It would be a curious thing to see a book that pointed out all of the corrupting ideas about the human spirit, society, morality that are developed or proposed in the most celebrated books, in the most consecrated authors; ideas that propagate religious superstition, bad political maxims, despotism, the vanity of rank, and popular prejudices of every kind. One would see that nearly all books are corruptors, and that the best do nearly as much harm as good.