to continue in sin; whilst on the other hand, it skilfully maintained those appearances of sanctity, which would save their reputation with the truly pious. Such was the origin of that famous system of casuistic divinity, which was afterwards so fully exposed, and so ably refuted in Pascal's inimitable Lettres Provinciales.* Almost all the best writers amongst the Jesuits, were at this time engaged in defending the subtilties of casuistic divinity. It was perceived that their works were rather distinguished for elaborate sophistry, than for solid and valuable truths. Nay, in some of them, it was but too obvious, that the main object of the writer was to sanction immorality, and to disarm even natural conscience of its sting. The disciples of St. Augustin exposed these fallacies. The society of Jesuits had been sufficiently distin

* The reader is referred to the edition of Lettres Provinciales with Wendrock's notes, especially Lettre 5, sur la Probabilité; Lettre 6, Artifices pour eluder les Conciles; Lettre 7, sur la Methode de diriger l'Intention; Lettres sur l'Homicide, 13 et 14.

guished for men both of exalted piety and profound learning. It is then to be regretted, that the whole body thought themselves involved by the just censure of a few unworthy individuals.

Another cause likewise is mentioned as having greatly contributed to incense the Jesuits against the reputed Jansenists.

There were many persons of rank and fortune amongst M. de St. Cyran's friends. Several of them had numerous families. They consulted with M. de St. Cyran respecting their education. They wished to unite a liberal and extensive plan of instruction, with an enlightened piety, and well-grounded Christian education. They were desirous to combine that public education, which would capacitate them for an enlarged sphere of patriotic usefulness; with those guarded and strict habits, which might preserve an uncontaminated innocence of mind.

A number of little schools were immediately instituted under M. de St. Cyran's inspection. A vast and luminous system

of instruction was digested. Men of the first piety and learning were invited to accept the office of instructors. Nicole, Lancelot, and Fontaine, taught in these seminaries. The great Arnauld and Saci employed their pens in their service. These schools were under the direction of Port Royal. The Port Royal Greek and Latin grammars, the Greek primitives, and the elements of logic and geometry soon made their appearance. In a short time they were not only to be found in every school in France, but they were diffused throughout all Europe.

The reputation of these schools very soon engrossed the public esteem. The seminaries of the Jesuits had long enjoyed a deserved celebrity. On them hitherto had almost exclusively devolved the education of the higher classes. They now felt considerable mortification at seeing themselves rivalled, if not far excelled, by the recent establishments of Port Royal.

With so many grounds of dislike, it is scarcely to be wondered at, that the Jesuits

felt piqued; and that they were little disposed to think well of their rivals. Even a truly pious individual would find a large portion of grace necessary to preserve Christian love under such circumstances, A body of men may profess orthodox principles, but it can never be expected that the majority should be actuated by unmixed evangelical tempers. A few deeply religious individuals may be found in perhaps all professing societies; but even as it respects them, the temptation will be found strong, where party spirit solicits, under the disguise of unfeigned love of our own brethren. Hence even the best men may be expected to act more consistently when they act singly, than collectively.

The Jesuits exerted every effort first to get the work of Jansenius suppressed, and afterwards to quash the little company of his disciples. The friends of M. de St. Cyran had with his virtues, imbibed his peculiar opinions, Whilst they steadily maintained the grand doctrines of the Gospel, they were also strenuous advocates for

the system of grace. They published in defence of the work of Jansenius. The Jesuits as vehemently renewed the attack. At length they appealed to Rome, hoping finally to crush a system, which has always had some of the most pious persons on its side; and which, in this instance, had the most learned and the most spiritual body of men then extant, among its professors.

Such was the beginning of an unfortunate contest, which in its progress levelled Port Royal with the ground. Nor did those who aimed the blow, themselves escape its recoil. Port Royal indeed was annihilated; but the tide of public opinion was turned against its cruel and relentless oppressors. They had calumniated the reputed Jansenists. But those calumnies had provoked the "Lettres Provinciales," which rendered them at once the object of ridicule and contempt to Europe. They had successfully wielded the arm of secular and ecclesiastical authority to the destruction of the Port Royalists. But they were recompensed with that abhorrence and execra