Voltavie, Frangow Marie Aroust de- THE PHILOSOPHICAL DICTIONARY FOR THE POCKET. Written in FRENCH by A SOCIETY OF MEN OF LETTERS And Tranflated into ENGLISH from The laft GENEVA Edition, corrected by the AUTHORS. WITH NOTE S, CONTAINING Á REFUTATION of fuch Paffages as are any way LONDON: Printed for THOMAS BROWN. M.DCC.LXV. English Heffer 12-415-34 29881 ADVERTISEMENT, THE great noife which the following work has made in foreign parts, on account of the author's freedom in regard to matters of religion, may probably occafion fome people to be offended with the publication of it in English. But an exception of this kind must furely be the effect of prejudice, and is impoffible to be defended upon the principles of reafon and philofophy. True religion is not afraid of bearing the strictest examination; the attacks of infidels, instead of weakening her authority, rather contribute to her triumphs. She is ever ready to hear what her adverfaries have to oppose; and calmly endeavours to refute their errors. This is a maxim agreeable to found fenfe, and the contrary doctrine is calculated only for the meridian of the inquifition. It must be acknowledged, however, that in writings of this fort, fome regard ought to be fhewn to the illiterate and the vulgar; neither is it fit that their minds fhould be unhinged in their affent to the true religion. This indulgence to the public is fhewn in the following translation, which has been undertaken chiefly to prevent the work from being rendered into English by fome other hand, who would perhaps have been glad of the opportunity of Spreading its errors. Care bas therefore been taken to make proper firictures on Such |