To those who have observed the
spirit of their conduct it has long been clear that nothing was wanted
but the power of carrying the intolerance of the tongue and of the pen
into a persecution which would strike at property, liberty, and life.
* This (down to the end of the first sentence in the next
paragraph) and some other parts here and there were inserted, on his
reading the manuscript, by my lost Son.
The desultory and faint persecution carried on against them,
more from compliance with form and decency than with serious
resentment, neither weakened their strength nor relaxed their efforts.
The issue of the whole was that, what with opposition, and what with
success, a violent and malignant zeal, of a kind hitherto unknown in
the world, had taken an entire possession of their minds and
rendered their whole conversation, which otherwise would have been
pleasing and instructive, perfectly disgusting. A spirit of cabal,
intrigue, and proselytism pervaded all their thoughts, words, and
actions. And as controversial zeal soon turns its thoughts on force,
they began to insinuate themselves into a correspondence with
foreign princes, in hopes through their authority, which at first they
flattered, they might bring about the changes they had in view. To
them it was indifferent whether these changes were to be
accomplished by the thunderbolt of despotism or by the earthquake of
popular commotion.
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