French Jesuits, who have wanted to appear less Romish with respect to our maxims, than their brethren of Italy or Spain. We must not believe, however, that this submission to the pope, with which the society are so often reproached, is with them an irrevocable doctrine. While the Jesuits preached it in Europe with so much zeal, we may say with madness, to effect the acceptance of the bull which they had drawn up, they opposed in China the decrees which the sovereign pontiffs launched out against them on account of the Chinese ceremonies: they went even so far, as to call in question the pope’s authority to decide on subjects of that nature. So far it is true, that their pretended devotion to the pope was only, as we may say, by way of _inventorial benefit_, and on the tacit condition of favouring their pretensions, or at least of not prejudicing their interests. However this be, the parallel which has just been made of the doctrine of the Jesuits with the other orders, is, in my opinion, the true point of view from which we should have set out in their destruction. Among so many magistrates, who have written long examinations on the affair of the society, M. de la Chalotais, attorney-general of the parliament of Bretagne, appears more than any other to have considered this affair like a statesman, a philosopher, an enlightened magistrate, and one disengaged of all spirit of hatred and of party. He has not amused himself with proving laboriously and weakly, that the other monks were better than the Jesuits: he has penetrated farther and deeper: his march to the fight has been more frank and firm. “The monastick spirit,” said he, “is the scourge of states: of all those whom this spirit animates, the Jesuits are the most hurtful, because they are the most powerful; it is then with them that we must begin to shake off the yoke of that pernicious race.” It seems as if this illustrious magistrate had taken for his device the following verses of Virgil[16]. Ductoresque ipsos primùm, capita alta ferentes Cornibus arboreis, sternit; tum vulgus, & omnem Miscet agens telis nemora inter frondea turbam. The war which he has made with so much success upon the society, is only the signal of the examination to which he appears desirous of having the constitutions of the other orders submitted, with a proviso of preserving those, which on such examination shall be judged useful. There are even some particular communities, for example, that of the fraternity called _Ignorantins_, whom he points out expressly to the vigilance of the magistrates, as having already gained silently much ground: however, I know not whether I am mistaken, men who bear a name so little formed to command respect, ought by no means to flatter themselves with succeeding one day to the Jesuits, among a people with whom names are apt to give law: it is necessary, in order to have in France success and enemies, to begin by calling one’s-self otherwise.