CHAPTERIII
NecessityofReligion—TheGreatIndianOne—Image—worship—Shakespeare—ThePatAnswer—Krishna—Amen。
HAVINGtoldthemaninblackthatIshouldliketoknowallthetruthwithregardtothePopeandhissystem，heassuredmeheshouldbedelightedtogivemealltheinformationinhispower；thathehadcometothedingle，notsomuchforthesakeofthegoodcheerwhichIwasinthehabitofgivinghim，asinthehopeofinducingmetoenlistunderthebannersofRome，andtofightinhercause；andthathehadnodoubtthat，byspeakingoutfranklytome，heranthebestchanceofwinningmeover。
Hethenproceededtotellmethattheexperienceofcountlessageshadprovedthenecessityofreligion；thenecessity，hewouldadmit，wasonlyforsimpletons；butasnine—tenthsofthedwellersuponthisearthweresimpletons，itwouldneverdoforsensiblepeopletoruncountertotheirfolly，but，onthecontrary，itwastheirwisestcoursetoencouragetheminit，alwaysprovidedthat，bysodoing，sensiblepeoplewouldderiveadvantage；thatthetrulysensiblepeopleofthisworldwerethepriests，who，withoutcaringastrawforreligionforitsownsake，madeuseofitasacordbywhichtodrawthesimpletonsafterthem；thatthereweremanyreligionsinthisworld，allofwhichhadbeenturnedtoexcellentaccountbythepriesthood；butthattheonethebestadaptedforthepurposesofpriestcraftwasthepopish，which，hesaid，wastheoldestintheworldandthebestcalculatedtoendure。Onmyinquiringwhathemeantbysayingthepopishreligionwastheoldestintheworld，whereastherecouldbenodoubtthattheGreekandRomanreligionhadexistedlongbeforeit，tosaynothingoftheoldIndianreligionstillinexistenceandvigour；hesaid，withanod，aftertakingasipathisglass，that，betweenmeandhim，thepopishreligion，thatofGreeceandRome，andtheoldIndiansystemwere，inreality，oneandthesame。
\"Youtoldmethatyouintendedtobefrank，\"saidI；\"but，howeverfrankyoumaybe，Ithinkyouareratherwild。\"