to the goddess of Reason, they were in search of a divinity to replace
the one they had just destroyed.

"If it were proposed to me to build temples which would synthesize my
devotion with certain sentiments, my desire would be that those dedicated
to the Will and to Reason should dominate all others, for then they would
be under the protection of powers for good."

In a few pages further on he insists again and again upon the necessity
of developing the worship of reason.

"Reasoning," he continues, "is a divinity, around which gravitate a whole
world of gods, important but inferior to it.

"Among this people of these idols, so justly revered, there is one god
which occupies a place apart from the others.

"This god is Common Sense, which gave birth to Reason, and has always
been its faithful companion.

"It is, in reality, the controlling force exercising its power to guard
reason against the predominating character and nefarious tendencies
created by self-interest.

"Common sense compels reason to admit principles whose justice it has
already recognized, and, at the same time, incites reason to reject those
whose absurdity it has demonstrated.

"Common sense allies itself with reason, in order to make that selection
of ideas which personal interest can either set aside entirely or modify