NOTES.

NOTE 1.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES was a native of the diocese of Geneva. He was born in 1567, at the Chateau de Sales. The Count de Sales, his father, intended him for the law, in which his talent soon procured him distinction. The early and deep piety of Francis soon led him to entertain other views. At the early age of eighteen he solemnly dedicated himself to the service of God, and determined to renounce all secular pursuits. He relinquished his title in favour of his brother; and entered himself into the church. His fervent piety soon rendered him conspicuous. He was appointed to a laborious mission amongst the Calvinists and Zuinglians. They chiefly inhabited the region immediately surrounding the Alps. The hardships which St. Francis underwent in this undertaking, were prodigious. His escapes at times appeared almost miraculous. The success with which these missions were crowned, was almost unexampled. He is said, in the short space of twelve years, to have been instrumental in proselyting seventy thousand persons.

St. Francis de Sales was nominated Bishop and Prince of Geneva, in 1602. The piety of men of equally deep religion often assumes distinct characters, according to the peculiar service they are designed by God to render the church. St. Francis de Sales holds one of the first ranks amongst enlightened mystics. The deep piety and spirituality which breathes throughout his works, is said by some, to have formed the early taste of Fénélon. It is certain that the archbishop of Cambray was a great admirer of his writings. It forms a singular coincidence, that he was not only named after St. Francis, but bore so striking a resemblance, in every part of his character, to the bishop of Geneva.

St. Francis de Sales, at the express desire of the Duke of Savoy, had a long interview with Theodore Beza. They parted with mutual esteem; but neither convinced the other.

St. Francis had formed a peculiar friendship with the Baroness de Chantal, a lady of deep piety, who had placed herself under his direction.

In 1610, he instituted a new religious society, entitled The Order of the Visitation. He placed his friend Madame de Chantal at the head of it.

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St. Francis was universally beloved and respected. Cardinal Perron was used to say of him, My arguments indeed convince heretics; but his example alone converts them." This observation is similar to that which the Queen of Poland afterwards made on Bossuet and Fénélon. "Bossuet," said she," convinces us of the truth of Christianity; but Fénélon makes us love it."

The Princess Christina of France once presented the bishop with a very valuable diamond ring. She requested him to wear it as a testimony of her esteem. Above all, she desired him never to part with it. Not," said he, "unless the poor should want it."

One day, his steward informed him that he had just gained a very important law-suit. It had been instituted to recover the revenues of the bishopric, which some persons in the diocese had unjustly and fraudulently seized upon.

The steward told him, he was about to make them refund to the utmost farthing; the sum being very considerable. Faithfulness, returned St. Francis, obliged me to begin a law-suit, which involved the rights of my successor Christian love obliges me to remit the demand, for the pleasure of winning the hearts this contest may have estranged.

He died 1622, after having led the life of an Irenæus, or a Polycarp.

His works have been the favorite companions of Christians of all denominations. The most celebrated are, Traité de l'Amour de Dieu, 3 vols. in 12mo. well abridged in one, by Tricalet. Lettres Spirituelles, 2 vols. folio. Solide et Vraie Piété, I vol. 12mo. His life is written by several authors. That by the Abbé Morsollier (2 vols. in 12mo.), is most esteemed. It is well worth the perusal. The abridgment of his Esprit (one thick vol. in 12mo.) is also much valued. It is a scarce work, and is more esteemed than the original, which was written by his friend Camus, Bishop of

Bellay. This work in 6 vols. 8vo. is wearisome, fron

The life of Madame de

its tedious and minute details. Chantal is also very interesting. It is an almost indispensable accompaniment to that of St. Francis. It is likewise written by the Abbé Marsollier, in 2 vols.. 12mo. Several other accounts of Madame de Chantal are indeed published, but this is the best.

GRANDE CHARTREUSE.

THE Grande Chartreuse was burnt down a very few years after the date of Lancelot's visit there. It was however soon rebuilt.

The popular legend of Raymond Diocres seems to require some animadversion. First published by Gerson, it was in the middle ages currently received as a fact. It has been since immortalized by the pencil of Le Sueur, in his set of paintings for the Chartreuse. It was necessary to mention the story therefore; although now generally abandoned as a legend. May it not, however, be, that modern incredulity is as much mistaken in wholly rejecting, as ancient superstition was in unreservedly admitting this story. It is well known that complaints, producing sudden seizures, were not so well understood then, as they have been since. The symptoms too of death were not so infallibly ascertained. It is also known that the customs, both of almost immediate interment, and of exposing the body in open

coffins, or biers, were formerly very prevalent. These circumstances being combined, may it not be possible, that Raymond was really seized with some sort of fit, and that he might have been supposed dead? Might not the strong stimuli of lights and powerful music, have roused him from his lethargy? If so, it does not appear impossible that an evil conscience, and the horror of his situation might have extorted some exclamation, which the tradition of a few centuries has since manufactured into the legend related by Gerson. This, however, is offered as a mere conjecture. Possibly the

whole incident may be altogether fabulous.

It appears truly wonderful that so absurd a legend should have been received, with an unqualified assent, near our own times. Peter Poiret does not scruple, in his life of Antoinetta Bourignon, to blame the Port Royal writers for having called in question its authenticity.

-BISHOP OF ALÊT.

NICHOLAS PAVILLON, Bishop of Alêt (otherwise Alais or Aleth) died in disgrace in 1677. The court never forgave him for refusing his assent to the persecutions of the Jansenists. There are memoirs of his life in 3 vols. in 12mo. They are well calculated for edification. The Bishop of Aleth was uncle to Ettienne Pavillon, the poet.