462 D'ALEMBERT. 



sinois n'est pas si vain de sa lettre de la Madonne que 

 je le suis de la votre." (CEuv., XIV., 399.) Such is 

 the style of one who himself stood at the very head of 

 the most witty and agreeable society of the times ; and 

 was more run after than any one of its members. And 

 it may safely be affirmed that no man in any circle of 

 Europe, would in those days (1773) have received a 

 letter from D'Alembert with different emotions.* 



The neutrality which he had always during his life 

 maintained upon sacred subjects, was unfortunately con- 

 fined to his published writings; and a few years only 

 elapsed after his decease, before the real state of his re- 

 ligious opinions became well known by the publication 

 of Voltaire's correspondence and Frederick II.'s The 

 fame which his reputation had hitherto enjoyed, caused 

 a great and general reaction among the zealous friends 

 of the Church, a reaction proportioned to the tolerance 

 previously exercised towards him, while men were in 

 the dark respecting his opinions. Nevertheless nothing 

 could be more unjust or unreflecting than the indigna- 

 tion which thus broke forth. He had studiously 

 avoided all offence, whatever opportunity he might have 

 had of giving it. A very pious and even zealous 

 writer, while giving vent to his strong feelings on re- 

 ligion, has the candour to condemn the want of charity 

 shown towards D'Alembert on this subject, declaring 

 that his infidelity was only " a fault God-ward, and 

 which men had no right to visit with censure, because 



he never published one phrase of an irreligious ten- 



1-1 i 



dency, while nis writings contain many warm expres- 

 sions in favour of Christianity and its professors." 

 (Portrait de D'Alembert, CEuv. I. Ixvii.) This testi- 



* This letter is one of the most charming for its light gay wit, that is 

 any where to be found ; nothing can give a higher idea of the Abbe's 

 powers. The profound sense of it is on a par with the wit. Thus: "La 

 crainte et 1'avidite sont et seront toujours les causes de la cruaute :" which 

 he proceeds to illustrate by a most picturesque allusion to the conduct of 

 the most cruel of men the Spaniards in America. 



