1651-1715.
1651. Birth of François de Salignac de la Mothe Fénélon 329
His charitable and devout heart 329
His Father the Count de Fénélon 329
His Mother of an illustrious Family 329
His early Acquaintance with Greek and Latin Literature, and
Powers of Composition 330
1669. Ætat. 18. The Abbé de Fénélon takes his Degree in the
University of Cahors 331
Visits his Uncle, the Marquis de Fénélon, at Paris 331
1670. Ætat. 19. His Success in Preaching 331
1675. Ætat. 24. His Zeal in Ministerial Duties 332
Wishes to go as Missionary to Canada 332
His religious fervour 333
Louis XIV. commissions him to preach to the Huguenots in
Poitou 332
Fame of Bossuet, then Bishop of Condom 334
Le Père Bourdaloue surpasses in eloquent Discourses his Master
Bossuet 334
Bossuet, Governor of the Dauphin, writes his "Discours sur
l'Histoire Universelle" 334
Fénélon "on Female Education" 335
1689. Ætat. 38. Duke de Beauvilliers appoints Fénélon a Preceptor to
the Grandsons of Louis XIV. 336
Celebrated Men employed as Preceptors to the Princes 336
Fénélon appointed Archbishop of Cambrai 339
Controversial Spirit of the Age 339
Affair of Madame Guyon's Visions and Mysticism 340
Bossuet and other Divines commissioned to inquire into her
Doctrines 343
Bossuet, now Bishop of Meaux, writes the "Instruction sur les
États de l'Oraison," and desires Fénélon's Approval thereof 343
The Archbishop of Cambrai refuses, and writes his "Explication
des Maximes des Saints sur la Vie Intérieure" 344
The Controversy of the Two celebrated Divines has an unfortunate
Result in the Division of the Gallican Church on the
Doctrines in question 345
Louis XIV. prejudiced against Fénélon 345
Madame de Maintenon's Coldness to him 345
1697. Ætat. 46. Fénélon exiled to his See 346
The Dispute between MM. de Meaux and Cambrai referred to
Rome 347
Innocent XII. appoints a Commission, and calls upon those Prelates
for a formal Statement of their Opinions 348
Louis XIV. erases the Name of Fénélon from the List of Preceptors
to the Princes 349
Calmness and Charitable Sentiments of Fénélon under the indignities
offered him 349
1699. Ætat. 48. The Pope's Brief condemning the "Maximes des
Saints" of Fénélon 352
Exemplary Obedience of Fénélon, and his Pastoral Letter on the
Occasion 353
The Brief against him is registered, and Bossuet draws up a
Report 355
1714. Death of Bossuet, without any Reconciliation with Fénélon 356
"Télémaque" 337, 356
Admirable Deportment of Fénélon in the See of Cambrai 357
His Sermons 358
His Seminary for the Instruction of the younger Clergy 358, 360
His Doctrine 360
Fénélon an Opponent of Jansenism 362
He explains the Mistakes of Pascal in the "Provincial Letters" 362
The Campaigns in Flanders 362
The Duke of Burgundy obtains Louis's permission to visit the
Archbishop of Cambrai 364
Famine the Result of War 365
1709. Ætat. 58. Fénélon's active Charity to the Soldiery and the
People 365
1711. The Death of the Dauphin overwhelms Fénélon with grief as a
national Misfortune 360
Death of Fénélon's chief Friends 366
1713. Louis XIV. relents as to this admirable Prelate 366
1715. Death of Fénélon 367
Demise of Louis XIV. 368
Person, Manners, and Talent of de la Mothe Fénélon 368
His Character given by Sir----Ramsay and other Writers 369
Eloge of Fénélon by d'Alembert 369
Criticism on "Télémaque" 372