LAMENNAIS
765
LAMENNAIS
the whole foundation of which consisted of a few hu-
manitarian commonplaces, relieved here and there
with vague socialism. The Government having in
1835 caused the arrest of 121 revolutionaries in con-
nexion with certain disturbances, Lamennais con-
sented to undertake the defence of his new frientls
before the Peers. Besides some articles in the " Revue
des Deux Mondes", the " Revue du Progres" and " Le
Monde", he published a series of pamphlets, e. g. " Le
Livre du peuple" (1839), "L'Esclavage moderne"
(1839), "Discussions critiques" (1841), "Du pass(5 et
de I'avenir du peuple" (1841), " Amschaspands et
Darvands" (1843). In these writings he expounds
his views on the future of democracy or vents his rage
against society and the ])ublic authorities. One of his
works, " Le Paj's et le Gouvernement" (1840) brought
down on him a year's imprisoimient, which he served
in 1841.
Mention should here be made of his " Esquisse d'une philosophic", published from 1841 to 1846. It com- prises a treatise on meta|>hysics in which God, man, and nature are studied by the light of reason only. Many of the opinions maintained in this book remind one that it was begun when its author was a Catholic, but there are many others which betray his later evo- lution; he denies in formal terms the fall of man, the Divinity of Christ, eternal punishment, and the super- natural order. The portions of the work devoted to aesthetics are among the finest that Lamennais ever wrote, while the general tone breathes a spirit of seren- ity and calm. To this epoch, too, belongs the trans- lation of the Gospels, with anti-Christian notes and reflections. It was not the first work of piety that Lamennais had published. From 1809 he had de- voted his moments of leisure to the translation of the "Spiritual Guide" of Louis de Blois. In 1824 he published a French version of the "Imitation of Christ" with notes and reflections, more widely read than any of his works. Then came the "Guide du premier age", the "Journ<?e du Chretien", and a " Recueil de piete" (1828). To spread this pious lit- erature he had become connected with a publishing house, the failure of which led to his financial ruin.
The Revolution of 1848 brought to Lamennais a re- newal of hope and celebrity. He was elected a deputy for Paris in the Constituent and in the Legislative As- semblies. His plan of a constitution, however, met with no success, and thereafter he confined himself to silent participation in the sessions. He was not more fortunate in a newspaper, "Le Peuple eonstituant", in which he made common cause with the worst revolu- tionaries; its existence ended after four months, through failure to furnish its cnulionnement. The coup d'etat of 1851 put an end to the political career of Lamennais, who relapsed into misery and isolation. Numerous attempts were made to bring him back to religion and to repentance, but in vain. He died re- jecting all religious ministration, and after requesting that his body "be carried to the cemetery, without being presented at any church".
However regrettable his end, it does not efface the memory of Lamennais' great services to the Church of France, ^^■hen that Church lay bleeding from the blows inflicted on it by the Revolution, and intimi- dated by the insolent triumph of infidel philosophy, he consecrated to her relief, both absolute devotion and abilities of the highest order. He was the first apolo- gist to compel the attention of unbelievers in the nine- teenth century, and to force them to reckon with the Christian Faith. He was the first who dared to at- tack Gallicanism publicly in France, and prepared the way for its defeat, the crowning work of the Vatican Council. To him also belongs the honour of having inaugurated the struggle which was to issue in freedom of education (liberte d' enseUjnement) . Despite his justly blamable excesses, we must trace to him that reconciliation between Catholicism on the one hand
and popular liberty and the masses of the people on
the other, upon which Leo XIII set the final seal of ap-
probation. If a temper inijiutient of all restraint and
a pride overconfident in its own conceits deprived him
of the blessings which he was instrumental in securing
for others, this is surely no reason why the benefi-
ciaries should forget to whom they owe their happier
condition.
For the works and historical accounts of Lamennais published during his life, see Querard, Lt-.s- sui>.rrhirii-fi tittcraires dcvoi- lees (2nd ed., Paris, 1S70), col. ".In ', l i oi.sult also Lettrea inediles de J. M. etde F. de Lnin, ■. ', 1862) ; (Euvrca posthumes de Lamennais (2 vol^ . I ' i > , (Euvres ini'dites de Lamennais (2 vols., Paris, 1^'.' ' • ' ;. ',- ..s- de Lamennais (Nantes, 1886); Corresp,.nJ r: . ■, ,U- Lamennais awe le baron de Vilrolles (Paris. I --'. ,' -.. (2 vols., Paris, 1892); Leilres de Lamennais a M ■ ■ Paris. 1898); Lellres de Lamennais a Benoil ,1 .\ . I' i, , I - .-.i; Lnmennais et David Richard. Docmif i I' i I m'* : T; i vize, £s.sai bio- graphique sur Mi / < 1 m i ->i; Mercier, La- mennais (Paris, l-i. : - , / (Paris, 1892);
BouTARD, Lamm, .11 . ,, ,, ,; , : ,',,,:,,, MI (190.5-S);
Marechal, Lamtrimtis it I ictor Hui/o (i'arLs, 1906); Idem, Lamennais et Lamartine (Paris, 1907).
Antoine Degert.
II. Je.\n-M.\rie-Robert de Lamenn.\is, French priest, brother of the preceding, b.at St-Malo in 1780; d. at Plocrmel, Brittany, in ISIJO. On the day after the Concordat of ISOl he carried out the purpose he had manifested since before the Revolution of entering Holy orders. He was ordained in 1804 (25 Feb.) after theological studies pursued both in private and under the direction of Abb6 Vielle. We have already spoken of the influence he exercised over his brother Felicite. Older than he by two years, he did not possess his brilliant literary qualities, but he hail a more robust constitution, and was temperamentally calmer and more equable. He shared, as we have seen, his brother's education, his studies, and his first labours. But an active ministry was more to Jean's taste. Leaving, therefore, to his brother the exclu- sively intellectual apostleship, he became, after the suppression of the College of St-Malo, vicar-general to the Bishop of Saint-Brieuc. Later he was also vicar- general of the (ireat Almoner of France, the Cardinal Prince of Troy, and of the Bishop of Rennes. Wher- ever he went, he did not spare himself — establishing colleges, seminaries, communities of women, and schools. He took an active part in the foundation of the Congregation of St. Peter, of which he had almost always the practical management and for a time the title of superior general. In fact, it was on account of his position in this congregation that he received from Mgr. Dubois the title of Vicar General of New York, when that prelate sought his assistance.
His brother's aposta.sy, while wounding him most deeply, also created for him a great deal of annoyance among the clergy of Brittany. Refusing thenceforth every honour — even that of the episcopacy, which, it is said, was offered him seventeen times — he ilevoted himself wholly to what was the great work of liis life, the Institute of the Brothers of Christian Instruc- tion. He had established it in 1817 to supply the benefits of t'hristian teaching in country districts too poor to secure the services of the Brothers of the Chris- tian Schools of .St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle, who were not allowed to work singly. When he was still vicar- general of Saint-Brieuc, he would seek in the fielda and assemble in his own home young peasants, whom he himself instructed in the ways of [jiety ami to whom he imparted elementary knowledge. From these gatherings grew his congregation, with which the members of a similar institution established by M. Gabriel Dcshayes, Vicar-(!eneral of Vannes, soon asso- ciated themsehes. In 1.S20 he had about 50 disciples; in 1S29 he had Lio; over 21iU in ls:!l : ().50 about 1837. When he died, 800 were scattered throughout Brit- tany, Gasconv, in the colonies of the Antilles, Senegal, Cayenne, ami Haiti, whither they had been sent by the French government. This great and rapid success
