Everyone who examines in some detail the best known
appreciations of Gibbon's historical work will be struck by
the disproportionate space devoted to his attitude towards
Christianity. Numerous eighteenth century critics as well
as many more recent ones have chosen to view 'The Decline
and Fall' solely from a religious standpoint. Even those
who approach it from various angles frequently confine
themselves in the greater part of their examination to this
side of his work. Thus, Moritz Ritter, in his 'Entwicklung
der Geschichtswissenschaft', devotes six of his twelve pages
on Gibbon to his treatment of Christianity. Adverse critics
have never tired of quoting his famous outburst: 'I have
described the triumph of barbarism and religion'. ¹ Many
have believed to find in them the clue to Gibbon's inter-
pretation of the whole process of decay. There has been a
tendency among some critics to see the attack on Christiani-
ty as the main purpose and chief characteristic of Gibbon
as a historical thinker. Such a simplification is not only un-
warrantable, but directly detrimental to the enjoyment and
the appreciation of his work. To trace and to explain the
growth of Christianity is only one of the many purposes
of 'The Decline and Fall', and, as I see it, not at all the
most important.

However, it is very natural that this side of Gibbon's
work should have engrossed the attention of his critics.

-110-