Thecauseofhisstrangeandfatalapostasymaybederivedfromtheearlyperiodofhislife，whenhewasleftanorphaninthehandsofthemurderersofhisfamily。ThenamesofChristandofConstantius，theideasofslaveryandofreligion，weresoonassociatedinayouthfulimagination，whichwassusceptibleofthemostlivelyimpressions。ThecareofhisinfancywasintrustedtoEusebius，bishopofNicomedia，^4whowasrelatedtohimonthesideofhismother；andtillJulianreachedthetwentiethyearofhisage，hereceivedfromhisChristianpreceptorstheeducation，notofahero，butofasaint。Theemperor，lessjealousofaheavenlythanofanearthlycrown，contentedhimselfwiththeimperfectcharacterofacatechumen，whilehebestowedtheadvantagesofbaptism^5onthenephewsofConstantine。^6Theywereevenadmittedtotheinferiorofficesoftheecclesiasticalorder；andJulianpubliclyreadtheHolyScripturesinthechurchofNicomedia。Thestudyofreligion，whichtheyassiduouslycultivated，appearedtoproducethefairestfruitsoffaithanddevotion。^7Theyprayed，theyfasted，theydistributedalmstothepoor，giftstotheclergy，andoblationstothetombsofthemartyrs；andthesplendidmonumentofSt。Mamas，atCaesarea，waserected，oratleastwasundertaken，bythejointlaborofGallusandJulian。^8Theyrespectfullyconversedwiththebishops，whowereeminentforsuperiorsanctity，andsolicitedthebenedictionofthemonksandhermits，whohadintroducedintoCappadociathevoluntaryhardshipsoftheasceticlife。^9Asthetwoprincesadvancedtowardstheyearsofmanhood，theydiscovered，intheirreligioussentiments，thedifferenceoftheircharacters。ThedullandobstinateunderstandingofGallusembraced，withimplicitzeal，thedoctrinesofChristianity；whichneverinfluencedhisconduct，ormoderatedhispassions。Themilddispositionoftheyoungerbrotherwaslessrepugnanttothepreceptsofthegospel；
andhisactivecuriositymighthavebeengratifiedbyatheologicalsystem，whichexplainsthemysteriousessenceoftheDeity，andopenstheboundlessprospectofinvisibleandfutureworlds。ButtheindependentspiritofJulianrefusedtoyieldthepassiveandunresistingobediencewhichwasrequired，inthenameofreligion，bythehaughtyministersofthechurch。Theirspeculativeopinionswereimposedaspositivelaws，andguardedbytheterrorsofeternalpunishments；butwhiletheyprescribedtherigidformularyofthethoughts，thewords，andtheactionsoftheyoungprince；whilsttheysilencedhisobjections，andseverelycheckedthefreedomofhisinquiries，theysecretlyprovokedhisimpatientgeniustodisclaimtheauthorityofhisecclesiasticalguides。HewaseducatedintheLesserAsia，amidstthescandalsoftheAriancontroversy。^10ThefiercecontestsoftheEasternbishops，theincessantalterationsoftheircreeds，andtheprofanemotiveswhichappearedtoactuatetheirconduct，insensiblystrengthenedtheprejudiceofJulian，thattheyneitherunderstoodnorbelievedthereligionforwhichtheysofiercelycontended。InsteadoflisteningtotheproofsofChristianitywiththatfavorableattentionwhichaddsweighttothemostrespectableevidence，heheardwithsuspicion，anddisputedwithobstinacyandacuteness，thedoctrinesforwhichhealreadyentertainedaninvincibleaversion。Whenevertheyoungprincesweredirectedtocomposedeclamationsonthesubjectoftheprevailingcontroversies，JulianalwaysdeclaredhimselftheadvocateofPaganism；underthespeciousexcusethat，inthedefenceoftheweakercause，hislearningandingenuitymightbemoreadvantageouslyexercisedanddisplayed。
[Footnote4:NicomediaeabEusebioeducatusEpiscopo，quemgenerelongiuscontingebat，Ammian。xxii。9。JulianneverexpressesanygratitudetowardsthatArianprelate；buthecelebrateshispreceptor，theeunuchMardonius，anddescribeshismodeofeducation，whichinspiredhispupilwithapassionateadmirationforthegenius，andperhapsthereligionofHomer。Misopogon，p。
351，352。]
[Footnote5:Greg。Naz。iii。p。70。Helaboredtoeffectthatholymarkintheblood，perhapsofaTaurobolium。Baron。Annal。