New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-12


The Archbishop Of Combrai was a man who
combined in himself many qualities seemingly
antagonistc NJ Paul Janet says OF him
Ancient and modern Christian and Pagan.
mystic and politician, aIabc and aristocra'c'
gentle and Obstinate simple and crafty, cnchant-
ing the eighteenth century as he had enchah'"'
the seventeenth, crcdulous as a cliid ana au-
dacious a Spinoza Fcnelon is ono of the most
original figures the Roman CathOhc Nhurch H''
produced" The singular reunion IN h'm I'll "P
poste faculties and tendencies, However, cannot
he said to have produced very satisfactory results
and despite the brilliarcy Of his career III many
respects. il is impossible not 70 feel tha' 'lc
stranceness of the combination intcrlered SERIOUSLY
with his usefulness Indeed to realize clearly
what he was and did it is necessary constantly
10 bear i'll mind the age in which ne hNeu' anu
70 comnare his standards with those Of the ma
jority of his contemporaries The irst point u
be noted is that lie was in most respects in adj
vance Of his age This was shown clearly enough
in his lrst literary production; the essay on the
education of gifls
The prevailing practice Of his time might have
been epitomizcd after "Punchs" fashion, thus.
How 10 ednclte girls Don't" Women were
thought deserving of no other training than would
6t them 10 become submissive and ireXacting
wives Their minds were suffered 10 lie fal0w
One result of this was that If they were naturally
bright they worked ont careers for themselves
Eitl&r they became precicnses, ana borcd
their friends by spreading a very thin veneer Oh
knowledge over wide surface, or they fell INTO
more serious mischief in other ways NOW
Fenelon boldly took up his parable against the
practice of his time, and advocated q compnia-
lively broad education for girls. 1t cannot be
said that his arguments had mich effect The
idea was new and venerable prejudice was OPP
posed to H. At least, however, it made people
think and so helped TO prepare the way for hetter
things But il gives a good idea OF the moueIhtS
of the young priests views TO be told ny VI.
Janet that in many specific points this man of
the seventeenth century anticipated Fourier, VINO
WAS himself too advanced for the nineteenth. 1t
was owing 10 his discourse on the education of
girls that Louis XIV chose Fenelon to be preceptor
of tie young Duke of Burgundy post of great
responsibility and high honor.
His present bographer, indeed. is OF opinion that
Fenelon overdid his part in this case. The
Duke of Burgundy as child and youth showed a
very high and unruy spirit Nobody had Deen
able TO control him until Fenelon came. lie was
a good deal of cub, and even made people afrald
with his frequent Outbnrsts of temper anu DIS
arrogant self-wl Fcnelon tanned and reformed
him completely, and made Of him courteous gem
tlcman and gracious prince. But III bringing
about this transformation the preceptor somehow
injured and weakened his spirit, and in after
wears he exhibited lack Of boldness and hesita-
ton. which, had he lived TO mount the THRONE
might have proved grave obstacles to his success as
ruler. 1t was entirely by moral suasion Una.
Fenelon proceeded. and he displayed wohderlui
address in this business nor Is II easy 70 uii'er
s.and how the methods which he employed could
e.,
n,,co subsequently in his pupils character 1t
wos fortunate for him that he was made Arch
bishop Of Cambria at this time. for the promotion
,vonh nrobably have been withheld had 1t not
boon accorded before the affair of Madame Guyon'
The story of this episode naturally occupies
nrominent place in NJ Janet's biography, ana ne
has treated il with all the lucidity ofwhic9. per-
hams il is susceptible But mysticism in any OF It's
rhoses IL ALWAYS exceedingly difficult so TO discuss
,bat il may not appear madness; and the case Oh
Madame Guyon is Of a kind 10 cause "onuef az
Let omono average readers. at tie momehtous
na,uro ~ the consequences. Those who have
studied the subject do not need to Ire told that the
hoort If thc question was what in ecclesiastlcal
tcrminolorv has been called Contemplation NOW
from this source sprang various dehca't anu W
perous SPECULATION. Between Contemplate" anu
Tos,ocv were several stages Of sefabsorptioh con-
which
Oro however which the Church could by no posi-
bility approve. was in line with theofS MI" ~
certai, Perfectionists Of the present century ~
ms 70 tho effect that whoever had gone through
oartoiu nsvchical experiences had gained state OF
soncttv in which it was no longer possible 10 COM
mi, r,en,a, sin The body therefore might per-
cctratc crimes OF any kind, and no responsibility
,vo,Id he incurred The mere announcement OF
such doctrine condemned IT, and it was hela by
many that Madame GuyOn in some OF her wrinnes
had cnunciatcd the demoralizing doctrine inns
sbo dcnied and q committee OF experts 70 WHICH
ber works were Submitted. acquitted Aer' Du'
Fopelon,s great colleague, Bossuet. was not GEAR
that she was guilty and just here Feneions myS
tjc af,inities put him in the opposite at'i'nde.
1be fierce and protractcd quarrel whlch loi-
lowed between the two prelates is gooS liiuS'ia-
tion of the truth Of the remark that men never
contend so fiercely as when they are uiscus'ins
81 Question which neither OF them compic"cnu''
Mysticism is an ideal subject Tor coh'foNei'J' 0'
all controversy about it resembles dispute be
...oo, noone who jnhabit worlds Of differing di-
mcnsors The Catholic Church has indeed definitely
anconted some mystical doctrines, such those Of
G, Torosa and St Francis de Sales, and this eS-
,ahlishes a kind of limit TO disputes but there
rcma;ns ample ground and verge enough for con-
troversv and the battle Of books between Bossuct
and Fcnclon sufficiently proves THIS. Inc ngho
went OIL with varying fortunes uhui Inc gun
King. who had espoused the side OF bossue' anu
was minded to crush Fenelon, got the case trans
ferred 10 Rome There the Archbishop OF
Cambria would have been safe, for the Pope ANA
most Of the Cardinals favored him, had not LOUIS
written TO the Pope in so mcnacing and bullying
a tone that the Court of the Vatican was literally
frightened into giving decision from which 1t
reyoltcd Fenelon was eyied from Paris and
Versailles and and condemned to live in his
diocese. and the remainder of his life was passed
at his palace in Cambria.
NJ Janet of course has the inevitable chapter
rror .Te,emaouen and while awarding that