Jew nurse.
XXIX. There is no error more void of all probability than this. If we
speak of the true religion, not only the assent which the understanding
gives to its dogmas, but also the pious affection which precedes
this assent, are both supernatural; consequently, according to sound
theology, neither the blood nor the aliment, nor any other natural
cause, can have connexion, either with the assent or pious affection.
This is all the work of the divine grace, as a substitute for which,
there is not the most remote disposition to be found in the whole
sphere of nature, and you can only admit negative natural ones, which
concur merely to remove impediments, such as a good understanding, and
a good native turn of mind. But these good dispositions, in those who
possess them, do not depend upon their fathers having professed the
true religion; for if this was the case, all the catholics would have
good understandings, and would be naturally good-disposed people.
XXX. The assent to false religions, is beyond a doubt absolutely
natural, because error cannot be derived from a supernatural cause.
Upon the whole then it is certain, that this assent does not depend, in
any manner whatever, either on the temperament, or on the organization,
which are the only things, on which the paternal seed, or the infant
aliment, can have any influence; the reason is, because giving assent
to an error, depends upon the shape or light in which objects appear or
are represented to the understanding, which in different temperaments
and organizations may be the same, and in such as are alike different.
What doubt can there be, that in the great city of Constantinople,
there are vast numbers of men unlike in these and other natural
dispositions? Notwithstanding which, they have all faith in the same
errors.
XXXI. He who will not yield to these arguments, let the experience or
example of the Janisaries convince. This military corps, who are the
Grand Seignor’s guards, and the best troops in the Ottoman empire,
although they at present admit among them people of every nation, were
originally all composed of the children of Christians, who in their
infancy were either made prisoners of war, or were paid to the Grand
Seignor by way of tribute, by the poor Christians who resided in his
dominions. These soldiers, who notwithstanding their being the children
of Christians, and their having been nourished in their infancy with
Christian milk, were always as staunch professors of Mahometism as the
children of the Turks themselves; and in the wars in which they were
engaged against the Christians, so far was the occult influence of the
blood, or the milk they sucked, from restraining their arms, that they
fought, I don’t know whether to call it with more valour, or with more
fury and rage, than the other Mahometans.
XXXII. The same reflection, may be made on the slaves which are
brought from Africa to America to work in the mines, or on the sugar
plantations; for they, when educated in the Christian religion, don’t
entertain the most distant thoughts of returning to idolatry, which
was the religion professed by their ancestors.
XXXIII. What now and then happens is, that some one, who in his infancy
was instructed in a religion different from that of his parents, after
being arrived at a state of manhood, coming to understand that they
professed another faith, has found himself inclined to follow their
steps. But it is clear, this was not produced by the seeds of his
paternal religion which circulated within his veins, but was rather a
proof, that his love and veneration for his progenitors, disposed him
to imitate them, and I believe it proceeds from want of reflection,
that these examples are not more frequent, for it is natural to
suppose, that the example of those who gave people birth, would have
more weight with thinking persons, than that of those who had deprived
them of their liberty; but such is the force of education, habit,
and intercourse, that they prevail over all other considerations and
attentions.