26227 — Paris, Librairie Philosophique de Ladrange, 1859. (4), 200 pp. Small 8vo. Contemporary half hard-grained morocco, marbled boards, spine with gilt compartments and gilt lettering. Stammhammer ii, p. 338 (giving as title "Théologie de la religion" and as date 1850); for the author, see DBMOF, iii, p. 502 and Dictionnaire des Parlementaires Français, ii, p. 513. First and only edition and very scarce. "Si vous avez la foi, vous n'aviez pas besoin d'ouvrir ce livre, et vous pouvez le re-fermer. Mais si vous n'avez plus la foi, ce livre est fait pour vous" (If you have faith, you have no need to open this book and you can close it again. But if you no longer have the faith than this book is made for you). Interesting essay dealing with natural religion: the rejection of traditional religion which is based on beliefs in the supernatural. This does not necessarily carry with it a rejection of religion as such, however. Many naturalists envisage a substitute for traditional religion which will perform the typical functions of religion without making any claims beyond the natural world. Vidal here seems to try to establish an argument for a natural religion which will guide man through life based on knowledge: first he gives the ways by which we can acquire (natural) knowledge: conscience, reason, senses, history and tradition, induction, etc. He then proceeds to treat various aspects of "doctrine": providence, liberty of man, our penchant for evil, grace, the future of man, followed by moral obligations ("devoirs") dealing with family, politics, social life, religious education, property, commerce, wealth and the existence of poor and rich, etc. etc. Interesting work by an author who marks the transition from utopian socialism of Saint Simon and Fourier to collectivist socialism in his earlier published works such as De la répartition des richesses (1846), a book which is even interesting at the present day according to Palgrave. - Pages 161/2 bound after 163/4.
