A Short History of Freethought Ancient and Modern, Volume 2 of 2 by J. M. Robertson

6. Another savant of the same period, Don Joseph de Clavijo y Faxardo,

director of the natural history collection at Madrid, was in turn arraigned as having "adopted the anti-Christian principles of modern philosophy." He had been the friend of Buffon and Voltaire at Paris, had admirably translated Buffon's Natural History, with notes, and was naturally something of a deist and materialist. Having the protection of Aranda, he escaped with a secret penance and abjuration. [1617] Don Thomas Iriarte, chief of the archives in the ministry of foreign affairs, was likewise indicted towards the end of the reign of Charles III, as "suspected of anti-Christian philosophy," and escaped with similarly light punishment. [1618]