he  was  insidious.  The  following  is  the  pl'an  of  his  tactics.  He  does
not  formally  deny  the  evidence  upon  which  is  based  the  structure  of
Christianity,  but  he  indirectly  includes  that  system  in  the  same  cate-
gory with  the  mythologies  of  paganism.  The  rapid  spread  of  Chris-
tianity he  explains  by  merely  secondary  causes ;  and  in  relating  the
disgraceful  corruptions,  persecutions,  and  superstitions  which  so  soon
supplanted  the  pure  morality  of  the  primitive  church,  he  leads  the
reader  to  consider  these  less  as  the  i-esults  of  human  crime,  folly,  and
ambition,  than  as  the  necessary  consequences  of  the  system  itself.  He
either  did  not  or  would  not  distinguish  between  the  farceque  and
quoique ;  and  represents  what  is  in  reality  an  abuse  as  an  inevitable
consequence.    Byron  well  described  him  as

"Sapping  a  solemn  creed  with  solemn  sneer.
