156). The understanding is supreme in
us, and 'depravity would have gained little ground in the world, if
every man had been in the exercise of his independent judgment' (i.
174). Reason (the Godwinian Reason) is sufficient to control or
even extinguish the strongest of all passions. Marriage having been
denounced as 'the most odious of all monopolies' (ii. 850), Godwin
is reminded that half a dozen men perhaps might feel for a woman
'the same preference that I do.' 'This,' says he, 'will create no
difficulty. We may all enjoy her conversation; and we shall be wise
enough to consider the sensual intercourse as a very trivial
object.' It was impossible not to acknowledge that the
understanding often finds the problem rather abstruse of deciding
whether an action will or will not secure ultimately the largest
balance of happiness. Calvin was no fool, and yet he deliberately
came to the conclusion that in burning Servetus he was promoting the
welfare of mankind; but 'Calvin was unacquainted with the principles
of justice, and therefore could not practise them.
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