CHARACTERS. 
enabled me, in a more propitious 
season, to prosecute the study of 
Grecian literature. 
From a biind idea of the use- 
fulness of such abstract science, my 
father had been desirous, and even 
pressing, that I should devote some 
time to the mathematics ; nor could 
I refuse to comply with so reason- 
able'a-wish. During iwo winters 
I attended the private lectures of 
monsieur de. Traytorrens, who ex- 
plained the elements of algebra and 
geometry, as far as the conic sec. 
tions of the marquis de |’HOpital, 
and appeared satisfied with my di- 
ligence and improvement. But as 
my childish propensity for numbers 
and. calculatrons was totally ex. 
tinét, I was'content to receive the 
passive impression of my profes. 
sor’s lectures, withour any aGive 
exercise of my own powers. As 
soon as I understood the principles, 
I relinquished for ever the pursuit 
of.the mathematics; nor can I la- 
ment that I desisted, before my 
mind was hardened by the habit of 
rigid demonstration, so destructive 
of the finer feelings of moral evi- 
dence, which must, however, deter. 
mine the actions and opinions of our 
lives. JI listened with more piea- 
sure to the proposal of studying the 
law of nature and nations, which 
was taught in the academy of Lau- 
sunne by Mr. Vicat, a professor of 
some learning and reputation. Bur, 
instead of artevding his public or 
private course, I preferred in my 
closet the Jessens cf his masters, 
and my own reason. Without be- 
ing disgusted by Grotius or Puffen- 
dorf, I studied in their writings the 
duties of a man, the rights of a ci- 
tizen, the theory of justice (it is, 
alas! a theory), and the. laws 6f 
ace or war, which have had some 
Vor. XXXVIII. 
[337 
influence on the practice of modern 
Eorope. My fatigues were alle. 
viated by the good sense of their 
commentator Barbeyrac. Locke’s 
Treatise of Government instructed 
me in the knowledge of whig prine 
ciples, which are rather founded in 
reason than experience ; but my de» 
light was in the frequent perusal 
of Montesquieu, whose energy of 
style, and boldness of hypothesis, 
were powerful to awaken and sti« 
mulate the genius of the age. The 
logic of de Crousaz had prepared 
me to engage with his master Locke; 
and his antagonist Bayle; of whom 
the former may be used as a bridle, 
and the latter applied as a spur, to 
the curiosity of a young philoso-~ 
pher. Accordinz to the nature of 
their respective works, the schools 
of argument and objection, I cares 
fully went through the Essay on 
Human Understanding, and occa= 
sionally consulted the most inte. 
resting articles of the Philosophie 
Distionary. In the infancy of my 
reason I turned over, as an idle 
amusement, the most serious and im= 
portant treatise: inits maturity, the 
most trifling performance could not 
exercise my taste or judgment; and 
more than once I have been led by 
a novel into a deep and instru@tive 
train of thinking. But I cannot 
forbear to mention three particular 
books, since they may have reu 
motely contributed to form’ the 
historian of the Roman empire. 
i. From the Provincial Letters of 
Pascal, which almost every year L 
have perused with new pleasure, I 
learned to manage the weapon o 
grave and temperate irony, even on 
subjects of ecclesiastical solemnity. 
z. Lhe Life of Julian, by the Abbe 
de la Bleterie, first introduced me 
to the man and the times; and I 
Z should 
