thout severity.

During the last three years of his life Montaigne enjoyed the
friendship of a disciple who was already celebrated for his eloquence
as a preacher. PIERRE CHARRON (1541-1603), legist and theologian,
under the influence of Montaigne's ideas, aspired to be a philosopher.
It was as a theologian that he wrote his book of the _Trois Verites_,
which attempts to demonstrate the existence of God, the truth of
Christianity, and the exclusive orthodoxy of the Roman communion.
It was as a philosopher, in the _Traite de la Sagesse_, that he
systematised the informal scepticism of Montaigne. Instead of
putting the question, "Que sais-je?" Charron ventures the assertion,
"Je ne sais." He exhibits man's weakness, misery, and bondage to the
passions; gives counsel for the enfranchisement of the mind; and
studies the virtues of justice, prudence, temperance, and valiance.
God has created man, says Charron, to know the truth; never can he
know it of himself or by human means, and one who despairs of reason
is in the best position for accepting divine instruction; a Pyrrhonist
at least will never be a heretic; even if religion be regarded as
an invention of man, it is an invention which has its uses. Not a
few passages of the _Sagesse_ are directly borrowed, with slight
rehandling, from Montaigne and from Du Vair; but, instead of
Montaigne's smiling agnosticism, we have a grave and formal
indictment of humanity; we miss the genial humour and kindly temper
of the master; we miss the amiable egotism and the play of a versatile
spirit; we miss the charm of an incomparable literary style.

BOOK THE THIRD
_THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY_

CHAPTER I
LITERARY FREEDOM AND LITERARY ORDER

With the restoration of order under Henri IV. the delights of peace
began to be felt; a mundane society, polished and pleasure-loving,
began to be constituted, and before many years had passed the
influence of women and of the _salon_ appeared in literature. Should
such a society be permitted to remain oblivious to spiritual truth,
or to repose on the pillow of scepticism provided by Charron and
Montaigne? Might it not be captured for religion, if religion were
presented in its most gracious aspect, as a source of peace and joy,
a gentle discipline of the heart? If one who wore the Christian armour
should throw over his steel some robe of courtly silk, with floral
adornments, might he not prove a persuasive champion of the Cross?
Suc