him in that day when they shall be judged. You can do much for their salvation, but you can do yet more for their perdition; for in proportion to the reluctance with which men draw near to the straight gate, is the eagerness with which they precipitate themselves towards the other, if you are so unhappy as to open it a little." In spite of all that we have said in explanation, if not in excuse of Bourdaloue's conduct,—it is difficult to conceive how he could pay so little attention to this letter, as to venture, after two years only,-upon the repetition of a composition which had drawn upon him such condemnation. However this may be, we have seen how rapid and sincere was the awakening of his conscience in Claude's presence. these gentlemen I knew, and the author of the letter declared himself to be unknown to me. I was assured that there was Port-Royal in it; if I had thought of Monsieur de Fénélon,— whom I had in effect never seen, but whom I knew by reputation, I should probably have fixed upon him. But the idea did not strike me. Two or three expressions made me almost suspect a Protestant hand; others counteracted these, that of mortal sin, for instance, which I know that you do not allow—” "I put it on purpose." "Why?" "I did not wish that you should suspect with whom you were dealing." "Ah! perhaps I should have better heeded you !" "A Protestant !" "A Christian." "There is a word, my brother, which is worth your finest sermon. "But that is not all," resumed Bourdaloue. "Do you know why Monsieur de Condom-" "Monsieur Bossuet?" “Monsieur Bossuet, I mean. You are particular as to this name? "Well,-yes. I do not recollect to have seen that Saint Paul had himself called Monsieur of Antioch, and still less Saint Peter -Monsieur of Rome-"* second time for having given battle against the orders of his general, the Marshal de Créquy. * Still less. Claude doubtless alludes to the impossibility of establishing historically, not only that St. Peter was bishop of Rome, but even that he was ever there. Tradition fixes his death in 66, the same year with that of St. Paul. Now the book of Acts mentions him, without interruption, as being either at Jerusalem, Cesarea or Antioch, until 52. From that time, we lose sight of him; but in 58 or 59, St. Paul writes his epistle to the Romans. In the whole of this long letter, there is not a word of St. Peter, and at the end, when the author names and salutes as many CHAPTER XIV. CLAUDE ALONE WITH BOURDALOUE.-THE LATTER ACKNOWLEDGES HIMSELF WRONG, AND REQUESTS CLAUDE'S ASSISTANCE IN HIS SERMON.-READS IT TO CLAUDE. THE LATTER BEGINS TO DICTATE A PERORATION. WHEN Bossuet and the Fénélons had reached the bottom of the staircase, they perceived, not without astonishment, that the minister had not accompanied them. Yet they had seen him rise, take his hat, and direct his steps towards the door like themselves. They had not, however, perceived, that Bourdaloue had taken him by the arm, saying in a low tone, "Remain." Then returning after conducting his visitors out, he said: "We are alone; I have need of it.-Yes, I remember this letter. I have kept it-here it is-" And he took it out of a drawer. "There it is-I should have done better to burn it and obey it, than to keep it without paying any regard to it.-Yes, that is it.-'Do not seek to discover who I am-' I remember, however, that I sought much to discover; I made a thousand guesses; but the letter itself overturned them one after the other. I thought of a number of persons at court, of Monsieur de Montausier, of the Marshal de Bellefonds,*-of some others; but * Friend of Bossuet, and of the Duke de Montausier. The independence of his character was not at all times equally praiseworthy, for he was once disgraced for having refused to serve under Turenne, and the these gentlemen I knew, and the author of the letter declared himself to be unknown to me. I was assured that there was Port-Royal in it; if I had thought of Monsieur de Fénélon,— whom I had in effect never seen, but whom I knew by reputation, I should probably have fixed upon him. But the idea did not strike me. Two or three expressions made me almost suspect a Protestant hand; others counteracted these, that of mortal sin, for instance, which I know that you do not allow-" "I put it on purpose." "Why?" "I did not wish that you should suspect with whom you were dealing." "Ah! perhaps I should have better heeded you !" "A Protestant !" "A Christian." "There is a word, my brother, which is worth your finest sermon." "But that is not all," resumed Bourdaloue. why Monsieur de Condom-" "Monsieur Bossuet?" 66 Do you know “Monsieur Bossuet, I mean. You are particular as to this name? "Well, yes. I do not recollect to have seen that Saint Paul had himself called Monsieur of Antioch, and still less Saint Peter -Monsieur of Rome- 99* second time for having given battle against the orders of his general, the Marshal de Créquy. * Still less. Claude doubtless alludes to the impossibility of establishing historically, not only that St. Peter was bishop of Rome, but even that he was ever there. Tradition fixes his death in 66, the same year with that of St. Paul. Now the book of Acts mentions him, without interruption, as being either at Jerusalem, Cesarea or Antioch, until 52. From that time, we lose sight of him; but in 58 or 59, St. Paul writes his epistle to the Romans. In the whole of this long letter, there is not a word of St. Peter, and at the end, when the author names and salutes as many |