"Defoe says that there were a hundred thousand country fellows in his time ready to fight to the death against popery, without knowing whether popery was a man or a horse"

This quote by William Hazlitt is describing the English author Daniel Defoe's work, which recommends that in his time there were a hundred thousand people who were willing to fight to the death versus something they did not understand. This quote is a commentary on the power of spiritual fervor and the desire of individuals to eliminate for a cause without completely comprehending it. It is a criticism of the lack of knowledge of individuals and their determination to blindly follow a cause without questioning it. It also speaks to the power of religious rhetoric and how it can be utilized to manipulate people into taking action. The quote is a pointer of the value of understanding the causes we defend and the effects of blindly following a cause without understanding it. It is a warning to be knowledgeable about the power of rhetoric and to be conscious of the causes we pick to support.