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possible that further opportunities of examination may discover the
mammae。 Those of the Opossum are asserted； by the Chevalier
d'Aboville； from his own observations on that animal； made while here
with the French army； to be not discoverable until pregnancy； and to
disappear as soon as the young are weaned。 The Duckbill has many
additional particularities which liken it to other genera； and some
entirely peculiar。 Its description and history needs yet further
information。
In what I have said on the method of classing； I have not at
all meant to insinuate that that of Linnaeus is intrinsically
preferable to those of Blumenbach and Cuvier。 I adhere to the
Linnean because it is sufficient as a ground…work； admits of
supplementary insertions as new productions are discovered； and
mainly because it has got into so general use that it will not be
easy to displace it； and still less to find another which shall have
the same singular fortune of obtaining the general consent。 During
the attempt we shall become unintelligible to one another； and
science will be really retarded by efforts to advance it made by its
most favorite sons。 I am not myself apt to be alarmed at innovations
recommended by reason。 That dread belongs to those whose interests
or prejudices shrink from the advance of truth and science。 My
reluctance is to give up an universal language of which we are in
possession； without an assurnace of general consent to receive
another。 And the higher the character of the authors recommending
it； and the more excellent what they offer； the greater the danger of
producing schism。
I should seem to need apology for these long remarks to you who
are so much more recent in these studies； but I find it in your
particular request and my own respect for it； and with that be
pleased to accept the assurance of my esteem and consideration。
THE CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS
_To N。 G。 Dufief_
_Monticello； April 19； 1814_
DEAR SIR； Your favor of the 6th instant is just received；
and I shall with equal willingness and truth； state the degree of
agency you had； respecting the copy of M。 de Becourt's book； which
came to my hands。 That gentleman informed me； by letter； that he was
about to publish a volume in French； 〃Sur la Creation du Monde； un
Systeme d'Organisation Primitive；〃 which； its title promised to be；
either a geological or astronomical work。 I subscribed； and； when
published； he sent me a copy； and as you were my correspondent in the
book line in Philadelphia； I took the liberty of desiring him to call
on you for the price； which； he afterwards informed me； you were so
kind as to pay him for me； being； I believe； two dollars。 But the
sole copy which came to me was from himself directly； and； as far as
I know； was never seen by you。
I am really mortified to be told that； _in the United States of
America_； a fact like this can become a subject of inquiry； and of
criminal inquiry too； as an offence against religion； that a question
about the sale of a book can be carried before the civil magistrate。
Is this then our freedom of religion？ and are we to have a censor
whose imprimatur shall say what books may be sold； and what we may
buy？ And who is thus to dogmatize religious opinions for our
citizens？ Whose foot is to be the measure to which ours are all to
be cut or stretched？ Is a priest to be our inquisitor； or shall a
layman； simple as ourselves； set up his reason as the rule for what
we are to read； and what we must believe？ It is an insult to our
citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not； and
blasphemy against religion to suppose it cannot stand the test of
truth and reason。 If M。 de Becourt's book be false in its facts；
disprove them； if false in its reasoning； refute it。 But； for God's
sake； let us freely hear both sides； if we choose。 I know little of
its contents； having barely glanced over here and there a passage；
and over the table of contents。 From this； the Newtonian philosophy
seemed the chief object of attack； the issue of which might be
trusted to the strength of the two combatants； Newton certainly not
needing the auxiliary arm of the government； and still less the holy
author of our religion； as to what in it concerns him。 I thought the
work would be very innocent； and one which might be confided to the
reason of any man； not likely to be much read if let alone； but； if
persecuted； it will be generally read。 Every man in the United
States will think it a duty to buy a copy； in vindication of his
right to buy； and to read what he pleases。 I have been just reading
the new constitution of Spain。 One of its fundamental basis is
expressed in these words： 〃The _Roman Catholic_ religion； the only
true one； is； and always shall be； that of the Spanish nation。 The
government protects it by wise and just laws； and prohibits the
exercise of any other whatever。〃 Now I wish this presented to those
who question what you may sell； or we may buy； with a request to
strike out the words； 〃Roman Catholic；〃 and to insert the
denomination of their own religion。 This would ascertain the code of
dogmas which each wishes should domineer over the opinions of all
others； and be taken； like the Spanish religion； under the
〃protection of wise and just laws。〃 It would shew to what they wish
to reduce the liberty for which one generation has sacrificed life
and happiness。 It would present our boasted freedom of religion as a
thing of theory only； and not of practice； as what would be a poor
exchange for the theoretic thraldom； but practical freedom of Europe。
But it is impossible that the laws of Pennsylvania； which set us the
first example of the wholesome and happy effects of religious
freedom； can permit the inquisitorial functions to be proposed to
their courts。 Under them you are surely safe。
At the date of yours of the 6th； you had not received mine of
the 3d inst。； asking a copy of an edition of Newton's Principia；
which I had seen advertised。 When the cost of that shall be known；
it shall be added to the balance of 4。93； and incorporated with a
larger remittance I have to make to Philadelphia。 Accept the
assurance of my great esteem and respect。
THE MORAL SENSE
_To Thomas Law_
_Poplar Forest； June 13； 1814_
DEAR SIR； The copy of your Second Thoughts on Instinctive
Impulses； with the letter accompanying it； was received just as I was
setting out on a journey to this place； two or three days' distant
from Monticello。 I brought it with me and read it with great
satisfaction； and with the more as it contained exactly my own creed
on the foundation of morality in man。 It is really curious that on a
quesion so fundamental； such a variety of opinions should have
prevailed among men； and those； too； of the most exemplary virtue and
first order of understanding。 It shows how necessary was the care of
the Creator in making the moral principle so much a part of our
constitution as that no errors of reasoning or of speculation might
lead us astray from its observance in practice。 Of all the theories
on this question； the most whimsical seems to have been that of
Wollaston； who considers _truth_ as the foundation of morality。 The
thief who steals your guinea does wrong only inasmuch as he acts a
lie in using your guinea as if it were his own。 Truth is certainly a
branch of morality； and a very important one to society。 But
presented as its foundation； it is as if a tree taken up by the
roots； had its stem reversed in the air； and one of its branches
planted in the ground。 Some have made the _love of God_ the
foundation of morality。 This； too； is but a branch of our moral
duties； which are generally divided into duties to God and duties to
man。 If we did a good act merely from the love of God and a belief
that it is pleasing to Him； whence arises the morality of the
Atheist？ It is idle to say； as some do； that no such being exists。
We have the same evidence of the fact as of most of those we act on；
to…wit： their own affirmations； and their reasonings in support of
them。 I have observed； indeed； generally； that while in protestant
countries the defections from the Platonic Christianity of the
priests is to Deism； in catholic countries they are to Atheism。
Diderot； D'Alembert； D'Holbach； Condorcet； are known to have been
among the most virtuous of men。 Their virtue； then； must have had
some other foundation than the love of God。
The ｛To chylon｝ of others is founded in a different faculty；
that of taste； which is not even a branch of morality。 We have
indeed an innate sense of what we call beautiful； but that is
exercised chiefly on subjects addressed to the fancy； whether through
the eye in visible forms； as landscape； animal