His main book is L'Homme Machine, with the long subtitle "wherein the several systems of philosophers, in respect to the soul of man, are examin'd, the different states of the soul are shewn to be co-relative to those of the body, the diversity between men and other animals, is proved to arise from the different quantity and quality of brains, the law of nature is explained, as relative to the whole animal creation, the immateriality of an inward principle is by experiments and observations exploded, and a full detail is given of the several springs which move the human machine." Published 1747, English translation, 1749.

"Matter contains nothing base, except to the vulgar eyes which do not recognize her in her most splendid works; and nature is no stupid workman.  She creates millions of men, with a facility and a pleasure more intense than the effort of a watchmaker in making the most complicated watch. Her  power shines forth equally in creating the lowliest insect and in creating the most highly developed man."

"Break the chain of your prejudices, arm yourselves with the torch of experience, and you will render nature the honor she deserves, instead of  inferring anything to her disadvantage, from the ignorance in which she has left you."

"What more do we know of our destiny than of our origin? Let us then submit to an invincible ignorance on which our happiness depends. He who so thinks will be wise, just, tranquil about his fate, and therefore happy. He will await death without either fear or desire, and will cherish life (hardly understanding how disgust can corrupt a heart in this place of many delights); he will be filled with reverence, gratitude, affection, and tenderness for nature, in proportion to his feeling of the benefits he has received from nature; he will be happy, in short, in feeling nature, and in being present at the enchanting spectacle of the universe, and we will surely never destroy nature either in himself or in others."

[Some of the above quotes are taken from the web page:  http://members.aol.com/pantheism0/atheists.htm]

This site opened:  December 22, 1999.  Last Update: February 4, 2000