blood of Chrift, which infenfibly fwelled into the prodigy of tranfubftantiation. In thefe difpofitions, and already more than half a convert, I formed an unlucky Intimacy with a young gentleman of our college, whofe name I fhall fpare. With a character lefs refolute, Mr. had imbibed the fame religious opinions; and fome Popish books, I know not through what-channel, were conveyed into his poffeffion. I read-I applauded-I believed the English tranflation of two famous works of Boffuet, Bishop of Meaux-the Expofition of the Catholic Doctrine-and the Hiftory of the Proteftant Variations, atchieved my converfion; and I furely fell by a noble hand."

Mr. Gibbon, after this his converfion to Popery, got himfelf introduced to a prieft in London-and "at his feet, on the 8th of June, 1753, he folemnly, though privately, abjured the errors of herety." The next ftep taken by this new convert, was to inform his father of the event-who, furprized and grieved, divulged the fecret-and the gates of Magdalen College were shut against his return.—Mr. Gibbon then proceeds in his Memoirs, to exculpate himfelf from the charge of inconftancy in thus abandoning the religion of his country. This exculpation is founded on the examples of CHILLINGWORTH and BAYLE-for they were, at one period of their lives, converts to Popery. So far as relates to this circumftance, Mr. Gibbon was right-but when he adds, that "they emerged from fuperftition to fcepticism," it is not true: for however fceptical Bayle was, there is no proof of fuch a charge against Chillingworth-he indeed, to the laft moment of his life, was a firm believer in the truth of the Chriftian religion.

Mr. Gibbon's father became now greatly puzzled how to difpofe of his fon, who had thus fo fuddenly eftranged himself from the religion of his forefathers. After much debate it was determined, that he fhould be fixed for fome years at Laufanne, in Switzerland.

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"Mr.

"Mr. Frey (fays Mr. Gibbon) a Swiss gentleman of Bafil, undertook the conduct of the journey: we left London the 19th of June, croffed the fea from Dover to Calais, and arrived the 30th of June at Laulanne, where 1 was immediately fettled under the roof and tuition of Mr. Pauilliard, a Calvinift Minifter."

We are ftruck with the diffimilarity of Mr. Gibbon's fituation at Oxford and at Laufanne. He himfelf has defcribed it with minutenefs-for he fays, “I had now exchanged my elegant apartment in Magdalen College for a narrow, gloomy street, the most unfrequented of an unhandfome town, for an old inconnenient houfe, and for a small chamber, ill contrived and il furnished; which, on the approach of winter, instead of a companionable fire, must be warmed by the dull invifible heat of a ftove. From a man I was again degraded to the dependance of a school-boy. Mr. Pauilliard managed my expences, which had been reduced to a diminutive ftate: I received a small monthly allowance for my pocket-money; and helpless and awkward as I have ever been, I no longer enjoyed the indifpenfible comfort of a fervant. My condition feemed as deftitute of hope as it was devoid of pleasure; I was feparated for an indefinite which appeared an infinite term from my native country; and I had loft all connection with my Catholic friends. Such was my first introduction to Lausanne, a place where I spent nearly five years with pleasure and profit, which I'afterwards revifited without compulfion, and which I have finally felected as the most grateful retreat for the decline of my life."

Mr. Gibbon, however, affures us, that his profpect at Laufanne, after this unpleasant introduction to it, was foon brightened. He became familiar with the language of the country, and was made acquainted with the politer circles of fociety. His tutor alfo regarded him with a more favourable eye, and he was allowed a greater latitude of expence and action. A portion of

his morning hours was confecrated to a plan of modern hiftory and geography, and to the critical perufal of the French and Latin claffics. From Mr. De Croufaz's Logic, the adverfary of Boyle and Pope, he derived particular improvement. "This fyftem," (fays Mr. Gibbon)" I ftudied and meditated, and abftracted, till I have obtained the free command of an univerfal inftrument, which I foon prefumed to exercife on my Catholic opinions. Pauilliard was not unmindful that his first task, his most important duty, was to reclaim me from the errors of Popery. The intermixture of fects has rendered the Swifs clergy acute and learned on the topics of controverfy; and I have fome of his letters in which he celebrates the dexterity of his attack, and my gradual conceffions, after a firm and well-managed defence. I was willing, and am now willing to allow him a handsome share of the honour of my converfion. Yet I muft obferve, that it was principally effected by my private reflections; and I ftill remember my folitary tranfport at the difcovery of a philofophical argument against the doctrine of tranfubftantiation-that the text of fcripture which feems to inculcate the real prefence is attefted only by a fingle fenfe, our fight; while the real prefence itself is difproved by three of our fenfesthe fight, the touch, and the tafte. The various articles of the Romish creed difappeared like a dream ; and after a full conviction, on Christmas-day, 1754, I received the facrament in the church of Laufanne.

It

was here I fufpended my religious enquiries, acquiefcing with implicit belief in the tenets and myfteries which are adapted by the general confent of Catholics

and Proteftants."

Thus was accomplished this great man's converfion from Popery back again to Proteftantifm. It is curious to obferve the operations of his mind. We however regret, that he having, by the fuperior energy of his intellect, thrown off the cumberous load of fuperftition, fhould have fufpended his religious enquiries, and have acquicfced,

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acquiefced, with implicit belief, in any tenets and myfteries whatever. To this caufe, it is highly probable, we are in a measure to afcribe his fubfequent fcepticifm.

Mr. Gibbon adds-" Such, from my arrival at Laufanne, during the first eighteen or twenty months (July, 1753-March, 1755) were my useful ftudies, the foundation of all my future improvements. But every man who rifes above the common level, has received two educations-the first from his teacher-the second, more perfonal and important, from himself. He will not, like the fanatics of the laft age, define the moments of grace; but he cannot forget the era of his life in which his mind has expanded to its proper form and dimenfions. My worthy tutor had the good fenfe and modefty to difcern how far he could be useful as foon as he felt that I advanced beyond his fpeed and measure, he wifely left me to my genius, and the hours of leffon were foon loft in the voluntary labour of the whole morning, and fometimes of the whole day. The defire of prolonging my time gradually confirmed the falutary habit of early rifing, to which I have always adhered, with fome regard to feafons and fituations; but it is happy for my eyes and my health, that my temperate ardour has never been feduced to trefpafs on the hours of the night."

:

This paragraph is replete with inftruction. Every ftudent thould attend religionfly to thefe remarks. Inceffant labour conftitutes the man of knowledge. Early rifing is one of the best modes of fecuring the treafures of literature. But, alas how many individuals of the moft refplendent genius and talents, have fallen untimely victims to the midnight lamp.

"During the last three years (continues Mr. Gibbon) of my refidence at Laufanne, I may affume the merit of ferious and folid application; but I am tempted to diftinguish the last eight months of the year 1755, as the period of the most extraordinary diligence and rapid progrefs."

progrefs."-Mr. Gibbon then proceeds to mention the particular mode by which he became mafter both of the ftyle and fentiments of the feveral authors which he perufed." In my French and Latin translations, I adopted an excellent method, which, from my own fuccefs, I would recommend to the imitation of students. I chose some claffic writers, such as Cicero and Vertot, the most approved for purity and elegance of ftyle. I tranflated, for inftance, an Epistle of Cicero into French, and, after throwing it afide till the words and phrases were obliterated from my memory, I re-tranflated my French into fuch Latin as I could find, and then compared each fentence of my imperfect verfion with the eafe, the grace, the propriety of the Roman orator."Mr. Gibbon then informs us, that he read, with great diligence and attention, the Roman claffics; and on Cicero, who appears to have been a favourite author with him, he bestows the warmeft commendations.--“After finishing (says he) this great author—a library of eloquence and reafon, I formed a more extenfive plan of reviewing the Latin claffics, under the four divifions of-1, Hiftorians. 2. Poets. 3. Orators; and, 4. Philofophers, in a chronological feries, from the days of Plautus and Salluft, to the decline of the language and empire of Rome; and this plan, in the last twentyfeven months of my refidence at Laufanne (January, 1756-April, 1758) I nearly accomplished. Nor was this review, however rapid, either hafty or fuperficial. I indulged myfelf in a fecond and even a third perufal of Terence, Virgil, Horace, Tacitus, &c. and ftudied to imbibe the fenfe and spirit moft congenial to my own. I never fuffered a difficult or corrupt paffage to escape till I had viewed it in every light of which it was fufceptible: though often disappointed, I always confulted the most learned or ingenious commentators, Torrentius and Dacier on Horace, Catrou and Servius on Virgil, Lipfius on Tacitus, Meziriac on Ovid, &c. and,