[Footnote 83: The lives of Gregory VII. are either legends
or invectives, (St. Marc, Abrege, tom. iii. p. 235, &c.;)
and his miraculous or magical performances are alike
incredible to a modern reader. He will, as usual, find some
instruction in Le Clerc, (Vie de Hildebrand, Bibliot,
ancienne et moderne, tom. viii.,) and much amusement in
Bayle, (Dictionnaire Critique, Gregoire VII.) That pope was
undoubtedly a great man, a second Athanasius, in a more
fortunate age of the church. May I presume to add, that the
portrait of Athanasius is one of the passages of my history
(vol. ii. p. 332, &c.) with which I am the least
dissatisfied?
Note: There is a fair life of Gregory VII. by Voigt,
(Weimar. 1815,) which has been translated into French. M.
Villemain, it is understood, has devoted much time to the
study of this remarkable character, to whom his eloquence
may do justice. There is much valuable information on the
subject in the accurate work of Stenzel, Geschichte
Deutschlands unter den Frankischen Kaisern - the History of
Germany under the Emperors of the Franconian Race. - M.]