The following was written by Victor Hugo in relation to an effort of the Romish priests to get control of education in France:---

"Ah, we know you! We do know the clerical party; it is an old party. This it is which has found for the Truth those two marvelous supporters, Ignorance and Error. This it is which forbids to science and genius the going beyond the Missal and which wishes to cloister thought in dogmas. Every step which the intelligence of Europe has taken has been in spite of it. Its history is written in the history of human progress, but it is written on the back of the leaf. It is opposed to it all. This it is which caused Prinelli to be scourged for having said that the stars would not fall. This it is which put Campanella seven times to torture for saying that the number of worlds was infinite and for having caught a glimpse

of the secret of creation. This it is which persecuted Harvey for having proved the circulation of the blood. In the name of Jesus it shut up Galileo. In the name of St. Paul it imprisoned Christopher Columbus. To discover a law of the heavens was an impiety, to find a world was a heresy. This it is which anathamatized Pascal in the name of religion, Montaigne in the name of morality, Moliere in the name of both morality and religion. For a long time the human conscience has revolted against you, and now demands of you; 'What is it that you wish of me?' For a long time already you have tried to put a gag upon the human intellect; you wish to be the masters of education, and there is not a poet, not an author, not a thinker, not a philosopher you accept. All that has been written, found, dreamed, educated, inspired, imagined, invented by genius, the treasure of civilization, the venerable inheritance of generations, the common patrimony of knowledge, you reject. There is a book---a book which is from one end to the other an emanation from above; a book which is for the whole world what the Koran is for Islamism; what the Vedas are for India---a book which contains all human wisdom illuminated by all divine wisdom---a book which the veneration of the people call The Book---the Bible! Well, your censure has reached even that---unheard-of thing! Popes have proscribed the Bible. How astonishing to wise spirits; how overpowering to simple hearts so see the finger of Rome placed upon the book of God! And you claim the liberty which you claim. Stop! Be sincere! Let us understand the liberty which you claim. It is the liberty of NOT TEACHING.

"You wish us to give you the people to instruct. Very well, let us see your pupils. Let us see those who have produced. What have you done for Italy? What have you done for Spain? For centuries you

have kept in your hands at your discretion, at your school, these two great nations, illustrious among the illustrious. What have you done for them? I shall tell you, Thanks to you, Italy, whose name no man who thinks can any longer pronounce without inexpressible emotions---Italy, mother of genius and of nations, which has spread over all the universe, the most brilliant marvels of poetry and the arts, Italy---which has taught mankind to read---now knows not how to read! Yes, Italy is, of all the States of Europe, that where the smallest number know how to read.

"Spain, magnificently endowed Spain, which received from the Romans her first civilization; from the Arabs her second civilization; from Providence and in spite of you, a world---America---Spain, thanks to you, a yoke of stupor, which is a yoke of degradation and decay; Spain has lost its secret power which it had from the Romans; this genius of art which it had from the Arabs; this world which it had from God, and in exchange for all you have made it lose, it has received from you---"THE INQUISITION!

"The Inquisition, which certain men of your party tried today to re-establish; which has burned on the funeral pyre millions of men; the Inquisition, which disinterred the dead to burn them as heretics; which declared the children of heretics infamous and incapable of any public honors, excepting only those who shall have denounced their fathers; the Inquisition, which, while I speak, still holds in the papal library the manuscripts of Galileo sealed under the papal signet. This fire which we call Italy you have extinguished. This colossus that we call Spain you have undermined---the one in ashes, the other in ruins. This is what you have done to two great nations. What do you wish to do for France? Stop! You have just come from Rome! I congratulate you, you

have had fine success there. You came from gagging the Roman people, and now you wish to gag the French people. I understand. This attempt is still more fine, but take care, it is dangerous. France is a lion, it is still alive!"