inguished. A relative of his own, Pierre Robert Olivetan, was there
engaged in a translation of the Scriptures; and this had the effect of
drawing Calvin's attention, and awakening within him the religious
instinct which was soon to prove the master-principle of his life. The
seeds of the new faith were now beyond doubt sown in his heart, and from
this time, although he still continued for a while longer to pursue his
legal studies, his main interests appear to have been religious and
theological. From Orleans he went to Bourges, where he acquired the
knowledge of Greek, under the tuition of a learned German, Melchior
Wolmar. He began here to preach the reformed doctrines, and passed over
into the ranks of Protestantism, under the slow but sure growth of his
new convictions rather than under the agitation of any violent feeling.
Here, as everywhere, his life presents a marked contrast to that of
Luther.

He proceeded to Paris in 1533, which at this date had become a centre of
the "new learning," under the teaching of Lefevre and Farel, and the
influence of the Queen of Navarre, sister of Francis I. The Sorbonne
itself had not escaped the infection. There was a growing religious
excitement in the university, in the court, and even among the bishops.
This, however, was not to last. The king was soon stirred up to take
active measures to quell this rising spirit, and the result was that
Calvin and others were obliged to flee for their lives. After this he
repaired for a short time to his native place, resigned the preferment
he held in the Roman Catholic Church, and for a year or two led a
wandering life, sheltered in various places. We find him at Saintorge;
at Nerac, the residence of the Queen of Navarre; at Angouleme, with his
friend Louis du Tillet; then for a brief while at Paris again.
Persecutions against the Protestants at this time raged so hotly that
Calvin was no longer safe in France, and he betook himself to Basel,
whence he issued, in the year 1536, the first edition of his "Christianae
Religionis Institutio," with the famous preface addressed to Francis I.
The concentrated vigor and intensity of feeling of this address, rising
into indignant remonstrance, and at times into pathetic and powerful
influence, make it one of the most memorable documents in connection
with the Reformation. After completing this great service to the cause
of Protestantism, he made a short visit to Italy, to Renee, the Duchess
of Fe