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We must not, however, conceal that he adopted with firm

persuasion, and maintained with constancy, certain opinions,

which at this day would appear singular and ill-founded; these,

however, were the errors of his time, and not his own.

Our readers may perhaps enquire, if so learned and studious a man

has left no monument of his labours and studies? His works, great

and small, Latin and Italian, printed as well as manuscript,

amount to more than a hundred; they are preserved with care in

the library which he founded. They are composed of moral

treatises, sermons, historical dissertations, sacred and profane

antiquities, literature, the fine arts, &c.

And what is the reason that they are so little known, so little

sought for? We cannot enter into the causes of this phenomenon,

as our explanation might not be satisfactory to our readers. So

that we had better resume the course of our history, in relating

facts concerning this extraordinary man.

CHAPTER XXIII.