nephew. His uncle, who first brought him forward in Paris, left a
daughter, who married a brother of Fénélon by his father's first
marriage. The marquis in question was the grandson of this pair. He was
brought up at Cambray by his great uncle. The most affectionate and
intimate of Fénélon's letters are addressed to him. He was appointed
ambassador to Holland, and second plenipotentiary under cardinal Fleury
at the congress of Soissons. He was killed at the battle of Raucoux,
October 11. 1746. Voltaire knew him well, and says on this occasion,
"The only general officer France lost in this battle was the marquis de
Fénélon, nephew of the immortal archbishop of Cambray. He had been
brought up by him, and had all his virtue with a very different
character. Twenty years employed in the embassy to Holland had not
extinguished a fire and rash valour, which cost him his life. Having
been formerly wounded in the foot, and scarcely able to walk, he
penetrated the enemy's entrenchments on horseback. He sought death, and
he found it. His extreme devotion augmented his intrepidity. He believed
that to die for his king was the act most agreeable to God. We must
confess that an army composed of men entertaining this sentiment would
be invincible."]
[Footnote 117: Fénélon a caractérisé lui-même en peu de mots cette
simplicité qui le rendoit si cher à tous les cœurs. 'La
simplicité,' disoit-il, 'est la droiture d'une ame qui s'interdit tout
retour sur elle et sur ses actions. Cette vertu est différent de la
sincérité, et la surpasse. On voit beaucoup de gens qui sont sincères
sans être simples. Ils ne veulent passer que pour ce qu'ils sont, mais
ils craignent sans cesse de passer pour ce qu'ils ne sont pas. L'homme
simple n'affecte ni la vertu, ni la vérité même; il n'est jamais
occupé de lui, il semble avoir perdu ce moi dont on est si jaloux.'
Dans ce portrait Fénélon se peignoit lui-même sans le vouloir. Il
étoit bien mieux que modeste, car il ne songeoit pas même à l'être;
il lui suffisoit pour être aimé de se montrer tel qu'il étoit, et on
pouvoit lui dire:
L'art n'est pas fait pour toi, tu n'en a pas besoin.
--_Éloge de Fénélon, par D'Alembert._]
[Footnote 118: There is reason to think that the principles to which
Ramsay alludes, regarded government. Bent upon destroying the power of
the church, then at its height, Voltaire and the philosophers of that
day regarded monarchical power with an eye of favour. Fénélon had much
more enlightened opinions. "Every wise prince," he said, "ought to
desire to be only an executor of the laws, and to have a supreme council
to moderate his authority." D'Alembert's remarks on this expression,
show how totally he misapprehended its true meaning. Fénélon had
conversed with Ramsay and other Englishmen; he knew the uses of a
constitution; he was fully aware of the benefit a nation derived, when
the legislative power was above the executive.]
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.