toward the pursuit of truth, and to load the memory with a multitude of insignificant words and useless distinctions. It was beyond the borders of these pedantic seminaries, that genius was encouraged, and directed by great and eminent patrons of science, who opened new paths to the attainment of solid learning, and presented the sciences under a new and engaging aspect to the studious youth. It must be observed here, in justice to the French, that they bore a distinguished part in this literary reformation. Excited by their native force of genius, and animated by the encouragement which learning and learned men re

far from overturning that fabric of profound || and indeed still takes place in both the higher and insidious policy which the Jesuits had rais- and lower seminaries of learning; and it is the ed, under the protection of the Roman pontiffs, peculiar tendency of this method to damp geand the connivance of deluded princes and na- nius, to depress (instead of exciting and entions. It seemed, on the contrary, as if the op-couraging) the generous efforts of the mind position of such a multitude of enemies and accusers had strengthened their interest instead of diminishing it, and added to their affluence and prosperity, instead of bringing on their destruction. Amidst the storm that threatened them with a fatal shipwreck, they directed their course with the utmost dexterity, tranquillity and prudence. Thus they safely reached the desired harbour, and rose to the very summit of spiritual authority in the church of Rome. Avoiding, rather than repelling the assault of their enemies, opposing, for the most part, patience and silence to their redoubled insults, they proceeded uniformly and steadily to their great purpose, and they seemed to have attain-ceived from the munificence of Louis XIV., ed it. For those very nations who formerly looked upon a Jesuit as a kind of monster, and as a public pest, commit, at this day, some through necessity, some through choice, and others through both, a great part of their interests and transactions to the direction of this most artful and powerful society.*

XXX. All the different branches of literature received, during this century, in the more polished Roman Catholic countries, a new degree of lustre and improvement. France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, produced several men eminent for their genius, erudition, and acquaintance with the learned languages. This happy circumstance must not, however, be attributed to the labour of the schools, or to the methods and procedure of public education; for the old, dry, perplexing, inelegant, scholastic method of instruction prevailed then, the other parts of the globe, is here assumed by M. Benard as the most pleasing manner of conveying the accounts which he compiled in his closet. These accounts do not appear to be false, though the character of a traveller, assumed by the compiler, be fictitious. It must be allowed, on the contrary, that M. Benard has drawn his relations from good sources, though his style and manner cannot well be justified from the charge of acrimony and malignity.

*It may perhaps be affirmed with truth, that none of the Roman catholic nations attacked the Jesuits with more vehemence and animosity than the French did upon several occasions; and it is certain, that the Jesuits in that kingdom have been, more than once, involved in great difficulties and distress. To be convinced of this, the reader has only to consult DuBoulay's Hist. Academiæ Parisiensis, tom. vi. page 559, 648, 676, 738, 742, 763, 874, 890, 909, in which he will find an ample and accurate account of the resolutions and transactions of the parliament and university of Paris, and also of the proceedings of the people in general, to the detriment of this artful and dangerous society. But what was the final issue of all these resolutions and transactions, and in what did all this opposition end? I answer, in the exalta tion and grandeur of the Jesuits. They had been banished with ignominy out of the kingdom, and were recalled from their exile, and honourably re

stored to their former credit in 1604, in the reign of

they cultivated with success almost every branch of literature, and, rejecting the barbarous jargon of the schools, exhibited learning under an elegant and alluring form, and thereby multiplied the number of its votaries and patrons. It is well known how much the example and labours of this polite nation contributed to deliver other countries from the yoke of scholastic bondage.

XXXI. The Aristotelians of this century were a set of intricate dialecticians, who had the name of the Stagirite always in their mouths, without the least portion of his genius, or any tolerable knowledge of his system; and they maintained their empire in the schools, notwithstanding the attempts that had been made to diminish their credit. It was long before the court of Rome, which beheld with terror whatever bore the smallest aspect of novelty, could think of consenting to the introduction of a more rational philosophy, or permit the modern discoveries in that noble science to be explained with freedom in the public seminaries of learning. This appears sufficiently from the fate of Galileo, the famous mathematician of Florence, who was cast into prison by the court of Inquisition, for adopting the senti ments of Copernicus, with regard to the constitution of the solar system. It is true, that Des-Cartes and Gassendi,† one by his new philosophy, and the other by his admirable writings, gave a mortal wound to the Peripatetics, and excited a spirit of liberty and emulation that changed the face of science in France. It was under the auspicious influence of these adventurous guides, that several ingenious men of that nation abandoned the perplexed and intricate wilds of the philosophy that was taught by the modern Aristotelians; and, throwing off the shackles of mere authority, dared to consult the dictates of reason and experitigation of truth. Among these converts to ence, in the study of nature, and in the inves

*For an ample account of this matter, see Vol. taire's Siecle de Louis XIV. and more especially the chapter in the second volume relative to the arts and

Henry IV., notwithstanding the remonstrances of
many persons of the highest rank and dignity, who
were shocked beyond expression at this unaccount-
ably mean and ignoble step, (see the Memoires de
Sully, modern edition, published at Geneva, tom. v.
p. 83, 314.) After that period, they moved the main-sciences.
springs of government both in church and state, and
still continue to sit, though invisibly, at the helm of
both. The reader must be reminded, that this
note was written by Dr. Mosheim some years before
the suppression of the society of Jesuits in France.

† See Gassendi Exercitationes Paradoxæ adversus Aristoteleos, tom. iii. op. This subtle and judicious work contributed, perhaps more than any thing else to hurt the cause, and ruin the credit, of the Peripa tetics.

true philosophy, several Jesuits, and a still || even that of Hardouin, notwithstanding the greater number of Jansenists and priests of the singularity of his disordered fancy, and the exOratory, distinguished themselves; and, accor- travagance of many of his opinions, will escape dingly, we find in this list the respectable oblivion. names of Malebranche, Arnauld, Lami, Ni- It is at the same time to be observed, that cole, Pascal, who acquired immortal fame by the literary glory of the Jesuits suffered a reillustrating and improving the doctrine of Des-markable eclipse in this century, from the Cartes, and accommodating it to the purposes growing lustre of the Benedictine order, and of human life. The modesty, circumspec- more especially of the Congregation of St. tion, and self-diffidence of Gassendi, who con- Maur. The Jesuits were perpetually boasting fessed the scanty measure of his knowledge, of the eminent merit and lustre of their society and pretended to no other merit than that of on the one hand, and exposing, on the other, pointing out a rational method of arriving at to public contempt, the ignorance and stupidity truth, while others boasted that they had al- of the Benedictines, who, indeed, formerly ready found it out, rendered him disagreeable made a very different figure from what they do in France. The ardent curiosity, the fervour, at present. Their view in this was to form a precipitation, and impatience of that lively plausible pretext for invading the rights of the people, could not bear the slow and cautious latter, and engrossing their ample revenues method of proceeding that was recommended and possessions; but the Benedictines resolved by the cool wisdom of this prudent inquirer. to disconcert this insidious project, to wipe off They wanted to get at the summit of philoso- the reproach of ignorance that had heretofore phy, without climbing the steps that lead to it. been cast upon them with too much justice, Toward the conclusion of this century, many and to disappoint the rapacious avidity of their eminent men, in Italy and in other countries, enemies, and rob them of their pretexts. For followed the example of the French, in throw- this purpose they not only erected schools in ing off the yoke of the Peripatetics, and ven- their monasteries, for the instruction of youth turing into the paths that were newly opened in the various branches of learning and science, for the investigation of truth. This desertion but also employed such of their select memof the old philosophy was at first attended bers, as were distinguished by their erudition with that timidity and secrecy which arose and genius, in composing a variety of learned from apprehensions of the displeasure and re- productions that were likely to survive the sentment of the court of Rome; but, as soon waste of time, adapted to vindicate the honour as it was known that the pontiffs beheld, with of the fraternity, and to reduce its enemies to less indignation and jealousy, the new disco- silence. This important task was executed veries in metaphysics, mathematics, and natu- with incredible ability and success. by Mabillon, ral philosophy, the deserters broke their chains D'Achery, Massuet, Ruinart, Beaugendre, with greater confidence, and proceeded with Garnier, De la Rue, Martenne, Montfaucon, greater freedom and boldness in the pursuit of and other eminent men of that learned order. truth. It is to these Benedictines that we are indebted for the best editions of the Greek and Latin fathers; for the discovery of many curious records, and ancient documents, that throw a new light upon the history of remote ages, and upon the antiquities of various countries; for the best accounts of ancient transactions, whether ecclesiastical or political, and of the manners and customs of the earliest times; for the improvement of chronology, and the other branches of literature. In all these parts of philology and the belles lettres, the religious order, now under consideration, has shone with a distinguished lustre, and given specimens of knowledge, discernment, and industry, that are worthy of being transmitted to the latest posterity. It would be perhaps difficult to assign a reason for that visible decline of learning among the Jesuits, which commenced precisely at the very period when the Benedictines began to make this eminent figure These great men were, indeed, very ill treated in the republic of letters. The fact, however, by the Peripatetics, on account of their learned and is undeniable; and the Jesuits have long been excellent labours. They were accused, by these exat a loss to produce any one or more of their asperated scholastics, of irreligion, and were even charged with atheism by father Hardouin, who was members who are qualified to dispute the prereally intoxicated with the large draughts he had eminence, or even to claim an equality, with taken from the muddy fountains of Peripatetic and the Benedictines. The latter still continue to scholastic science. See his Athei Detecti, in his Op. shine in the various branches of philology, and, Posthum.-It is easy to perceive the reasons of all this resentment, since the Cartesian system, which almost every year, enrich the literary world aimed at restoring the authority of reason, and the with productions that furnish abundant proofs light of true philosophy, was by no means so proper of their learning and industry; whereas, if we to defend the pretensions of Rome and the cause of popery, as the dark and intricate jargon of the Peri-except a single work published by the Jesuits patetics. of Antwerp, (the Acts of the Saints,) many

XXXII. After this general account of the state of learning in the catholic countries, it will not be improper to point out, in a more particular manner, those Romish writers, who contributed most to the propagation and improvement both of sacred and profane erudition during this century. The Jesuits, for a long time, not only possessed an undisputed pre-eminence in this respect, but were, moreover, considered as almost the sole fountains of universal knowledge, and the only religious order that made any great figure in the literary world. And it must be allowed by all, who are not misled by want of candour or of proper information, that this famous society was adorned by many persons of uncommon genius and learning. The names of Petau, Sirmond, Poussin, Labbe, and Abram, will live as long as literature shall be honoured and valued; and ||

1

|

years have passed since the sons of Loyola || writers who belong to this class, are, Serrarius, have given any satisfactory proofs of their Fevardentius, Possevin, Gretser, Combefis, boasted learning, or added to the mass of | Natalis Alexander, Becan, Sirmond, Petau, literature any work worthy to be compared Poussin, Cellot, Caussin, Morin, Renaud, Frawith the labours of the followers of Benedict. Paolo, Pallavicini, Labbe, Maimbourg, ThoThese learned monks excited the emulation || massin, Sfondrati, Aguirre, Henry Norris, of the Priests of the Oratory, whose efforts to || D'Achery, Mabillon, Hardouin, Simon, Ruiresemble them were far from being destitute | nart, Montfaucon, Galloni, Scacchi, Cornelius of success. Several members of the latter order à Lapide, Bonfrere, Menard, Seguenot, Berdistinguished themselves by their remarkable nard, Lamy, Bolland, Henschen, Papebroch, proficiency in various branches both of sacred and others. and profane literature. This, to mention no The principal among the secular clergy, who more examples, appears sufficiently from the are neither bound by vows, nor attached to any writings of Morin, Thomassin, and Simon, and peculiar community and rules of discipline, from that admirable work of Charles le Cointe, were, Perron, Estius, Launoy, Albaspinæus, entitled, The Ecclesiastical Annals of France. Peter de Marca, Richelieu, Holstenius, Baluze, The Jansenists also deserve a place in the list Bona, Huet, Bossuet, Fenelon, Godeau, Tilof those who cultivated letters with industry | lemont, Thiers, Du-Pin, Leo Allatius, Zaccagand success. Many of their productions abound || nia, Cotelier, Filesac, Visconti, &c. * This list with erudition, and several of them excel both might be considerably augmented by adding in elegance of style and precision of method; to it those writers among the laity who distinand it may be said, in general, that their writ- guished themselves by their theological or liings were eminently serviceable in the instruc- terary productions. tion of youth, and also proper to contribute to XXXIV. If we take an accurate view of the the progress of learning among persons of riper religious system of the Romish church during years. The writings of those who composed this century, both with respect to articles of the community of Port-Royal,* the works of faith and rules of practice, we shall find that, Tillemont, "Arnauld, Nicole, Pascal, and Lan- instead of being improved by being brought celot, with many other elegant and useful pro- nearer to the perfect model of doctrine and moductions of persons of this class, were undoubt-rals, exhibited to us in the Holy Scriptures, it edly an ornament to French literature during || had contracted new degrees of corruption and this century. The other religious societies, degeneracy, partly by the negligence of the the higher and lower orders of the clergy, had pontiffs, and partly by the dangerous maxims also among them men of learning and genius,|| and influence of the Jesuits. This is not only who reflected a lustre. upon the respective the observation of those who have renounced classes to which they belonged. Nor ought the Romish communion, and in the despotic this to be a matter of astonishment, since no-style of that church are called heretics; it is thing is more natural than that, in an immense multitude of monks and clergy, all possessing abundant leisure for study, and the best opportunities of improvement, there should be some who, unwilling to hide or throw away such a precious talent, would employ with success this leisure, and these opportunities, in the cultivation of the sciences. It is nevertheless certain, that the eminent men who were to be found beyond the limits of the four classes already mentioned, were few in number, comparatively speaking, and scarcely exceeded the list that any one of these classes could furnish. XXXIII. Hence it comes, that the church of Rome can produce a long list of writers who have arisen in its bosom, and acquired a shining and permanent reputation by their learned productions. At the head of the eminent authors, found among the monastic orders and the regular clergy, must be placed the cardinals Baronius and Bellermine, who have obtained an immortal name in their church, one by his laborious Annals, and the other by his books of controversy. The other

The denomination of Messieurs de Port-Royal comprehended all the Jansenist writers; but it was applied, in a more confined and particular sense, to those Jansenists who passed their days in pious exercises and literary pursuits in the retreat of Port-Royal, a mansion situated near Paris. It is well known, that several writers of superior genius, extensive learning, and uncommon eloquence, resided in this sanctuary of letters.

The Jesuits, Benedictines Priests of the Oratory, and Jansenists.

the complaint of the wisest and worthiest part of that communion, of all its members who have a zeal for the advancement of true Christian knowledge and genuine piety.

As to the doctrinal part of the Romish religion, it is said, and not without foundation, to have suffered extremely in the hands of the Jesuits, who, under the connivance, and sometimes even by the immediate assistance of the pontiffs, have perverted and corrupted such of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity as were left entire by the council of Trent. There are proofs sufficient to support this charge; inasmuch as the subtle and insidious fathers have manifestly endeavoured to diminish the authority and importance of the Scriptures, have extolled the power of human nature, changed the sentiments of many with respect to the necessity and efficacy of divine grace, represented the mediation and sufferings of Christ as less powerful and meritorious than they are said to be in the sacred writings, turns the Roman pontiff into a terrestrial Deity, a I put him almost upon an equal footing with the Divine Saviour; and, finally, have rendered, as far as they can, the truth of the Christian religion dubious, by their fallacious reasonings, and their artful and pernicious sophistry. The testimonies adduced to support these accusations by men of weight and merit, particularly among the Jansenists, are of very great autho

For a particular account of the respective merit of the writers here mentioned, see Du-Pin's His. des Ecrevains Eccles. t. xvii. xviii. xix.

that church publicly lament. Those who bring this dreadful charge against the sons of Loyola, have taken abundant precautions to vindicate themselves from the reproach of calumny. They have published several maxims, inconsistent with all regard for virtue and even decency, which they have drawn from the moral writings of that order, and more especially from the numerous productions of its casuists. They observe, more particularly, that the whole society adopts and inculcates the following maxims:

"That persons truly wicked, and void of the love of God, may expect to obtain eternal life in heaven, provided that they be impressed with a fear of the divine anger, and avoid all heinous and enormous crimes through the dread of future punishment.

"That actions intrinsically evil, and directly contrary to the divine laws, may be innocently performed, by those who have so much power over their own minds, as to join, even ideally, a good end to this wicked action, or (to speak in the style of the Jesuits) who are capable of rightly directing their intention. "That philosophical sin is of a very light

rity; and it is extremely difficult to refuse our assent to them, when they are impartially examined: but, on the other hand, it may be easily proved, that the Jesuits, instead of inventing these pernicious doctrines, did no more, in reality, than propagate them as they found them in that ancient system of religion which preceded the Reformation, and was directly calculated to raise the authority of the pope, and the power and prerogatives of the church, to the highest pitch of despotic grandeur. To inculcate this form of doctrine was the direct vocation of the Jesuits, who were to derive all their credit, opulence, and influence, from their being considered as the main support of the papacy, and the peculiar favourites of the pontiffs. If the ultimate end and purpose of these|| pontiffs were to render the church more pure and holy, and to bring it as near as possible to "That those persons may transgress with the resemblance of its Divine Founder, and if safety, who have a probable reason for transthis were the commission they gave to their fa-gressing, i. e. any plausible argument or auvourite emissaries the doctors, then the Jesuits thority in favour of the sin they are inclined would be at liberty to preach a very different to commit.* doctrine from what they now inculcate. But that liberty cannot be granted to them as long as their principal orders from the papal throne are, to use all their diligence and industry, to the end that the pontiffs may hold what they have acquired, and recover what they have lost, and that the bishops and other ministers of the church may daily see their opulence increase, and the limits of their authority extended and enlarged. The chief crime then of the Jesuits is really this, that they have explained, with dangerous maxims of the Jesuits. On one hand, they have among them doctors of different characters and more openness and perspicuity, those points different principles, that thus they may render their which the leading managers in the council of society recommendable in the eyes of all sorts of Trent had either entirely omitted, or slightly persons, the licentious as well as the austere. On mentioned, that they might not shock the the other, they maintain, that an opinion or practice, recommended by any one doctor, becomes therefriends of true religion, who composed a part by probable, as it is not to be supposed, that a learnof that famous assembly. And here we see ed divine would adopt an opinion, or recommend a the true reason why the pontiffs, notwithstand practice, in favour of which no considerable reason could be alleged.-But here lies the poison: this proing the ardent solicitations and remonstrances bable opinion or practice may be followed, say the that have been employed to arm their just se-Jesuits, when the contrary is still more probable, verity against the Jesuits, have always maintained that artful order, and have been so deaf to the accusations of their adversaries, that no entreaties have been able to persuade them to condemn their religious principles and tenets, however erroneous in their nature, and perniFor example, an ecclesiastic who buys a becious in their effects. On the contrary, the nefice, in order to direct his intention rightly, must, court of Rome has always opposed, either in a by a powerful act of abstraction, turn away his public or clandestine manner, all the vigour thoughts from the crime of simony, which he is committing, to some lawful purpose, such as that of acous measures that have been used to procure quiring an ample subsistence, or that of doing good the condemnation and suppression of the doc-by instructing the ignorant. Thus again, a man trine of the Jesuits; and it has constantly treated all such attempts as the projects of rash and imprudent men, who, through involuntary ignorance or obstinate prejudice, were blind to the true interest of the church.

XXXV. In the sphere of morals, the Jesuits made still more dreadful and atrocious inroads than in that of religion. In affirming that they have perverted and corrupted almost every branch and precept of morality, we should not express sufficiently the pernicious tendency of their maxims. Were we to go still farther, and maintain, that they have sapped and destroyed its very foundations, we should maintain no more than what innumerable writers of the Romish church abundantly testify, and what many of the most illustrious communities of

*

This is one of the most corrupt and most

and even when it is sure, because, though the man may err, he errs under the authority of an eminent doctor. Thus Escobar affirms, that a judge may decide in favour of that side of a question which is the least probable, and even against his own opinion, if he be supported by any tolerable authority. See the viiith of the Lettres Provinciales.

who runs his neighbour through the body in a duel, lawful, has only to turn his thoughts from the prin on account of a trivial affront, to render his action cipal of vengeance, to the more decent principal of honour, and the murder he commits will, by the magic power of Jesuitical morality, be converted into an innocent action. There is no crime or enormity to which this abominable maxim may not be extended. "A famous Jesuit has declared, that a son may wish for the death of his father, and even redoes not arise from any personal hatred, but only joice at it when it arrives, provided that his wish from a desire of the patrimony which this death will procure him." See Gaspard Hurtado, de sub. peccat. definit. 9, quoted by Diana, p. 5. tr. 14. R. 99, and another has had the effrontery to maintain, that a monk or ecclesiastic may lawfully assassinate a calumniator, who threatens to impute scandalous crimes to their community, when there is no other See the works of Father L'Amy, tom. v. disp. 36, way of preventing the execution of his purpose.

n. 118.

"That_the_transgressions committed by a person blinded by the seduction of lust, agitated by the impulse of tumultuous passions, and destitute of all sense and impression of religion, however detestable and heinous they may be in themselves, are not imputable to the transgressor before the tribunal of God; and that such transgressions may often be as involuntary as the actions of a madman:

and trivial nature, and does not deserve the || system of morality inculcated by the Jesuits. pains of hell:-By philosophical sin the Jesu-|| And they were complained of, in the strongest ists mean an action contrary to the dictates of remonstrances, not only by the Dominicans nature and right reason, done by a person who and Jansenists, but also by the most eminent is ignorant of the written law of God, or theologians of Paris, Poictiers, Louvain, and doubtful of its true meaning. other academical cities, who expressed their abhorrence of them in such a public and solemn manner, that the pontiff neither thought it safe nor honourable to keep silence on that head. Accordingly some of these maxims were condemned, in 1659, by Pope Alexander VII. in a public edict; and, in 1690, the article relating to philosophical sin met with the same fate, under the pontificate of Alexander VIII.* It was natural to think, that, if the order of Jesuits did not expire under the terrible blows it received from such a formidable list of adversaries, yet their system of morals must at least have been suppressed, and their pestilential maxims banished from the schools. This is the least that could have been expected from the complaints and remonstrances of the clerical and monastic orders, and the damnatory bulls of the pontiffs. And yet, if we may credit the testimonies of many learned and pious men in the communion of Rome, even this effect was not produced; and the remonstrances of the monks, the complaints of the clergy, and the bulls of the popes, rather served to, restrain, in a certain measure, the enormous licentiousness that had reigned

"That the person who takes an oath, or enters into a contract, may, to elude the force of the one, and the obligation of the other, add,|| to the form of words by which they are expressed, certain mental additions and tacit reservations,"

These, and other enormities of a like nature,† are said to make an essential part of the

*It would perhaps be more accurate to define the philosophical sin of the Jesuits to be an action contrary to right reason, which is done by a person who is either absolutely ignorant of God, or does not think of him during the time this action is com

mitted."

maxims inculcated by that famous order. This book, which was published at Mons in 1702, bears the following title: La Morale des Jesuites, extraite fide

The books that have been written to expose and refute the corrupt and enormous maxims of the Jesuits, would make an ample library, were they col lected. But nothing of this kind is equal to the learned, ingenious, and humourous work of the famous Pascal, entitled, Les Provinciales, ou Lettres ecrites par Louis de Montalte a un Provincial de ses amis, et aux Jesuites, sur la Morale et la Politique de ces Peres. This exquisite production is accompa-lement de leurs Livres imprimez avec la permission nied, in some editions of it, with the learned and et l'approbation des Superieurs de leur Compagnie, par judicious observations of Nicole, who, under the fic un Docteur de Sorbonne. The author was Perrault, titious name of Guillaume Wenderock, fully demon- (son of Charles Perrault, who began the famous constrated the truth of those facts which Pascal had troversy in France concerning the respective merits of advanced without quoting his authorities, and placed, the ancients and moderns,) and his book met with the in a full and striking light, several interesting cir- some fate with the Provinciales of Pascal: for it was cumstances which that great man had treated with, burned at Paris in 1670, at the request of the Jesuperhaps, too much brevity. These letters, which did its. See the Opuscules du Pere Daniel, t. i. p. 356. the Jesuits more real mischief than either the in-Nor indeed is it at all surprising, that the Jesuits dignation of sovereign princes, or any other cala- exerted all their zeal against this compilation, which mity that had heretofore fallen upon their order, exhibited, in one shocking point of view, all that were translated into Latin by Rachelius. On the had been complained of and censured in their maxother hand, the sons of Loyola, sensibly affected and ims and institutions, and unfolded the whole mystealarmed by this formidable attack upon their repury of their iniquity. tation, left no means unemployed to defend themselves against such a respectable adversary. They sent forth their ablest champions to defend their cause, or, at least, to cover them from shame: among which champions the subtle and eloquent Father Daniel, the celebrated author of the History of France, shone forth with a superior lustre; and, as if they thought it unsafe to trust to the powers of argument, and the force of evidence alone, they applied themselves for help to the secular arm, and had credit enough to obtain a sentence, condemning the Provinciales to be burned publicly at Paris. See Daniel's Opuscules, vol. i. p. 363. This author, how ever, acknowledges that the greatest part of the answers which the Jesuits opposed to the performance of Pascal were weak and unsatisfactory. Certain it is, that (whether it was owing to the strength of argument, or to the elegant wit and humour that reigned in them,) the Provincial Letters lost not the smallest portion of their credit and reputation by all the answers that were made to them, but continued to pass through a great number of editions, which could scarcely be printed off with rapidity sufficient to satisfy the desires of the public.

It has also been laid to the charge of the Jesuits, that they reduced their pernicious maxims to prac tice, especially in the remoter parts of the world. Arnauld, and some of his Jansenist brethren, ably endeavoured to support this charge in that laborious and celebrated work, entitled La Morale Pratique des Jesuites. In this important work, a multitude of authentic relations, documents, facts, and testimonjes, are employed to demonstrate the criminal conduct and practices of the Jesuits. For an ample account of the Jesuitical doctrine concerning philosophical sin, and the dissensions and controversies it occasioned, see Jacobi Hyacinthi Serry.* Addenda ad Histor. Congregationum de Auxiliis, p. 82; as also his Auctarium, p. 289.

*There is a concise and accurate account of the contests and divisions, to which the morality of the Jesuits gave rise in France and in other countries, in a work, entitled, Catechisme Historique et Dogmatique sur les Contestations qui divisent maintenant l'Eglise, published in 1730. See tom. ii. p. 26.It is very remarkable, that the two bulls of Alexander VII. and VIII. against the Jesuits are not to be found in the Bullarium Pontificum; but the JansenAnother severe attack was made upon the Jesuits, ists and Dominicans, who are careful in perpetuain a book inferior to Pascal's work in point of witting whatever may tend to the dishonour of the Jeand genteel pleasantry, but superior to it in point of suits, have preserved them industriously from obevidence, since it abounds with passages and testi- livion. monies, which are drawn from the most applauded writings of the Jesuits, and demonstrate fully the This is a fictitious name; the true name of corruption and enormity of the moral rules and the author of the Addenda was Augustin Le Blanc.