The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16Dryden, John
History
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16
Dryden, John
English literature
Xavier, thereupon, continued his philosophy; and succeeded so well in it,
that having maintained his thesis, at the end of his course, with a
general applause, and afterwards taking his degree of master of arts, he
was judged worthy to teach philosophy himself. His parts appeared more
than ever in this new employment; and he acquired an high reputation in
his public lectures on Aristotle. The praises, which universally were
given him, were extremely pleasing to his vanity. He was not a little
proud to have augmented the glory of his family by the way of learning,
while his brothers were continually adorning it by that of arms; and he
flattered himself, that the way which he had taken, would lead him onward
to somewhat of greater consequence.
But God Almighty had far other thoughts than those of Xavier; and it was
not for these fading honours that the Divine Providence had conducted him
to Paris.
At the same time, when this young master of philosophy began his course,
Ignatius Loyola, who had renounced the world, and cast the model of a
learned society, wholly devoted to the salvation of souls, came into
France to finish his studies, which the obstacles he found in Spain,
after his conversion, had constrained him to interrupt.
He had not continued long in the university of Paris, before he heard
talk of Xavier, and grew acquainted with him. Our new professor, who
taught at the college of Beauvois, though he dwelt in the college of St
Barbe, with Peter le Fevre, a Savoyard, was judged by Ignatius to be very
proper for the preaching of the gospel, as well as his companion. To gain
the better opportunity of insinuating himself into their acquaintance, he
took lodgings with them, and was not wanting to exhort them to live up to
the rules of Christianity.
Le Fevre, who was of a tractable nature, and was not enamoured of the
world, resigned himself without opposition. But Xavier, who was of a
haughty spirit, and whose head was filled with ambitious thoughts, made a
fierce resistance at the first. The discipline and maxims of Ignatius,
who lived in a mean equipage, and valued nothing but that poverty, made
him pass for a low-minded fellow in the opinion of our young gentleman.
And accordingly Xavier treated him with much contempt; rallying him on
all occasions, and making it his business to ridicule him.
This notwithstanding, Ignatius omitted no opportunities of representing
to him the great consequence of his eternal welfare, and urging the words
of our blessed Saviour, "What profit is it to a man to gain the whole
world, and to lose his own, soul?" but perceiving that he could make no
impression on a heart where self-conceit was so very prevalent, and which
was dazzled with vain-glory, he bethought, himself of assaulting him on
the weaker side.
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