, an eminent French preacher, the son of a celebrated advocate to
, an eminent French preacher,
the son of a celebrated advocate to the parliament of Aix,
was born, 1634, at Marseilles. He entered early among the
priests of the oratory, was employed at the age of twentytwo to teach rhetoric at Mans, and preached afterwards
with such applause at Saumur and Paris, that the court
engaged him for Advent 1666, and Lent 1667. Mascaroa
was so much admired there, that his sermons were said to
be formed for a court; and when some envious persons
would have made a crime of the freedom with which he
announced the truths of Christianity to the king, Louis
XIV. defended him, saying, “He has done his duty, it
remains for us to do our’s.
” P. Mascaron was appointed
to the bishopric of Tulles, 1671, and translated to that of
Agen in 1678. He returned to preach before the king in
Advent 1694, and Louis XIV. was so much pleased, that
he said to him, “Your eloquence alone, neither wears out
nor grows old.
” On going back to Agen, he founded an
hospital, and died in that city, December 16, 1703, aged
sixty-nine. None of his compositions have been printed,
but “A collection of his Funeral Orations,
” among which,
those on M. de Turenne and the chancellor Seguier, are
particularly admired. It may be proper to mention, that
M. Mascaron having been ordained priest by M. de Lavardin, bishop of Mans, who declared on his death-bed,
that he never intended to ordain any priest, the Sorbonne
was consulted whether this prelate’s ordinations were valid.
They decided “That it was sufficient if he had the exterior
intention to do what the church does, and that he certainly
b.ad it, because he did so: therefore it was not needful to
ordain those priests again, which this bishop had ordained.
”
But notwithstanding this decision, M. Mascaron chose to
be ordained again; which proves, says L'Avocat, that he
was a better preacher than casuist, and that his conscience
was more scrupulous than enlightened on this point.
, an eminent French preacher, was born in 1663, the son of a notary
, an eminent French
preacher, was born in 1663, the son of a notary at Hieres
in Provence In 1681, he entered into the congregation,
of the Oratory, and wherever he was sent gained all hearts
by the liveliness of his character, the agreeableness of his
wit, and a natural fund of sensible and captivating politeness. These advantages, united with his great talents,
excited the envy of his brethren, no less than the admiration of others, and, on some ill-founded suspicions of intrigue, he was sent by his superiors to one of their houses
in the diocese of Meaux. The first efforts of his eloquence
were made at Vienne, while he was a public teacher of
theology; and his funeral oration ou Henri de Villars,
archbishop of that city, was universally admired. The
fame of this discourse induced father de la Tour, then
general of the congregation of the Oratory, to send for
him to Paris. After some time, being asked his opinion
of the principal preachers in that capital, “they display,
”
said he, “great genius and abilities; but if I preach, I
shall not preach as they do.
” He kept his word, and took
up a style of his own, not attempting to imitate any one,
except it was Bourdaloue, whom, at the same time, the
natural difference of his disposition did not suffer him to
follow very closely. A touching and natural simplicity is
the characteristic of his style, and has been thought by
able judges to reach the heart, and produce its due effect,
with much more certainty than all the logic of the Jesuit
Bourdaloue. His powers were immediately distinguished
when he made his appearance at court; and when he
preached his first advent at Versailles, he received this
compliment from Louis XIV. “My father,
” said that monarch, “when I hear other preachers, I go away much
pleased with them; but whenever I hear you, I go away
much displeased with myself.
” On one occasion, the effect of a discourse preached by him “on the small number
of the elect,
” was so extraordinary, that it produced a general, though involuntary murmur of applause in the congregation. The preacher himself was confused by it; but
the effect was only increased, and the pathetic was carried
to the greatest height that can be supposed possible. His
mode of delivery contributed not a little to his success.
“We seem to behold him still in imagination,
” said they
who had been fortunate enough to attend his discourses,
“with that simple air, that modest carriage, those eyes so
humbly directed downwards, that unstudied gesture, that
touching tone of voice, that look of a man fully impressed
with the truths which he enforced, conveying the most
brilliant instruction to the mind, and the most pathetic
movements to the heart.
” The famous actor, Baron, after
hearing him, told him to continue as he had began. “You,
”
said he, “have a manner of your own, leave the rules to
others.
” At another time he said to an actor who was with
him “My friend, this is the true orator; we are mere
players.
” Massillon was not the least inflated by the praises
he received. His modesty continued unaltered; and the
charms of his society attracted those who were likely to be
alarmed at the strictness of his lessons.
In 1717, the regent being convinced of his merits by
his own attendance on his sermons, appointed him bishop
of Clermont. The French academy received him as a
member in 1719. The funeral oration of the duchess of
Orleans in 1723, was the last discourse he pronounced at
Pans. From that time he resided altogether in his diocese,
where the mildness, benevolence, and piety of his character, gained all hearts. His love of peace led him to make
many endeavours to conciliate his brethren of the Oratory
and the Jesuits, but he found at length that he had less
influence over divines than over the hearts of any other
species of sinners. He died resident on his diocese, Sept.
28, 1742, at the age of 79. His name has since been
almost proverbial in France, where he is considered as a
most consummate master of eloquence. Every imaginable
perfection is attributed by his countrymen to his style.
“What pathos
” says one of them, “what knowledge of
the human heart What sincere effusions of conviction
What a tone of truth, of philosophy, and humanity! What
an imagination, at once lively and well regulated
Thoughts just and delicate conceptions brilliant and magnificent; expressions elegant, select, sublime, harmonious;
images striking and natural; representations just and forcible; style clear, neat, full, numerous, equally calculated
to be comprehended by the multitude, and to satisfy the
most cultivated hearer.
” What can be imagined beyond
these commendations? Yet they are given by the general
consent of those who are most capable of deciding on the
subject. His works were published complete, by his nephew at Paris, in 1745 and 1746, forming fourteen volumes
of a larger, and twelve of a smaller kind of 12mo. They
contain, 1. A complete set of Sermons for Advent and
Lent. 2. Several Funeral Orations, Panegyrics, &c. 3,
Ten discourses, known by the name of “Le petit Care'me.
”
4. “Ecclesiastical Conferences.
” 5. Some excellent paraphrases of particular psalms Massillon once stopped
short in the middle of a sermon, from defect of memory;
and the same happened from apprehension in different
parts of the same day, to two other preachers whom he
went to hear. The English method of readitfg their discourses would certainly have been very welcome to all
these persons, but the French conceive that all the fire of
eloquence would be lost by that method: this, however,
seems by no means to be necessary. The most striking
passages and beauties of Massiilon’s sermons were collected
by the abbe de la Porte, in a volume which is now annexed
as a last volume to the two editions of his works; and a
few years ago, three volumes of his “Sermons
” were translated into English by Mr. William Dickson.