esteemed by dispassionate
Protestants and Roman Catholics. "Few pieces, says[502] Colomiers, have
succeeded better than the treatise _On the Truth of the Christian
Religion_. It is an excellent book, and ought to be the _Vade mecum_ of
every Christian. I have read it several times, and always with new
pleasure."

"Grotius's book, says the Abbe Houteville[503], is the first in which we
find these great characteristics, just reasoning, accuracy, and
strength; he is extremely concise, but even this brevity will please us
when we find it comprehends so many things without confounding them, or
lessening their evidence or force: it is no wonder the book should be
translated into so many languages."

FOOTNOTES:

[490] Ep. 411. p. 872.

[491] Ep. 181. p. 808. Ep. Coleri 37.

[492] Ep. 412. p. 873.

[493] Ep. 880. p. 387.

[494] Ep. 439. p. 880.

[495] Ep. 444. p. 881.

[496] Ep. 1096.

[497] Ep. 1232. p. 557.

[498] Ep. praes. vir. 451. p. 728.

[499] Ep. 534. p. 914.

[500] Fabric. Delect. Argum. c. 30. p. 551.

[501] Joannis Christophori Lockeri Dissertatio Epistolica, Historiam
libelli Grotiani _De Veritate Religionis Christianae_ complectens, 1725,
in quarto; see also the Journal des Scavans de Pan. 1724.

[502] Colomiers, p. 586.

[503] Preface.

X. In the midst of his greatest occupations and most serious studies,
Grotius still found time to study Civil Law. Blaeu printed, in 1643, his
_Remarks on Justinian's Laws_. They are chiefly philological notes,
drawn from the Poets and Philosophers[504], serving to illustrate some
passages of the _Corpus Juris_[505]. "This book, the author modestly
tells us, is not of much use to those who frequent the bar: but it is
entertaining: and though I set no great value on it, I think it is
better to publish it, than suffer it to be lost. It will possibly give
pleasure to men of learning[506], and some such in this place are not
dissatisfied with it, because they love to see Grammar and History
united with Law[507]."

What we cannot sufficiently admire in a man of so great learning, and so
much business as Grotius, is, that he should make the Holy Scriptures
his favourite study in every period of his life. They were his
consolation in prison; he always devoted a part of the day to them: and
they were his principal study during a great part of his embassy. His
_Commentary on the Evangelists_ was finished in 1637; but before he
printed it[508], he wanted to see