This book concerns the dangers of religious fanaticism and the importance of reason and moderation in matters of faith. Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury, a prominent English philosopher and politician, argues against the excesses of enthusiasm and the harm it can cause to individuals and society. Jonathan Swift and Robert Hunter contribute prefaces that provide additional insights into the topic at hand. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.