ntrol that animal； so much bigger and stronger？〃 And he would show the reason； speaking of the human soul。 All this about Tillemont is new to me； well as I knew his name （from the pages of Gibbon）； I thought of him merely as the laborious and accurate piler of historical materials。 Admirable as was his work； the spirit in which he performed it is the thing to dwell upon； he studied for study's sake； and with no aim but truth； to him it was a matter of indifference whether his learning ever became known among men； and at any moment he would have given the fruits of his labour to any one capable of making use of them。
Think of the world in which the Jansenists were living； the world of the Fronde； of Richelieu and Mazarin； of his refulgent Majesty Louis XIV。 Contrast Port…Royal with Versailles； and……whatever one's judgment of their religious and ecclesiastical aims……one must needs say that these men lived with dignity。 The Great Monarch is； in parison； a poor； sordid creature。 One thinks of Moliere refused burial……the king's contemptuous indifference for one who could do no more to amuse him being a true measure of the royal greatness。 Face to face with even the least of these grave and pious men； how paltry and unclean are all those courtly figures； not THERE was dignity； in the palace chambers and the stately gardens； but in the poor rooms where the solitaries of Port…Royal prayed and studied and taught。 Whether or not the ideal for mankind； their life was worthy of man。 And what is rarer than a life to which that praise can be given？
IX
It is amusing to note the superficial forms of reaction against scientific positivism。 The triumph of Darwin was signalized by the invention of that happy word Agnostic； which had great vogue。 But agnosticism； as a