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Literary
July 2, 1822
The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
In this memoir excerpt, Abbe Galiani responds to atheists Diderot and Roux by promising a counterargument. He uses a gambling analogy: just as repeated lucky dice rolls suggest cheating, the universe's orderly complexity implies an intelligent designer, not chance.
Merged-components note: Continuation of the piece from Memoirs de l'Abbe Morellet on the folly of atheism.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
FROM MEMOIRS DE L'ABBE MORELLET.
ON THE FOLLY OF ATHEISM.
One evening when Diderot and Roux had outvie each other in talking Atheism, and had said things to call down a thousand thunder-bolts on their heads, if thunderbolts fell on such occasions, the Abbe Galiani, who had listened patiently to this dissertation, said—" Gentlemen, gentlemen, allow me to say that if I were the Pope, I would clap you both up in the Inquisition; or, if I were King of France, in the Bastile; but having the happiness to be neither, I have only to promise to meet you here next Thursday, and I hope you will hear my answer as patiently as I have heard you."
"Very well," they all exclaimed, and particularly our Atheists, "on Thursday!"
Thursday came, and after dinner and coffee, the Abbe gathered himself up into an arm-chair, cross-legged, like a tailor; and, as the weather was hot, holding his wig in his left hand, and gesticulating with his right, he proceeded as follows;—
"Let me suppose that one of you, gentlemen, who believe that this world is the production of chance, were to go to a gambling table, and your adversary were to throw six-ace, once, twice, thrice, four, five, six times running, our friend Diderot would lose his money, and think the devil was in the dice. Very well, the game proceeds, and your adversary still goes on throwing the main of seven, and without variation or interruption wins every stake. Diderot will now lose his temper as well as his money; he will now swear that the dice are loaded, that the adversary is a blackleg, and that the house is a hell! Ah, Mr. Philosopher! because the same side of the two dice came uppermost for ten or a dozen times, and you lose a few shillings, you firmly believe that it is caused by trick, an art, a combination, in short by a master swindler, and his subservient tools; and yet seeing in the universe around you millions of combinations, more regular, more difficult, more complicated, and all certain—all useful—all beautiful—you never suspect that the dice of nature are loaded, that there is indeed an art, a combination, and Master Intelligencer above, who regulates the great play by his subservient tools, and confounds the reason and the skill of such short-sighted creatures as you."
ON THE FOLLY OF ATHEISM.
One evening when Diderot and Roux had outvie each other in talking Atheism, and had said things to call down a thousand thunder-bolts on their heads, if thunderbolts fell on such occasions, the Abbe Galiani, who had listened patiently to this dissertation, said—" Gentlemen, gentlemen, allow me to say that if I were the Pope, I would clap you both up in the Inquisition; or, if I were King of France, in the Bastile; but having the happiness to be neither, I have only to promise to meet you here next Thursday, and I hope you will hear my answer as patiently as I have heard you."
"Very well," they all exclaimed, and particularly our Atheists, "on Thursday!"
Thursday came, and after dinner and coffee, the Abbe gathered himself up into an arm-chair, cross-legged, like a tailor; and, as the weather was hot, holding his wig in his left hand, and gesticulating with his right, he proceeded as follows;—
"Let me suppose that one of you, gentlemen, who believe that this world is the production of chance, were to go to a gambling table, and your adversary were to throw six-ace, once, twice, thrice, four, five, six times running, our friend Diderot would lose his money, and think the devil was in the dice. Very well, the game proceeds, and your adversary still goes on throwing the main of seven, and without variation or interruption wins every stake. Diderot will now lose his temper as well as his money; he will now swear that the dice are loaded, that the adversary is a blackleg, and that the house is a hell! Ah, Mr. Philosopher! because the same side of the two dice came uppermost for ten or a dozen times, and you lose a few shillings, you firmly believe that it is caused by trick, an art, a combination, in short by a master swindler, and his subservient tools; and yet seeing in the universe around you millions of combinations, more regular, more difficult, more complicated, and all certain—all useful—all beautiful—you never suspect that the dice of nature are loaded, that there is indeed an art, a combination, and Master Intelligencer above, who regulates the great play by his subservient tools, and confounds the reason and the skill of such short-sighted creatures as you."
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
Dialogue
What themes does it cover?
Religious
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Atheism
Folly
Dice Analogy
Providence
Intelligent Design
What entities or persons were involved?
From Memoirs De L'abbe Morellet.
Literary Details
Title
On The Folly Of Atheism.
Author
From Memoirs De L'abbe Morellet.
Subject
Argument Against Atheism
Form / Style
Narrative Anecdote With Dialogue And Analogy
Key Lines
" Gentlemen, Gentlemen, Allow Me To Say That If I Were The Pope, I Would Clap You Both Up In The Inquisition; Or, If I Were King Of France, In The Bastile; But Having The Happiness To Be Neither, I Have Only To Promise To Meet You Here Next Thursday, And I Hope You Will Hear My Answer As Patiently As I Have Heard You."
"Let Me Suppose That One Of You, Gentlemen, Who Believe That This World Is The Production Of Chance, Were To Go To A Gambling Table, And Your Adversary Were To Throw Six Ace, Once, Twice, Thrice, Four, Five, Six Times Running..."
"Ah, Mr. Philosopher! Because The Same Side Of The Two Dice Came Uppermost For Ten Or A Dozen Times... You Firmly Believe That It Is Caused By Trick... And Yet Seeing In The Universe Around You Millions Of Combinations... You Never Suspect That The Dice Of Nature Are Loaded..."