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PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.

Such a method would certainly simplify the case very materially, and enable us in future to dispense entirely with the study of history.* We would only have to consult the four gospels, read carefully the texts of scripture, take assertions for facts, and repeat that stereotyped formula from generation to generation. Criticism would be unnecessary, investigation would cease, and uniformity of belief, one of the signs of the coming millennium, would necessarily be established.

The appearance of the first volume of the Decline and Fall, produced, says Gibbon, "a fruitful crop of Answers, “Apologies, Remarks, Examinations, &c," the more prominent of which are as follows:

Mr. Davies, Bachelor of Arts and Fellow of Baliol College in the University of Oxford, published An Examination of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Richard Watson, D. D., F. R. S., Lord Bishop of Landaff and Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge, published An Apology for Christianity. Dr. Priestley wrote A Letter to a Philosophical Unbeliever, with Observations on Mr. Gibbon's two First Volumes. Dr. White, assisted by Dr. S. Badcock, drew A Comparison Between Christianity and Mahometanism, in which they endeavored to controvert Gibbon. Dr. J. Chelsum, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester, published Remarks on the two Last Chapters of the First Volume of Mr. Gibbon's History. Mr. East Apthorpe, Rector of St. Mary-le-Bow, London, published Letters on the Prevalence of Christianity, before its Civil Establishment, with Observations on Mr. Gibbon's History. Mr. Travis, Prebendary of Chester and Vicar of Eastham, published Letters to Edward Gibbon, Esq. The Rev. H. Kett preached eight sermons called the Bampton Lectures. Dr. Whitaker wrote and published under the name of an

"I will destroy your library," said the Mahometan soldier to the scholar, for if your books agree with the Koran, they are unnecessary and superfluous, and if they disagree with that sacred revelation, they are necessarily wicked and should be destroyed."

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.

XI

Anonymous Gentleman." Works also appeared by Sir David Dalrymple, a Lord of Session; Mr. Joseph Milner, a Methodist; Mr. Taylor, an Arian, author of Thoughts on the Causes of the Grand Apostacy; Mr. J. Beattie; and others of less note. In Hamburg, M. Walterstern, a German theologian, wrote and published a work against Gibbon, entitled The Propagation of Christianity by Natural Causes.* In Helmstadt, M. Luderwald wrote a book on the same subject with a similar title, The Propagation of the Christian Religion.t A translation of Gibbon's History into German was undertaken by F. A. G. Wenck, Professor of Jurisprudence at Leipzig, in 1779. He completed the first volume only, and the work was finished by M. Schreiter, a Professor at Leipzig. M. Wenck announced his intention of publishing a separate dissertation on the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, in order to examine Gibbon's view of the propagation of Christianity, but he died before completing the task. A translation was also made into the Italian language.

In answer to these writers Gibbon published A Vindication of Some Passages in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Of the merits of this reply the reader will judge. It is almost universally conceded that Gibbon obtained an easy victory; and it is certain that he never changed, either in his Vindication or in his later writings, the views first promulgated in his History. The editor of Bohn's edition of Gibbon-the "distinguished Churchman"-says "It was "little glory to Gibbon to gain any victory over unskillful "antagonists." This can scarcely be considered as complimentary to the many Christian writers who felt constrained to enter the controversy. "Theologians," says M. Guizot,

*Die Ausbreitung des Christenthums aus natürlichen Ursachen, von W. S. Walterstern. 8vo. Hamburg, 1788.

+ Die Ausbreitung des Christlichen Religion, von J. B. Luderwald. 8vo. Helmstadt, 1788.

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PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.

Such a method would certainly simplify the case very materially, and enable us in future to dispense entirely with the study of history.* We would only have to consult the four gospels, read carefully the texts of scripture, take assertions for facts, and repeat that stereotyped formula from generation to generation. Criticism would be unnecessary, investigation would cease, and uniformity of belief, one of the signs of the coming millennium, would necessarily be established.

The appearance of the first volume of the Decline and Fall, produced, says Gibbon, “a fruitful crop of Answers, "Apologies, Remarks, Examinations, &c," the more prominent of which are as follows:

Mr. Davies, Bachelor of Arts and Fellow of Baliol College in the University of Oxford, published An Examination of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Richard Watson, D. D., F. R. S., Lord Bishop of Landaff and Regius. Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge, published An Apology for Christianity. Dr. Priestley wrote A Letter to a Philosophical Unbeliever, with Observations on Mr. Gibbon's two First Volumes. Dr. White, assisted by Dr. S. Badcock, drew A Comparison Between Christianity and Mahometanism, in which they endeavored to controvert Gibbon. Dr. J. Chelsum, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester, published Remarks on the two Last Chapters of the First Volume of Mr. Gibbon's History. Mr. East Apthorpe, Rector of St. Mary-le-Bow, London, published Letters on the Prevalence of Christianity, before its Civil Establishment, with Observations on Mr. Gibbon's History. Mr. Travis, Prebendary of Chester and Vicar of Eastham, published Letters to Edward Gibbon, Esq. The Rev. H. Kett preached eight sermons called the Bampton Lectures. Dr. Whitaker wrote and published under the name of an

*"I will destroy your library," said the Mahometan soldier to the scholar, "for if your books agree with the Koran, they are unnecessary and superfluous, and if they disagree with that sacred revelation, they are necessarily wicked and should be destroyed."

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.

ΧΙ

"Anonymous Gentleman." Works also appeared by Sir David Dalrymple, a Lord of Session; Mr. Joseph Milner, a Methodist; Mr. Taylor, an Arian, author of Thoughts on the Causes of the Grand Apostacy; Mr. J. Beattie; and others of less note. In Hamburg, M. Walterstern, a German theologian, wrote and published a work against Gibbon, entitled The Propagation of Christianity by Natural Causes.* In Helmstadt, M. Luderwald wrote a book on the same subject with a similar title, The Propagation of the Christian Religion.† A translation of Gibbon's History into German was undertaken by F. A. G. Wenck, Professor of Jurisprudence at Leipzig, in 1779. He completed the first volume only, and the work was finished by M. Schreiter, a Professor at Leipzig. M. Wenck announced his intention of publishing a separate dissertation on the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, in order to examine Gibbon's view of the propagation of Christianity, but he died before completing the task. A translation was also made into the Italian language.

In answer to these writers Gibbon published A Vindication of Some Passages in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Of the merits of this reply the reader will judge. It is almost universally conceded that Gibbon obtained an easy victory; and it is certain that he never changed, either in his Vindication or in his later writings, the views first promulgated in his History. The editor of Bohn's edition of Gibbon-the "distinguished Churchman"-says “It was "little glory to Gibbon to gain any victory over unskillful antagonists." This can scarcely be considered as complimentary to the many Christian writers who felt constrained to enter the controversy. "Theologians," says M. Guizot,

Die Ausbreitung des Christenthums aus natürlichen Ursachen, von W. S. Walterstern. 8vo. Hamburg, 1788.

Die Ausbreitung des Christlichen Religion, von J. B. Luderwald. 8vo. Helmstadt, 1788.

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PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.

"assailed his fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, sometimes "justly, sometimes acrimoniously, almost always with weapons weaker than those of their adversary, who certainly possessed more knowledge, more genius, more "insight into his subject than his opponents." "His "defence was complete and in excellent temper," says James Cotter Morison, M. A., of Lincoln College, Oxford, in his Life of Gibbon, "his assailants were so ignorant and silly "that they gave no scope for a great controversial reply."

Dr. Watson, the mitred Bishop of Landaff, distinguished himself throughout the controversy by his gentlemanly conduct and respectful language. A copy of his Apology was forwarded to Gibbon before publication, and the latter acknowledged the courtesy in the following note:

66

"BENTINCK STREET, Nov. 2, 1776.” "Mr. Gibbon takes the earliest opportunity of presenting his compliments and thanks to Dr. Watson, and of expressing his sense of the liberal treatment which he has received from so "candid an adversary. Mr. Gibbon entirely coincides in opinion "with Dr. Watson, that as their different sentiments on a very important period of history are now submitted to the public, they "both may employ their time in a manner much more useful, as "well as agreeable, than they could possibly do by exhibiting a single combat in the amphitheatre of controversy. Mr. Gibbon "is therefore determined to resist the temptation of justifying, in a professed reply, any passages of his History which it might perhaps be easy to clear from censure and misapprehension. "But he still reserves to himself the privilege of inserting in a "future edition, some occasional remarks and explanations of his "meaning. If any calls of pleasure or business should call Dr. "Watson to town, Mr. Gibbon would think himself fortunate in being permitted to solicit the honor of his acquaintance. "EDWARD GIBBON."

Dr. Watson's reply is as follows:

"CAMBRIDGE, November 4th, 1776. “Dr. Watson accepts with pleasure Mr. Gibbon's polite invita"tion to a personal acquaintance. If he comes to town this "winter, will certainly do himself the honor to wait upon him.