346 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC HEN.

Louis XIV . angrily denounced all the adherents ofmadame Guyon; he upheld Bossuet in demanding aformal retractation of the doctrines inculcated in theMaxims of the Saints; he refused to permit Fenelon to repair to Rome ; his work having been referred tothe pope, for a decision on it; but at once exiled him;that is, ordered him to repair immediately to his dio-cese, and there to remain. Fenelon wrote to madamede Maintenon , to deplore the king’s displeasure ; anddeclared his readiness to submit to the decision of theholy see with regard to his book. He then quittedParis : he stopped before the seminary of St. Sulpice,where the years of his early manhood had been spentin seclusion and peace; but he would not enter thehouse, lest the king should manifest displeasure towardsits inhabitants for receiving him. From Paris heproceeded at once to Cambray.

1697. Although we may pronounce Fenelon ’s principles toi£tat. be erroneous, his conduct was in every respect virtuousand laudable. Circumstances had engaged him in thedispute, and he believed that neither honour nor con-science permitted him to yield. As a bishop, it de-rogated from his dignity to receive the law from hisequals in rank. He esteemed madame Guyon ; shewas unfortunate and calumniated; and he felt that itwould be treacherous to abandon her, and much moreso to ally himself to her enemies. He founded bisopinion and conduct on the writings and actions of saintsand holy men, and believed himself to be in the right.No personal interest could bend him ; on the contrary,delicacy of feeling and zeal caused his attachment to hiscause to redouble in persecution ; while at the same timehe was firm in his resolution to abandon it, if condemnedby the church, his first principle being obedience to theholy see ; looking upon that as the corner stone of theRoman catholic religion. His exile found him firm andresigned. The duke of Burgundy was more to bepitied: he threw himself at the king's feet, offering tojustify his preceptor, and answering for the principles of