The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-02
SOME e BOOKS.


Messrs. T.. p. Dutton 4 Co. have published
a life of Francois de Ftneion, by Viscouht
81. CYREs, lately student and lecturer OF
Christ Church, oxford. IL seems TO nave
been reserved for an Englishinan TO write
an impartial and a discriminating piogra-
phy OF one who has at divers times been
portrayed az a saint, OF a philanthropls''
ar n typioal and enlightened priest blessing
an oniirhtened despotism. or the champion
=; n progressive Papacy at war with IND
~uI Kings and Bishops, and recently III the
~ritinos of NJ. Brunetiere and NJ. Crousle.
a.. m sIi5ty. womanish malcontent, unfa-
vorably contrasted with the frank and
manly Bossuet. The author OF this book
IL convinced that while there is some truth
In each OF these views. none OF them con-
tains the whole truth, which IL Is his aim
10 act forth. In these pages Fenelon APP
pcars principally as the father OF eigh-
teenth century sentimentalism. and also
ms an upholder Of seventeenth century ra-
tionalism, and, at the same time, OF the
most stoical OF mysticisms. In pursuance
of these themes the author has occasion TO
discuss Fenelon's relation 10 the jan
senists and the Papacy, 20 the philosophy
Of Malebranche and the classical school OF
literature. OF course Lord st. Cyres docs
not overlook the most familiar aspects OF
his subject, who is best remembered as the
preceptor of the heir 20 the throne OF Louis
XIV. and as the composer Of -~Telemaque.
Nor can he, as q biographer, help being
also an historian OF the times. seeing that the
conspicuous part Of Fenelon's life coin
cided almost exactly with the second, the
the most ~eventful and the most disastrous
half OF the reign of Louis XIV.
T.
Francois dc Salignac de Ia Mothe Fene-
lon was born at the Castle OF Fenclon IN
Perigord, on the 9Th Of August. 1851. He
sprang from n Younger branch OF a house
which the e~xacting st. Simon recognized
az one Of good and ancient nobility. IL Is
noteworthy that one Of the child's ances-
tors, Bertrand de Feueloa, though a fervent
Catholic, refused TO Justify or e~xtenuate
the massacre Of st. Bartholomew, and fore
~shadowed the future literary eminence OF
his name by writing an account OF tho Ia
NOUS siege OF Metz by Charles V. in 1852,
which has become a classic OF military MS
tory. OF Fenelon's parents or OF his early
education scarcely anything is known. He
was one Of the offspring Of an elderly fathers
second marriage with a youthful wife, Mile.
81. Arhre, SISTER oil n Ctitpidtth lieutenant
of Turenne, and said to have been a pious
but somewhat careless mother. Al twelv"
wears Of age he left his fathers house 20
begin a three years residence at the neigh
boring university Of Cahors. There HI took
his degrees in arts. and as once set out FOR
Paris TO begin his preparation for tho priest
hood. His choice Of a profession was not
un,-elcome TO the relative under whose
guardianship he passed on coming to Paris.
His fathers brother. the Marquis Antoine
de Fenelon, once a soldier OF distinction. was
ending his days in an atmosphere Of austere
military piety traced out for him by the
founder Of the famous theological college OF
Saint Sulpice. Thither his nephew was trans
ferred 70 soon as he had gone through a pre-
liminar< training in philosophy at the
Col'Sce du Plcssy. At Saint Sulpice Fene-
IN spent the next ten years OF his life.
Here he laid the foundations of that union OF
Greek with Christian antiquity the results
OF which are mot with In his Dialogues On
E~loquonce and ~.Telemaque." After his
ordination he devoted himself 70 work in
the parish OF Saint Sulpicc till in 1873 he was
appointed Superior OF the New Catholics
(as the converted Protes' ants were called,
Of Paris, q position soon to become OF some
Importance. Meanwhile his relatives had
Interested themselves in his fortunes, the
Marquis de Fenelon had received him into
his house, and introduced him TO his friends;
another uncle. tho Bishop Of Sariat. had
tried to secure his election 10 the Assem-
bly, of the Clergy Of 1915 as a Proctor for
the Province Of Bordeaux. and he made over
10 him a few years later the little Deanery
Of CaTenac, a sinecure worth about GOO "A
year In modern money.
After the revocation 81 the Edict Of Nan
tes the young Superior Of the New Catho-
lics was sent In December. 1885,, az The head
Of a number 81 priests a. carry out the
work Of conversion on the west az Saintouge.
IN and abou, the famous Protestant cita-
del Of la Rochelle. The mission lasted til
July, 1890, aud was removes for a few
months In the follow ing year. Feuelou
reports the people of Saintongo a. IN a
state Of heartrending agitation, clinging
sin q state ~ efHible ob-tinacy' 90 thcir
creed. our author thinks that tLoss
ProtestAnts were happy Who Ia that evil
time fell into the hands 81 FeH,lou lie had
vast patience ana u statsznAu's sys An
excrpt dssrrterr and u-claiuAulr h]rrati's
be- troatod with a oauriuu- kindur-. AID
with a severity that frl short 81 nguf
His o-ounscls of mercy had weight vitn tHe
Government. aud l~i e. suppression Of
various abuse- thsy gained fof him tbs
snectlon e hs pnosrlytos aud stirring up
against lhm the bio II The mon rigid ,atho-
lor, saein 90 have stood la thr way Il lls
early promotion a. q L~ifhupno bower
th@la.s, our author holds that Tho salntong.
Mission. on the whole, Ia a dark pase la
tsnslon's Ne. H. pulnts oui that b. Soal.
eusy sppfovod ~ tho revocation - "a.
fdia ~ Asntos, AID liai ll.s" vas go
Foundation foI tho Lssund ~ ils talrialos
shioh $40 lnfsat.i ~ tho siEhtrruth oau-
tury ~ sas m 300 s"fis. . hauanE-f q
Liafty - ,uusrta.rr 'tin tfaEu iolsllu
At Evolutionary drama ako nrlra.s im
prssst nlus iruW ttri uonyuul ali pita.
sasiy tasalls us hsluy u,af danUs nts
s.sis he's is0n 40 ruiss a ffa4s y =
isins nsufr siiIl, ui.aEilaB tlan u.4-i
af ua risafsrtrfr - 90 ~ioinaA44r ns
tolsann b q faia Hafgaas PROTESTED a.
lsu intanf hsfu fius teal atis n hiud.
nsss tu.afd 49, Protestant tsi nhlsay