d to
Freethought and intellectual progression by the Sage of Ferney:--

"If we judge of men by what they have _done_, then Voltaire is
incontestably the greatest writer of modern Europe. No one has caused,
through the powerful influence of his genius alone, and the perseverance
of his will, so great a commotion in the minds of men; his pen aroused
a world, and has shaken a far mightier empire than that of Charlemagne,
the European empire of a theocracy. His genius was not _force_ but
_light_. Heaven had destined him not to destroy but to illuminate, and
wherever he trod, light followed him, for Reason (which is _light_) had
destined him to be first her poet, then her apostle, and lastly her
idol."

J. W.

JOHN TOLAND.

In the Augustan age of Freethought, no British writer achieved more
renown, or performed greater services to Biblical criticism, than John
Toland. His life would fill a volume, while his works would stock a
library. True to his convictions, he spoke like a man, and died as a
hero. His books are strewn with classical illustrations, and deal so
with abstract (and to us) uninteresting arguments, that we shall simply
give a brief sketch of the life of this extraordinary man. He gave his
thoughts to the scholars at the same time that Woolston addressed the
people; conjointly they revolutionized opinion in our favor.

Toland was born on November 30, 1670, at Londonderry, in Ireland. It
is said his registered name was "James Junius," another account says
"Julius Caesar;" but we have been unable to find any authentic date
for either supposition, and whatever his name was registered, we have
indisputable evidence that he was always called John Toland. We have
less proof as to his parentage; some writers allege that he was the
natural son of a Catholic priest; while others contend that he was born
of a family once affluent, but at the time of his birth in very reduced
circumstances. Whether this was the case or the reverse, young Toland
received a liberal education. He was early taught the classics, studied
in the Glasgow College; and on leaving Glasgow he was presented with
letters of credit from the city magistrates, highly flattering to him as
a man and a scholar. He received the diploma of A.M. at Edinburgh, the
day previous to the Battle of the Boyne. He finished his studies at the
University of Leyden.

The first work of importance which Toland published, was a "Life of
John Milton, containing b