{5} The Provincial Parliaments in France before the Revolution discharged within a definite area the same judicial and administrative functions as the Parliament of Paris; but they were always regarded as offshoots of the latter, and subordinate to its supreme direction. They possessed no lawful political powers. Lalanne, Dictionnaire Historique, Art. “Parl.,” p. 1421. The “Court of Aides,” according to the same authority, p. 32, decided in the last resort civil and criminal processes relating to subsidies, assessments, and taxes in general, and superintended the collection of the royal revenues. {6a} Gilberte Pascal—Madame Périer—says, in her life of her brother, 1626. Marguerite Périer, her daughter, Pascal’s niece, says 1628. Cousin (B. Pascal), App. I. 315. Faugère, Lettres, Opuscules, etc., p. 419. {6b} Cousin, Jacqueline Pascal, p. 23. {7} Memoir by Marguerite Périer, her daughter, quoted by Cousin, ibid., p. 24. “Do not think,” adds Cousin, “that this portrait is embellished: the austere Marguerite flatters no one; and if she, a Jansenist, says that her mother was beautiful, we may be sure that she was very much so.” {10} “The exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the two interior and opposite angles; and the three interior angles are together equal to two right angles.” {11} Baillet, Vie de Descartes, liv. V. c. v. p. 39. {12} “Ne vous étonnez pas, incomparable Armand, Si j’ai mal contenté vos yeux et vos oreilles; Mon esprit agité de frayeurs sans pareilles Interdit à mon corps et voix et mouvement. Mais pour me rendre ici capable de vous plaire, Rappelez de l’exil mon misérable père.” {13} Cousin, Jacqueline Pascal, pp. 72–75. {15} The Intendant was a special Royal Commissioner, sent into the provinces to watch over the administration of justice and the finances. {16} See Cousin, Jacqueline Pascal, pp. 78–80. {17} M. Lélut’s volume (already referred to) deserves special attention in its bearing on Pascal’s health, and the character of his sufferings. He lays great stress on Pascal’s highly-strung nervous constitution, in connection both with the precocity of his genius, his physical sufferings, his religious susceptibility, and the profound melancholy which affected his later years. The study is very interesting in some respects, but is overstrained in its physiological details and imaginary analysis. {18} Madame Périer, Vie de Pascal. {20} A disciple and friend of François de Sales, who had been bishop of Bellay or Belley, but had at this time demitted his bishopric for the Abbey of Aulney-Havet. {21} The documents containing these details are found among the Pascal MSS. in the National Library at Paris, having been given by Marguerite Périer to one of the Guerrier family, by whose care so many interesting memorials of Pascal have been preserved. See Faugère, Int. to Ed. of Pensées, xlvi.-ix. {23a} Cousin, app. 392.