482 D'ALEMBERT. 



fined to his published writings; and a few years only 

 elapsed after his decease, before the real state of his 

 religious 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 

 indignation 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, 

 who while giving vent to his strong feelings on religion, 

 has the candour to condemn the want of charity shown 

 towards D'Alembert on this subject, declaring that his infi- 

 delity 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 tendency, while his writings con- 

 tain many warm expressions in favour of Christianity and 

 its professors/' (Portrait de D'Alembert, (Euv. I. Ixvii.) 

 This testimony from a writer who cries out against the 

 ' Encyclopedic/ as "an arsenal of irreligiou," dispenses 

 with the necessity of adding proofs to show how fairly 

 and even kindly D'Alembert ever talked of Christianity 

 in public. But another and a more reverend authority 

 may be cited to the same effect. M. Coetloquest, Bishop 

 of Limoges, said that he had never seen him, but that he 

 had always heard that his morals were above reproach ; 

 and his Lordship added, " Quant & ses ouvrages je les 

 lis souvent, et je n'y trouve que beaucoup d'esprit, de 

 grandes lumieres, et une bonne morale. S'il ne pense pas 



