Bossuet was a very prolific writer.  In the best edition, that of Abbe Caron, begun in Versailles in 1815, his writings fill not less than forty-one volumes.  But it must be stated at once that a great deal of this production belongs decidedly more to theology than to French literature.  Some of it is not even in French, but in Latin; for instance, Bossuet’s letter to the Pope on the subject of the education of the Dauphin.  Although in French, such works as the ’Treatise on Communion’ or the ‘Explanation of John the Baptist’s Revelation’ are decidedly outside the pale of literature, as the word is usually understood.  We shall mention here only those works of Bossuet which, by virtue of their perfect form and the accessibility of the subject to the general reader, are to this day more or less familiar to the best educated people in France.

The first to be mentioned among these are the ‘Sermons,’ the ’Funeral Orations,’ and the ‘Discourse upon Universal History.’

Bossuet’s sermons undoubtedly were among his most perfect productions.  He was a born orator; his majestic bearing, his melodious and powerful voice, his noble gestures, made the magnificent sentences, the beautiful and striking imagery of his speeches, doubly impressive.  Unfortunately, with only a few exceptions Bossuet’s sermons have reached us in a very imperfect form.  He did not, as a rule, fully write them, and the art of taking down verbatim the utterances of public speakers had not yet been invented.  The sermon ‘On the Unity of the Church’ we possess because Bossuet had committed it to writing before delivering it; other impressive sermons, those on ‘Death,’ on the ‘Conversion of the Sinner,’ on ‘Providence,’ on the ‘Duties of Kings,’ etc., have reached us in a sufficiently correct form to give us an idea of Bossuet’s eloquence:  but the reader who really wishes to know the great sacred orator of Louis XIV.’s reign had better turn at once to the ‘Funeral Orations.’

Bossuet’s funeral orations were prepared with great care.  They were delivered as a rule several months after the death of the person to be eulogized, as part of a religious ceremony in which a mass was said for the repose of his soul.

Bossuet delivered eleven funeral orations, one of which—­that of Anne of Austria, widow of Louis XIII. and mother of Louis XIV,—­is lost.  Of the other ten, four are youthful productions and deal with people of comparatively small importance.  Six remain that are known as the great funeral orations, and they were delivered between November 16th, 1669, and March 10th, 1687.  They are those on Henrietta of France, Queen of England; Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orleans; Maria Theresa of Spain, Queen of France; Anne of Gonzaga and Cleves, Princess of the Palatinate; Michel Le Tellier, High Chancellor of France; and Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde.