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That charity is a love of God for himself, independent of that happiness which is to be found in the enjoyment of Him. The second is, That, in the spiritual life of the most perfect souls, it is charity which goes before, and leads and animates all the virtues, and directs their several acts."*

Such was the declaration of his sentiments, on the day before he finally left Paris. The attainment of that love, which is here inculcated, is indeed impossible, and is therefore not required. The grand incentives to holiness and virtue, laid down in scripture, are gratitude and hope: we are required to “love him, who first loved us;" and in prospect of the same reward, to "be followers of them, who, through faith and patience, are now inheriting the promises." While that refined Christian love, then, which is recommended by Fenelon, like the virtue inculcated by the Stoicks, is above the reach of humanity; we must confess, that whatever leads to an approximation to either, has an excellent tendency to ennoble and elevate the soul; but to teach men that either is essential, is to damp their joys, as well as to demand impossibilities.

Such, however, was the ostensible cause of the archbishop of Cambray's overthrow, of which it was thought proper here to give a brief statement.-After many attacks† and defences, in all of which he eminently displayed, how much that love, for which he contended, regulated his own conduct, his cause was referred to the Roman see; and he was denied the privilege of appearing there in person, though in a case (if truth were the object) in which all might depend on the sense of a word, or the meaning of a sentence. After the cause had depended eighteen months, it was proposed to dismiss it; and, at the same time, to issue "An apostolical decree, establishing certain canons relative to internal and spiritual religion." But, fortunately for the infallibility of his Holiness, the Cardinal Casa Nata observed, that such a decision might create a misunderstanding between Rome and France. Justice and interest were now opposed, and every one allows, that, in such a case, the Pope knows infallibly the part to be acted. By a brief, dated March 12. 1699, Pope Innocent XII. condemned the "Maxims of the Saints."

But how is it that a monarch, who had raised a man, virtuous and loyal, to the greatest eminence, should now exert all his influence to effect his ruin, and lay injunctions on the Roman see to

Letter addressed to the duke of Beauvilliers, dated Paris, Aug. 3. 1697. Ramsay's Life of Fenelon, p. 94.

It is with regret that I state, that Fenelon's most virulent, as well as most dis tinguished, and, I must even add, most insidious persecutor, in the whole of this affair, was the celebrated, and, at that time, aged Bossuet, bishop of Meaux.

That the Pope was convinced of the injustice of this sentence, is evident from two circumstances:-1. Though urged by the enemies of Fenelon to condemn all that he had written in defence of his "Maxims of the Saints," he peremptorily refused; though these tracts contained the same doctrines more fully and clearly explained. 2. Of the five examinators, who refused to vote against Fenelon, three vere afterwards made cardinals, Rodoloirie archbishop of Chietti, Gabrielli, and Sperelli. Life of Fenelon, p. 128.

that purpose? This is a query which naturally suggests itself to the mind; but to which the mere statement of the fact will never be deemed a satisfactory answer.

There are few who have not heard of Madame de Maintenon, in every sense the mistress of Louis XIV. Possessed of the most unbounded influence over the French monarch, she flattered herself with the hope of being one day raised from an infamous and criminal intercourse, to the summit of her wishes, the throne of France. Provided she gained the consent of Louis, she gave herself no concern about that of the church, which, though necessary, she deemed secure. Her discernment, however, pointed out Fenelon as one exception. She endeavoured to gain upon him by indirect methods; and it was while this project was on foot, that he was created archbishop of Cambray. She succeeded in gaining the conditional consent of Louis. Father la Chaise, the king's confessor, would be glad, she thought, of such an opportunity of ingratiating himself with her.

He told the king, however, that it was too nice a point for him to decide, and referred him to M. Cambray, as a more able casuist, promising, at the same time, to observe the most profound silence. La Chaise disclosed the affair to Cambray: "What have I done, father," replied the archbishop, "that you should ruin me?-But no matter: let us go to the king." No sooner had Fenelon enter- · ed the king's presence, than he threw himself at his feet, imploring his Majesty not to sacrifice him. The king promised that he would not. Suffice it to say,-Fenelon acted with probity. The hopes of Madame de Maintenon were blasted; and the ruin of the prelate was meditated; and we have already seen the methods by which it was effected.*

In 1697 he was banished,† and his friends in office deprived.

Here we behold this great man the sacrifice of virtue, because the enemy of vice. But Fenelon was one of the few, who have reached that sublimity of character, which proves, that to be virtuous is to be happy; and that integrity is a good, for the sacrifice of which, the whole universe cannot furnish an equivalent.

Justum et tenacem propositi virum,
Non civium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus instantis tyranni
Mente quatit solidá.
Si fractus illabatur orbis
Impavidum ferient ruinæ.

Fenelon bore his persecution with the most composed submission.“ I renounce," said he, "my own judgment, to conform to

* For a more particular account of Madame de Maintenon, and of this whole affair, vid. Guardian, Vol. I. Nos. 46, 47, 48.

To banish a bishop, means to confine him to his diocese. Vid. Eloge de Fenelon, par. M. D'Alembert.

that of our holy father the Pope."* On hearing such a sentiment from Fenelon, we cannot but regret, that so much weakness should have been blended with so much greatness; but we must still admire the integrity of the philosopher, and the patience of the Christian. Fenelon believed himself to be a Catholick. The infallibility of the church, as lodged in Popes, councils, or the universal consent of her members, (for there is great uncertainty among Catholicks on this point-they know that they have such a commodity as infallibility, but they know not where,) is a radi cal article.

Freedom of inquiry is denied. For, to inquire, say they, is to doubt; to doubt is not to believe; and not to believe, is to be in a state of damnation. It is easy to conceive how powerfully these crude dogmas may operate on the tender mind, when urged with the pretence of divine authority, and with the influence of parental endearment. From the reception of this tenet in early youth, and undeviating adherence to it in maturer years, proceeded Fenelon's acquiescence in the decision of the Pope. That he was sincere, Ramsay renders indubitable: but how it is reconcileable with that liberality, which shines so conspicuously through his writings, and was so fully displayed in his general conduct, I pretend not to determine. Of that liberality, however, there cannot remain a doubt. His "Telemachus," and "Dialogues of the Dead," are in the hands of every one. Instead of quoting from these, therefore, I shall produce part of an advice, given to a young prince, who, in 1709, spent some time at his palace:-"Liberty of thought," said he," is an impregnable fortress, which no human power can force. Violence can never convince; it only makes hypocrites. When kings take upon them to direct in matters of religion, instead of protecting, they bring it into bondage. You ought, therefore, to grant all men a legal toleration; not as approving every thing indifferently, but suffering, with patience, what God permits, and endeavouring to reconcile the misled, by soft and gentle per. suasion."+

Of Fra Paoli Sarpi, the celebrated historian of the council of Trent, Bossuet said, that "he was a Protestant, and a Calvinist under a friar's frock." Of Fenelon, we may, with perhaps more justice, say, that he was a Protestant in the church of Rome; and that, though charity be incompatible with her principles, it may sometimes be found in her members.

We now proceed to follow this venerable man along the rest of his destined journey through life; and delightful indeed is the scene presented to view. We behold the good man living in his diocese, the friend of humanity, and the patron of virtue. At a distance from the chicane of courts, and the storms of faction, he

Life of Fenelon, p. 133.

† Ramsay's Life of Fenelon, p. 307. D'Alembert Eloge de Fen. p. 293.

made the pang of sorrow his own; and the only limits of his munificence were the wants of indigence. Maintaining that dignity, upon which the respectability, and therefore usefulness, of his character, depended, he exhibited among the peasantry of his diocese, the most winning condescension, and engaging humility. Soothing their cares, consoling their sorrows, relieving their wants, he acquired their esteem, and secured their affection. "He used to walk frequently alone," says D'Alembert, "in his diocesan visits, in the environs of Cambray: he entered the houses of the peasants, seated himself near them, solaced and comforted them. Old men, who are yet alive, and have had the happiness to see him, still speak of him with the most tender veneration. There!' say they, there is the wooden chair, on which our good archbishop used to seat himself among us-we shall never see him more!'and they burst into tears."

"I had profited little by my books," said a great literary cha Pacter, on seeing his house in flames," had I not learned to lose them!" The saying is deservedly admired; but Fenelon, on a similar occasion, said, "I am much better pleased, that my books should be burnt, than the cottage of a poor family."

In the war 1701, he kindly received the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene; and, in return, enjoyed that veneration and esteem, which he so justly deserved. The French courtiers, who served in the army of Flanders, avoided seeing him. The basest paid court to their superiours by pouring contempt upon his character; whilst virtue herself durst use no higher effort than not to blame him. The Duke of Burgundy, his pupil, was perhaps the only inhabitant of Versailles, in whose memory he was cherished. That virtue and affection, which Fenelon had inspired, seemed willing to meander around the source whence they flowed.

During the campaign in 1708, in which this prince commanded, he implored the king, his grandfather, to permit him to visit the person, to whom, of all men, he considered himself the most indebted, and to whom he had the warmest attachment. Louis refused. What rendered this barbarity still more pungent, was, that there were few opportunities of epistolary correspondence. In the first letter, which this amiable youth had an opportunity of sending his master, he writes as follows: "I have suffered many afflictions since our separation; but one of the greatest has been that of not being able to give you any proof of my affection for you. All this while, I have had a secret indignation at all the usage you have met with; but we must submit to the divine will, and believe, *that all has come to pass for our good."

This excellent prince died in 1712, when Fenelon suffered the last pang that terrestrial revolution could inflict. In tears he vented the feelings of nature, and resigned himself to the will of

Four years. The letter is dated, Versailles, 24th December 1701. Ram. Life of Fen. p. 320.

Heaven." If there needed no more," said he, " than to move a straw to bring him to life again, contrary to the divine pleasure, I would not do it."

On the death of the duke of Burgundy, many of Fenelon's letters were found in his cabinet. In these appeared the amiable preceptor and the tender friend. To give a specimen of the style and manner of them, I shall extract a few sentences from the only one of them which is extant. "Let it be seen," says he, "that you have thoughts and sentiments becoming a prince. You must make yourself beloved by the good, feared by the bad, and esteemed by all. There is nothing weak, melancholy, or constrained, in true piety. It enlarges the heart. It is simple and lovely. It becomes all things to all men, that it may gain all. The kingdom of God does not consist in a scrupulous observation of punctilios. It consists in the exercise of the virtues proper to each man's state and vocation. Be the heir of the virtues of St. Louis, before you inherit his crown. Remember that his blood flows in your veins, and that the same spirit of faith, by which he was sanctified, ought to be the life of your heart."

The letter from which these extracts are made, is the only one of Fenelon's, in this correspondence, I observed, which now remains. The rest, as we are informed by Ramsay, Louis did himself the infernal pleasure of burning with his own hand! For the one which still remains, we are indebted to Madame de Maintenon, who sent it enclosed, with an account of the fate of the rest, to the duke of Beauvilliers.

The severity of the winter of 1709 completed the desolation of Fenelon's native country, which had been ravaged by war, during the eight preceding years. This was a field for the display of his virtues. "I love my family,"-this was his maxim, and these his words," I love my family better than myself; I love my country better than my family; but I love mankind better than my country." These are pretty generally the sentiments of modern philosophers, but they were the basis of Fenelon's conduct. There was at this time, in his granaries, corn to the amount of a hundred thousand francs. Refusing any compensation, he distributed the whole to the soldiers. "The king," said he, "owes me nothing; and in the misfortunes, with which the people are oppressed, I ought, as, a Frenchman and a bishop, to restore to the state, what I have received from it." It was thus that Fenelon revenged his disgrace!

His munificence, however, was not confined to his countrymen. Englishmen, likewise, shared of his bounty; and to their honour be it recorded, they were not ungrateful. In return for that philanthropy, which the circumstance of being an enemy could not extinguish, a safe-conduct was granted to the good archbishop, whenever the voice of humanity pronounced it expedient; and it was then only that it was valued. Of the use which he made of it, we shall have a better idea, by attending to a particular instance. It is but just to say, that on this occasion, the wretched, without

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