In the most flourishing period of the reign of Louis XIV. two African
youths, the sons of a prince, being brought to the court of France,
the king appointed a Jesuit to instruct them in letters and in the
Christian religion; and gave to each of them a commission in his
guards. The elder, who was remarkable for candor and ingenuousness,
made great improvement, more particularly in the doctrines of religion.
A brutal officer, upon some dispute, insulted him with a blow. The
gallant youth never so much as offered to resent it. A person who was
his friend took an opportunity to talk with him that evening alone
upon his behavior, which he told him was too tame, especially in a
soldier. "Is there then," said the young African, "one revelation for
soldiers, and another for merchants and gownsmen? The good father to
whom I owe all my knowledge, has earnestly inculcated in me forgiveness
of injuries; assuring me that a Christian was by no means to retaliate
abuses of any kind."
"The good father," replied his friend, "may fit you for a monastery,
by his lessons, but never for the army and the rules of a court. In a
word," continued he, "if you do not call the colonel to an account, you
will be branded with the infamy of cowardice, and have your commission
taken from you." "I would fain," said the young man, "act consistently
in every thing; but since you press me with that regard to my honor
which you have always shown, I will wipe off so foul a stain; though I
must own I gloried in it before."
Immediately upon this, he desired his friend to go from him and appoint
the aggressor to meet him early in the morning. Accordingly, they met
and fought, and the brave African youth disarmed his adversary, and
forced him to ask his pardon publicly. This done, the next day he threw
up his commission, and desired the king's leave to return to his father.
At parting, he embraced his brother and his friends, with tears in his
eyes, saying that he had not imagined Christians to be so unaccountable
a people; that he could not apprehend their faith could be of any use
to them, if it did not influence their practice; and that, in his
country, they thought it no dishonor to act according to the principles
of their religion.