MORELLY. - A French political writer, about whom it is known only that he lived around the middle of the 18th century and resided in Vitry-le-François.
Various works of doubtful attribution are published under his name. Certainly by the same author are the two most well-known writings: *Naufrage des îles flottantes ou la Basiliade* (Messina [but Paris] 1753) and *Code de la Nature* (Amsterdam 1755). The latter explicitly states, "Partout chez le vrai sage," that the first work narrates, in poetic form, the happy life of an egalitarian society against which the prejudices (the *îles flottantes*) of men are shipwrecked. In the *Code*, attributed to Diderot and Toussaint, the communist ideal is taken up with scientific intent. Starting from the premise of man’s natural goodness, absolute equality—achieved by assigning all property to the State—is considered the only solution to prevent man from falling into evil. Education and religion, founded on nature, abandon all metaphysical inquiry or notion. A complex system of elections ensures government by the most expert and wisest individuals. This conception greatly influenced Babeuf and the egalitarians during the French Revolution.
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**MORENO Y DÍAZ, EZEQUIEL.** - Augustinian and missionary, born in Alfaro (High Castile) on April 9, 1848, died in Monteagudo (Spain) on August 19, 1906.
Missionary in the Philippines from 1870; from 1883 to 1888, he served as superior of the college in Monteagudo. Sent as provincial to Colombia, he was elected apostolic vicar of the mission of Casanare (founded by him) in 1893, and in 1895 became bishop of Pasto. Zealous and particularly devoted to the Sacred Heart, he exerted great influence in the defense of religion and the pacification of souls. His cause for beatification was introduced in 1925.
Among his numerous writings are cited: *Manual de instrucciones a los Indios ya civilizados* (Bogotá, n.d.); *O con Jesucristo o contra Jesucristo* (Pasto 1897, Lima 1898); *Dolores internas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús* (Pasto 1900, Bogotá 1902; Italian trans. Rome 1905); *Instrucciones al clero sobre la conducta con los liberales* (Pasto 1902, 1903, Barcelona 1903); *Cartas pastorales circulares y otros escritos* (Madrid 1908); *Cartas* (ibid. 1914).