Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/412

26«" THE INQUISITION. I. PART and two hundred foot in his progresses through the kingdom. ^^ This man's zeal was of such an extravagant character, that it may almost shelter itself under the name of insanity. His history may be thought to prove, that, of all human infirmities, or rather vices, there is none productive of more extensive mischief to society than fanaticism. The opposite principle of atheism, which refuses to recognise the most important sanctions to virtue, does not neces- sarily imply any destitution of just moral percep- tions, that is, of a power of discriminating between right and wrong, in its disciples. Dut fanaticism is so far subversive of the most established princi- ples of morality, that, under the dangerous maxim, " For the advancement of the faith, all means are lawful," which Tasso has rightly, though perhaps undesignedly derived from the spirits of hell, ^° it 59 Nic. Antonio, Bibliotheca Ve- 60 " Per la fe — il tutto lice. tus, torn. ii. p. 340. — Llorente, Gerusalemme Liberata, cant. 4, Hist, de rinquisition. torn. i. chap, stanza 26. 8, art. 6. Morciue's Don Juan Antonio Llorente is functionaries, as have at different the'imiiiisu ^^® °"^y writer who has succeeded times pretended to give its trans- tioii. in completely lifting the veil from actions to the world, have confin- the dread mysteries of the Inquisi- ed themselves to an historical out- lion. It is obvious how very few line, witii meagre notices of such could be competent to this task, parts of its internal discipline as since the proceedings of the Holy might be safely disclosed to the Office were shrouded in such im- public. penetrable secrecy, that even the Llorente was secretary to the prisoners who were arraigned be- tribunal of Madrid from 1790 to fore it, as has been already stated, 1792. His otlicial station conse- wero kept in ignorance of their quently afforded him every facili- own processes. Even such of its ty for an acquaintance with the