ty of fixing the former Title upon him, he would never have expreffed himself in the following Words; (y) We may indeed call him HEATHEN, but not fo justly APO-` STATE, fince being at different Times of his Youth transferred to different Schools or Univerfities, and bred under Tutors of each Religion, as well Heathen as Chriftian, he hap-' pened, when of full Age, to make his Choice, in the former Kind. As for Mr. Thomas. Gordon, I prefume the Character of a Deift is not quite fo dreadful to him as that of a fuperftitious Man, and he would be glad, I suppose, to make a Deift of an Emperor, whofe (2) many Virtues and Accomplishments raifed his Admiration fo high, as to fay, that 'tis pity fuch an amiable Character fhould have any Blots. Yet he must own, that Julian' was fuperftitious even to Weakness.

I have met with three different Lives of Julian. The first (a) was written by one Mr. Johnfon, Chaplain to my Lord Ruffel. Julian is there reprefented as entirely given up to the groffeft Superftitions (b). His Revolt from Chriftianity, fays Mr. Johnfon, proceeded from a Thirst of Empire, and from confulting his Heathen Gods about it. The

() Ibid. T. III. p. 89.

(x) Th. Gordon, Poli(a) See (6) Julian

tical Difc. upon Tacitus, Difc. VII. Sect. 12. Bayle Oeuvres diverfes, Fol. T. III. p. 630. the Apoftate, Lond. 1682, p. 5.

The Author of the fecond is Father La Baune (c), a Jefuit, who prefixed it to Mamertinus his Panegyrick of Julian. He confiders that Emperor not only as an Idolater from his Youth, but an exceffively fuperftitious one, vaná Deorum fuperftitione et Magicis artibus depravato ingenio. Another Jefuit, Father La Bletterie, published a Life of Julian a few Years ago, which is the more to be depended upon, as the Author intended (and for ought I know may have fince executed his Scheme) to give a new Edition of Julian's Works, and had, for a great while, made both that Prince's Writings, and every thing that hath the leaft Connection with them, his particular Study. Was I to take out of that Book all that relates to this Subject, I must transcribe it from beginning to end, for through the whole (d) Julian appears to be the steadiest Man in his Principles, and the most thoroughly convinced that ever was of all the Tenets of Heathenifh Theology; and in his Practice moft minutely fuperftitious.

To thefe Life- Writers may be joined Cave, in his Literary History of Ecclefiaftical Writers; James Godefreoi, who, among his many Juridical and Historical Tracts, VOL. III. PART I.

E

hath

(c) Panegyrici vet. ad ufum Delphini. de l'Emp. Julien. Amfterd. 1735.

(d) Vie

hath published a Difcourfe, intitled Julian, and Mr. Bonamy, who read before the Royal Academy of Infcriptions at Paris, a Differtation upon Julian's Genius, and his Paganifm (e). They tell us, that from his Youth Julian was entirely given up to Pa gan Superftitions; Gentilium fuperftitionibus impenfe et ex animo favebat, and extremely zealous in that Way; and that his Syftem about the Gods was the fame with that of the Philofophers *, who took them to be, either fome Attributes of the Supreme God, or good and evil Spirits employed by the firft Being in the Government of the World.

Now I come to the feveral Editors of Julian's Works, and here it is to be ob ferved that fome of them (of whom confequently there will be no need of taking any Notice hereafter) fay nothing of his Religion; thinking, I fuppofe, that Point to be too plain and too well known to stand in need of their Obfervation. But I cannot help taking Notice of the Silence of one of them upon that Particular. Cuneus excuses Julian in every thing, and makes him, in fpite of all that was ever faid against him,

not

(e) Guil. Cave Script. Ecclef. Hift. Litteraria. p. 199 Edit. Genev. 1693. Jacobi Gothofredi Orat Polit. tres Genev. 1634. Hift. de l'Acad. des infcript. et belles lettres, Edit. de Paris, 4to. Tom VII. p. ro4, 105.

If a Philofopher, no Pagan. Remark of the Journalist:

1

not a Hero only, but almoft a Saint of the firft Clafs. Yet he is mute upon the 'Point of Idolatry, which I take to be as much as giving it up. Theod. Marcilius obferves Ju lian's Superftition (f) in deploring his not being born of Heathen Parents. Pet. Mar tinius takes Notice of his (g) foolish Superfrition in offering Sacrifices. In facris vero faciendis inepte fuit fuperftitiofus. The learned Petau finds nothing which Julian valued himself so much upon, as his have ing (b) reftored Superftition, and takes it to be plain, that the Apoftate's most earnest Defire was to have the facred Rites of the Heathens eftablished every where FOR EVER Laftly, the illuftrious Baron Spanheim, who gave the best Edition of Julian's Works, takes him to have been an extravagantly fuperftitious Worshipper of Damons; he gives in his Preface, a full Account of Julian's idolatrous Principles, and, in his (i) Remarks upon the French Tranflation of the Cæfars, he gives fresh Proofs of that Prince's particular Devotion to the Sun and to Mer

cury.

E 2

I would

(f) Theod. Marc. Annot, in Hymnum Solis.
(g) Pet. Martin. præf. 'in Mifopog.

(b) Dion. Petav. Præf. ad Jul. Opera. Id illum unice fperaffe et vero ftuduiffe liquet ut

profanorum Sacrorum

et ubique diffufus, et fempiternus cultus exifteret.

(i) Remarq. 965-973, & preuves des Remarq.

I would have willingly faved myself the Trouble of collecting fo many modern Au: thorities, had not the Syftem under Confideration been brought in as being the Refult of all the Accounts we have of Julian, which feems to imply modern as well as antient Accounts. Now we muft examine whe ther the Author of that Syftem had better Luck in fearching antient Records, than the other learned Men, who fpoke of Julian fince the Revival of Learning."

*

At my first fetting out, I meet with a confiderable Obstruction. It is not (k) by all accounts we have of Julian, without Exception, that he was a Deist. We must abrad from the whole what the Fathers bad unjustly laid to his Charge; and how great a Length this general Imputation on the Fathers may be carried, is more than I can tell. Very likely they did all the Mifchief, and deceived the whole Nation of Criticks and modern Hiftorians. How then Afhall we be able to. diftinguish what they have justly, and what they have unjustly laid to Julian's Charge, after fo many great Men have been mifled? I fancy the fafeft Method for me is, to lay them quite afide. Therefore I fhall take no Notice of Gregory of Naziance, Bafilius, Chryfoftom, Cyril,

(See Literary Journal, ubi fupra.

Austin,