284 GIBBON. 



Romanism, he, after a short interval of hesitation, em- 

 braced the principles, and bowed to the authority of an 

 infallible church. He became reconciled to Rome, could 

 not again return to the orthodox, but Protestant shades of 

 Magdalen, and was sent to Lausanne by his father ; after 

 an ill-judged attempt to reclaim him, by placing him 

 under the superintendence of Mallet, the poet, who with 

 his wife had thrown off all Christianity, perhaps even all 

 religion whatever. 



In contemplating the account given both by Smith 

 and Gibbon, of the great University, in which both re- 

 sided without being instructed, the friend of education 

 feels it gratifying to reflect that the picture which both 

 have left, and the latter especially, finds no resemblance 

 in the Alma Mater of the Hollands, the Cannings, the Car- 

 lisles, the Wards, the Peels. The shades of Oxford under 

 the Jacksons, the Wetherells, the Coplestones, (friendly, 

 learned, honoured name, which I delight to bring into 

 contrast with the neglectful tutors of Gibbon,) bears no 

 more resemblance to that illustrious seat of learning 

 in his time, than the Cambridge of the Aireys, the Her- 

 schells, the Whewells, the Peacocks, the Gaskins, offers 

 to the Cambridge in which Playfair might afterwards, 

 with justice, lament, that the Mecanique Celeste could no 

 longer find readers in the haunts where Newton had 

 once taught, and where his name only was since known. 



At Lausanne Gibbon was placed under the care of 

 M. Pavilliard, a pious and well-informed Calvinist minister, 

 who, by gentle and rational discipline, brought him back 

 to the Protestant faith, of which he testified his deli- 

 berate approval by receiving the Sacrament, Christmas, 

 1754. M. Pavilliard also successfully guided his studies 



