SUPERSTITION IN ALL AGES: A DYING CONFESSION
BY JEAN MESLIER
A Roman Catholic Priest, who at his death left as his “Last Will and Testament” this now famous manuscript as contained herein, entitled COMMON SENSE
This atheistic book was a work of by Baron d'Holbach's as but it was written under the name of Jean Meslier. It was originally published in French in 1772. Due to the severe restrictions on the press in the 18th century, d'Holbach published most of his work under the names of famous dead people. This book also includes a thirty-nine page abstract of the testament of John Meslier written by Voltaire.
WHEN we wish to examine in a cool, calm way the opinions of men, we are very much surprised to find that in those which we consider the most essential, nothing is more rare than to find them using common sense; that is to say, the portion of judgment sufficient to know the most simple truths, to reject the most striking absurdities, and to be shocked by palpable contradictions. We have an example of this in Theology, a science revered in all times, in all countries, by the greatest number of mortals; an object considered the most
