so many governments had been wrecked, was conceived and carried on with great energy and ability in his newspaper, the Avenir, and other periodicals and publications.

I heard it said the other day, that 19-20ths of the clergy in France were at that period his partizans; but Rome disapproved the scheme, and a public condemnation of some of the writings above referred to was issued from the Vatican in 1833 and 1834. The change in the tide of feeling with respect to the doctrines of the Abbé and his followers, which took place immediately in France, and throughout the Roman Catholic world, upon the appearance of this papal edict, has often been cited in the last ten years as a proof of the power of Rome, and of the advantage derived from the existence of an authority which can exercise a vigorous control in questions of doctrine over the Church. However, it is probable that Rome saw the turning of the tide, and availed herself of it. Since that time the party of the Avenir has been broken up, and there is very little intercourse between the followers and their former leader.

The consequences of this separation are deeply to be lamented. The Abbé, thrown out of his former sphere, disappointed of all his hopes, repulsed and condemned by the power to which he believed that he had rendered and was rendering important service'; his writings, which had been honoured with almost

1 See extract from the Semeur, below, p. 240.

universal homage, now stigmatized as heretical; he himself abandoned by all his disciples, and regarded with antipathy and suspicion by the clergy; in an evil hour he gave way to feelings of impatience, disappointment, and disdain, and threw himself into the hands of a class of sceptical philosophists, who, under the pretence of advocating universal charity and toleration, undermine the foundations of that religion upon which charity rests for its guidance and support.

We found him sitting in his room, of which almost the only ornament was an engraving of Napoleon, with no mark of his ecclesiastical character either in his dress or person. Though not aged he looked sad, pale, and worn; this was to be ascribed in some degree to the year's imprisonment, and that of the most rigorous kind, which he has lately suffered, and to which he was condemned for some political animadversions on the Chamber of Peers. Twenty years ago his writings exercised the most powerful influence in favour of the religious and social institutions of the country; but now-it is lamentable to think of the change.

Is there not, it may be asked, something in the papal system to which it may be ascribed, that one of the most eminent writers of the age, and, perhaps, the most powerful among the intellectual ornaments of his country, has been driven from an advocacy of Papal principles, first into a combination of demo

cratical ones with them; and next, into a renunciation of them altogether, and with them, of the positive laws of Christianity? The gentleman who introduced me to the Abbé De la Mennais, and who was one of his intimate friends, assured me that the Abbé had received from Rome the offer of a Cardinal's hat, on the understanding that he would not give expression to any declarations unfavourable to the See of Rome, and that he had declined the offer, on the ground of being unable to satisfy his conscience without giving vent to his convictions.

The Abbé asked me about the religious discussions in England; what was the character and aim of the present movement in that country, of which they hear so much in France? Having endeavoured to satisfy him upon this point, I asked his own opinion on the questions at issue. He said that we dealt with these questions too theologically in England; that they ought to be treated upon wider, by which he meant rational, principles: indeed, from his conversation, it was evident that he had removed himself out of the sphere of revealed religion, as bounded by fixed and unchangeable limits, and was dwelling in an intellectual world in which Christianity was only one of various elements, and that a subordinate one. It seems that his philosophical system is intended to combine and perfect all wisdom past and present, and looks for its full development to some 2 Cette allégation est tout-à-fait invraisemblable.

mighty regeneration, which is anticipated to take place at no very distant time.

He stated fully the evils inherent in the papal system, and having so done, proceeded to show that Protestantism (by which he understood the mere Protestantism of negations, with which alone he seemed to be conversant,) was by no means suited to satisfy the spiritual wants of men, as a substitute for that system to which, he said, for many strong reasons, it was justly opposed. He seemed to think that Christianity looked for a further development of itself, in which its positive rules, liturgical, ritual, &c., would be absorbed in an universal spiritual adoration of the Supreme Being, and in a plenum of peace and charity to all mankind.

This evening (Sunday, 1st), at 7 o'clock P.M., at the church Nôtre Dame des Victoires, at vespers. The church was full from one end to the other, and the congregation very attentive and devout. The church is of considerable size, and the aisles as well as the nave were crowded. The day was one of solemn observance, it being not only Sunday, but also the Festival of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, and a day of réunion of the Archi-confrérie, connected with this church, which is organized specially for the purpose of prayers to the Virgin (to whom the church is dedicated) for the conversion of heretics, schismatics, and infidels,—a society which enjoys a high reputation, and has a large number

of members, many of whom were ranged before one of the side altars, which was brilliantly illuminated.

The vespers were chanted with great spirit; there was scarcely a single person of the congregation who did not join energetically in the chant; and on the whole the service in this respect presented one of the happiest specimens of social fervent worship, by an united congregation, which it has ever been my good fortune to witness in this country. When we consider that a large proportion of the congregation consisted of women of the middle and lower classes, and that the whole of the psalms chanted were in Latin, it seems unreasonable to suppose that our English Liturgy, and especially that part of it which consists of Hymns and Psalms, the Te Deum, Magnificat, Jubilate, &c., and we may add the Creeds, could not be made equally congregational, and thus greater fervour and animation be imparted to our public worship, if a well-concerted and uniform system were put in execution for this purpose.

It may be said that the Vesper Psalms recur here (in the French service) daily, but the same may be also said of the Magnificat, &c., with us; again, it may be alleged, that there are leading voices here which carried on the rest of the congregation with them; for the Psalms were not chanted alternately by priest and people, but by all collectively: this, perhaps, may render the attainment of the same effect more