DEATH OF FENELON. 321

The joke is that the Cardinal, though old, still had very white
and very beautiful teeth, and that his mouth, large, but agree-
able, was so shaped that it showed them plainly in speaking.
Therefore the .Bang burst out laughing at this reply, and all
present also, including the Cardinal, who was not in the slightest
degree embarrassed. I might go on for ever telling about him,
I but enough, perhaps, has been already said.

The commencement of the new year, 1715, was marked by
the death of Fdnelon, at Cambrai, where he had lived in dis-
grace so many years. I have already said something about
him, so that I have now but little to add. His life at Cambrai
was remarkable for the assiduity with which he attended to
the spiritual and temporal wants of his flock. He was indefa-
tigable in the discharge of his functions, and in endeavouring to
gain all hearts. Cambrai is a place much frequented; through
which many people pass. During the war the number of
wounded soldiers he had received into his house or attended to
in the hospitals passes all belief. He spared nothing for them,
neither physical comforts nor spiritual consolations. Thus it is
incredible to what an extent he became the idol of the whole
army. His manners, to high and low, were most affable, yet
everywhere he was the prelate, the gentleman, the author of
" Telemachus." He ruled his diocese with a gentle hand, in no
way meddled with the Jansenists; he left all untouched. Take
him for all in all, he had a bright genius and was a great man.
His admiration true or feigned for Madame Guyon remained to
the last, yet always without suspicion of impropriety. He had
so exactly arranged his affairs that he died without money, and
yet without owing a sou to anybody.

VOL. IT. 21