Pe 4 | 
834] 
than on my admiration. Mr. De 
Crousaz, the adversary of Bayle. 
and Popé, is not distinguished by 
- lively fancy or profound refieétion ; 
and even in his owncountry, at the 
end of a few years, his name and 
writings are almost obliterated. 
But his philosophy had been form. 
éd in the school of Locke, his di- 
vinity in that of Limborch and Le 
Clerc ; in along and laborious life, 
several generations of pupils were 
taught to think, and even to write ; 
his lessons rescued the academy of 
Lausanne from Calvinistic preju- 
dice; and he had the rare merit of 
diffusing a more liberal spirit among 
the clergy and people of the Pays 
de Vaud. His system of logic, 
which in the last editions has swel- 
Iced to six tedious and prolix vo- 
kumes, may be praised as a clear 
and methodical abridgement of the 
art of reasoning, from our simple 
ideas to the most complex opera- 
tions of the human understanding. 
This system [I studied, and medi- 
tated, and abstraéted, till I have 
obtained. the free command of an 
universal instrument, which I soon 
resumed to exercise on my catho- 
ke opinions. Pavilliard was not 
unmindful that his first task, his 
most important duty, was toreclaim 
me from the errors of popery. 
‘Che intermixture of sects has rei- 
dered the Swiss clergy acute and 
learned on the topics of contro- 
versy : and] have some of his let- 
ers in which he celebrates the dex- 
terity of his attack, and my gradual 
concessions, 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 conversion: yet I must observe, 
that it was principally effected by 
my private reflections ; and I still 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
remember my solitary transport at 
the discovery of a philosophical ar= 
gument against the dottrine of 
transubstantiation ; that the text of 
scripture, which seems to inculcate 
the real presence, is attested only by 
a single sense—our sight ; while the 
real presence itself is disproved by 
three of our senses—the sight, the 
touch, and the taste. The various 
articles of the Romish ereed disap- 
peared like a dteam; and’ aftera 
full convi¢tion, on Christmas-day 
1754, I received the sacrament in 
the church of Levsanne, It was 
here that I suspended my religious 
inquiries, acguiescing with impli- 
cit belief in the tenets and myste- 
ries, which are adopted by the ge- 
neral consent of catholics and pro- 
testants. 
Such, from my afrival at Lau- 
sanne, during the first eighteen or 
twenty mooths { fuly 1753—-March 
175<), were my useful studies, the 
foundation of all my future ims 
provements. But every man who 
rises’ above the common level has 
received two educations: the first 
from his teachers ; the second; more 
personal and important, from him. 
self. He will nor, like the fana- 
tics of the last age, define the mo- 
thent of grace; but he cannot for. 
get the zra of his life, in which his 
mind has expanded to its proper 
form and dimensions. My worthy 
tutor had the good sense and mo- 
desty to discern how far he could 
be useful. As soonas he felt that I 
advanced beyond his speed and 
measure, he wisely left me to my 
genius; and the hours of lesson 
were soon lost in the voluntary la- 
bour of the whole morning, and 
sometimes of the whole day. The 
desire of prolonging my time, gra- 
dually confirmed the salutary i 
° 
