4 memoirs of Abbe Blanchet. March 7 , - 



chet, had made him known and desired by all the 

 best in France. Persons of very high rank wilhed 

 to trust all the hopes of their honour to his care ; 

 but he preferred, at first, a public institution. He 

 was a distinguilhed profefsor of the humanities and 

 rhetorick, in two provincial colleges. A real a- 

 postle, M. de Merinville, bifliop of Chartres, who 

 was an eye witnefs of his zeal and of his succefs, but 

 who saw his health suffering from it, offered him a 

 canonry, on condition he would take priests orders : 

 " My lord" replied he, " / am too honest a man to 

 jindirtake it." He then gave his reasons, and this vir- 

 tuous prelate could not fail approving them ; the 

 fact is, he did not think himself worthy of so impor- 

 tant an office, and he was in this like his illustrious 

 countryman Nicole. 



His health, which was daily on the decline, forced 

 him to take private pupils, frequently more benefi- 

 eial than the other mode ; but this he did not calculate 

 upon, he only thought of doing good, which he did. 



As I only write the life of the Abbe Blajichet as 

 fliort ajs I can, I speak but little of his pupils. It muK-t 

 be known, however, that all of them have done him 

 great honour by their ii^reproachable manners. He 

 appeared more contented with himself ; but his most 

 intimate friend, and to whom I owe all my materials, 

 and all the vouchers of this writing, was not satisfi- 

 ed with him. M. de Chavannes (at present dean of 

 the parliament of Paris), for it is of him I speak, one 

 of the worthiest and most upright magistrates of our 

 age, gave, him an indultum *, which he neglected ta 



• Set tiie French Encyclopedi^j — arl'.de indulte. 



