444 D'ALEMBERT. 



Another work of D'Alembert's, though not on a 

 scientific subject, falls not within the remarks now made, 

 his ' History of the Destruction of the Jesuits,' an im- 

 portant measure which had been finally accomplished 

 by the Edict of the 6th of August, 1762, after their com- 

 mercial speculations in Martinico had involved them 

 in bankruptcy even prior to the capture of the island; 

 and they had lost important law-suits with the mercan- 

 tile interest in the Parliament of Paris. The Edict of 1762 

 was found insufficient to prevent the Society's subtle 

 intrigues ; and it was followed by several others, which 

 dispersed them and forbade them to come within ten 

 leagues of the capital. This work of D'Alernbert, the 

 * History,' is only remarkable for its calmness and im- 

 partiality. He gives the amplest praise to the dispersed 

 body, and allows them to be alone, of all the monastic 

 orders, distinguished for their genius as well as learn- 

 ing, while of the others the only ones not sunk in 

 ignorance were the Mendicant orders and the Bene- 

 dictine ; the former of whom were only scholastic 

 writers, the latter literary compilers. He also shows 

 that the Jansenists, the implacable enemies of the 

 Jesuits, were exposed to great censure, and had acted 

 like rigorous persecutors ; and he takes the sound and 

 rational course of maintaining that the destruction of 

 one order could only be defended on principles which 

 lead to the destruction of all other orders of monks, 

 and in every state. In other respects the merit of the 

 'History' is but moderate. There is nothing very 

 happy in the narrative, which, indeed, is unconnected, 

 and has the worst of historical faults, proceeding by 

 way of allusion more frequently than of plain and 

 direct recital. There is nothing very original or pro- 

 found in the remarks. There is nothing striking in the 

 descriptions. The style has the excellent qualities of 

 all D'Alembert's writings, clearness and simplicity, and 

 this is the principal praise to which the work is 

 entitled. 



