Félicité Robert de La Mennais

La Mennais, Félicité Robert de, known as Lamennais

French cleric and political theorist (1782-1854). Autograph letter monogrammed. London. 4to. 2½ pp. With autograph address.
$ 2,704 / 2.500 € (46930)

Important letter to his older brother Jean-Marie de la Mennais, written from Lamennais' exile in London during the Hundred Days and shortly thereafter. In the long and private letter, Lamennais talks about his decision to take the vows inspired by the Abbé Guy-Toussaint-Julien Carron, who he met in London, his doubts, and inner conflicts: "It is impossible for me to paint his tenderness and kindness for me. Without him, I would never have made the choice he made for me: too many inclinations would have led me in another direction.

Even today I cannot think of the quiet and solitary life in the fields, of our books, of the Chenaie, of the charm spread over all these objects, to which are attached all my desires and all my ideas of happiness here on earth, without feeling an inexpressible tightening of the heart [...] But in the end we must conquer everything by renouncing everything." Although he didn't know yet when he and Carron would return to France, he had to consider an "act of charity", as a young student of his from a poor family, had expressed the desire to accompany him and to convert to Catholicism: "Here's the fact: in the boarding house where I live there is a 13-year-old child, gentle, intelligent, and of honorable condition. He was raised Protestant. This child seems to have become attached to me, and to have the desire to come to France. His parents consent to this, and also consent to his embracing the Catholic religion, [...]. I did not reply; but I spoke about it to Mr Carron, who observed to me, with good reason, that although nothing should be neglected to save a soul, nevertheless this new responsibility would perhaps be very burdensome for us." Ultimately, the young man named Henry Moorman didn't join Lamennais but they stayed in contact and Lamennais was deeply affected by his untimely death in 1819. - A somewhat vague political comment concerns the newly restored king Louis XVIII and, most likely, his political weakness and inability to stop the revanchist white terror of his ultraroyalist base: "The hand of God is upon Europe. [...] One can only pity the King, who is marching with great strides towards his ruin. He is one of the most astonishing and lamentable examples of blindness that has yet frightened the earth."- Provenance: Collection of Daniel Sickles (XV, 6458). - With a small tear from breaking the seal..

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Lamennais, Félicité de

(1782-1854). L.A., La Chenaie 19 octobre [1832], à son frère Jean-Marie de Lamennais à Saint-Méen (Ille-et-Vilaine). 1 page in-4, adresse au verso (petite déchir. par bris de cachet sans perte de texte, petites fentes réparées).
$ 4,867 / 4.500 € (46931)

Intéressante lettre sur sa soumission au Pape et sur les dangers grandissants qui menacent l?Église. - M. de Coux lui a écrit «que le Pape est parfaitement content de notre soumission, et est fort loin de rien exiger de plus, par conséquent qu?il n?entend pas lui-même que son encyclique ait aucun caractère dogmatique. Cependant je n?ai pas cru devoir lui écrire, de peur que sa réponse ne fût conçue en des termes qui impliquassent une soumission plus étendue que celle qui a été dans notre intention, et aussi parce que son bref ne serviroit qu?à nous mettre dans une position équivoque et fausse à l?égard du libéralisme»...

Puis Lamennais recopie sa lettre à M. de Coux: «nous avons essayé de défendre l?Église, en un des plus grands périls où, de l?aveu de tous, elle se soit trouvée depuis son origine peut-être. Le Souv. P. a désapprouvé notre action; nous nous sommes arrêtés, c?étoit notre devoir: et autant je me réjouis de la satisfaction que le S. Père a éprouvée de cet acte d?obéissance, autant je suis loin de m?en faire un mérite: nous avons agi en catholiques, et voilà tout. Or, à présent que le danger paroît devenir plus alarmant de jour en jour, et d?heure en heure; à présent que la haine du catholicisme et la haine de Rome s?accroît incessamment, avec une rapidité sans exemple; à présent que les âmes sont partout pénétrées des prévisions les plus désolantes, des plus sinistres pressentiments, que dirois-je au S. Père, et quelles paroles lui adresserois-je du fond de mon inconsolable douleur ? La Sienne, je n?en doute pas, est encore plus vive, et mon silence doit la respecter. Aux approches des maux qui se préparent, de la tempête qui ébranlera la chrétienté jusqu?en ses fondements, je ne désire qu?une chose, être oublié dans mon obscure retraite, je ne goûte qu?une consolation, celle de prier au pied de la Croix»....

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Lamennais, Félicité de

philosopher and priest (1782-1854). 12 autograph letters signed and 1 autograph letter. Paris [and no place]. 8vo and 12mo. Altogether 19 pp.
$ 1,947 / 1.800 € (82864/BN54232)

Collection of letters written by the forerunner of liberal and social Catholicism. - Among the addressees are the writer and founder of the "Magasin pittoresque" Edouard Charton (1807-90) and the politician Denis Benoist d'Azy (1796-1880). Lamennais recommends a young man to Edouard Charton: "La lettre incluse, mon cher Charton, est d'un jeune homme [...] qui a grand besoin d'être aidé [...]" (undated). In a letter to Denys Benoist he recommends a young officer called Muirson: "Cette lettre, mon cher ami, te sera remise par M.

Muirson, l'officier anglois don't je t'ai parlé" (undated). In a letter to Mme. Maillefer he apologizes for being unable to accept an invitation; in a letter to M. Stubes he thanks for his sending him a copy of the "discours de M. Buckingham sur quelques réformes sociales". Other letters are written to colleagues and cardinals. - Lamennais was ordained a priest in 1817, the same year he published "Essai sur l'indifférence en matière de religion". In 1830, he founded "L'Ami de l'ordre" with Montalembert and Lacordaire. His social ideas embraced an enlarged suffrage, separation of church and state, universal freedom of conscience, instruction, assembly, and the press. His radicalism distanced him from a number of his friends. In 1833, he broke with the Church and published "Paroles d'un croyant" in the following year, which Pope Gregory XVI condemned for its philosophical theories. - Some of the letters brownstained..

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