180 - BOSSUET (Jacques-Bénigne), 1627–1704.

BOSSUET (Jacques-Bénigne), 1627–1704. L.A., Paris, June 17, 1697, 4 pp., in-8, addressed to his nephew, Abbé Bossuet, in Rome (according to the attached old note by Mr. Loliée). An important confidential and partly coded letter concerning the controversy between him and Fénelon: “I have received the letter from M. de C [Cambrai] that you sent me [...] He will send his translated book, *La Tradition*, and above all his explanations of his doctrine. He is hiding everything from us here as much as he can; but you can be certain that his explanations will be neither sound in themselves nor consistent with his book. We will send our report to the King, and Mr. de C. has conveyed to him our joint opinion, which was that this book was filled from beginning to end […] with errors regarding the subject of veiled quietism, such that it could neither be upheld nor corrected. […] Thus far, he persists in refusing to abandon his book and stubbornly refuses to confer with us in person. We have allowed ourselves another eight days to make our final assessments, and if we cannot bring him to his senses, we will write to Rome without hesitation […] We will need to include in our [?] Mr. de Chartres [Paul Godet des Marais, one of the spiritual directors of the Royal House of Saint-Louis at Saint-Cyr, close to Madame de Maintenon] […] even if the doctrine of his explanations were sound, if it does not conform to the book, we will remain firm in pursuing the condemnation because we clearly see that as long as the book remains, Quietism will continue to be held in high regard […]"" He goes on to give news of M. d’Orléans, who is suffering from a cold; the rest of the letter is written entirely in cipher and concludes with a reminder not to forget M. de Metz. The work in question is Fénelon’s *L’Explication des maximes des Saints* (The Explanation of the Maxims of the Saints), which is discussed in this letter, marking the beginning of a long theological struggle that would end with the submission of the Archbishop of Cambrai. Enclosed are two engraved portraits of Bossuet and Boileau. Also enclosed, from the same author: - a letter “J. Benigne de Meaux,” Meaux, December 13, 1693, 4 pp., small quarto in brown ink, addressed to a reverend father, regarding the selection of one of his collaborators in the Diocese of Meaux to replace Esprit-Jacques Eschassereau, who had died earlier that year. He praises the merits of Canon Riveroles (or Riverolles): “There are many things in his favor: we are accustomed to one another; he is a man of wit; he speaks and teaches well; he is steadfast in his conduct and capable of commanding obedience […] "" The only thing causing him to hesitate in entrusting the position to him is the reservation expressed about Riveroles by Eschassereau (spelled Chassereau in the letter) himself before his mother, who did not consider him worthy of succeeding him. Accompanied by his former certificate of export for cultural property issued by the Ministry of Culture. - a manuscript with handwritten corrections on 2 folio pages in brown ink, paginated 49–50 (followed by two blank pages paginated 67–68), initialed “JB,” a commentary on Father Richard Simon’s views on the baptism of children. Accompanied by its original cultural property export certificate from the Ministry of Culture.