This book, written in the strangest manner, did M. de Cambrai little service.  If people were offended to find it supported upon no authority, they were much more so with its confused and embarrassed style, its precision so restrained and so decided, its barbarous terms which seemed as though taken from a foreign tongue, above all, its high-flown and far-fetched thoughts, which took one’s breath away, as in the too subtle air of the middle region.  Nobody, except the theologians, understood it, and even they not without reading it three or four times.  Connoisseurs found in it a pure Quietism, which, although wrapped up in fine language, was clearly visible.  I do not give my own judgment of things so much beyond me, but repeat what was said everywhere.  Nothing else was talked about, even by the ladies; and a propos of this, the saying of Madame de Sevigne was revived:  “Make religion a little more palpable; it evaporates by dint of being over-refined.”

Not a word was heard in praise of the book; everybody was opposed to it, and it was the means of making Madame de Maintenon more unfavourable to M. de Cambrai than ever.  He sent the King a copy, without informing her.  This completed her annoyance against him.  M. de Cambrai, finding his book so ill-received by the Court and by the prelates, determined to try and support it on the authority of Rome, a step quite opposed to our manners.  In the mean time, M. de Meaux’s book appeared in two volumes octavo, well written, clear, modest, and supported upon the authority of the Scriptures.  It was received with avidity, and absolutely devoured.  There was not a person at the Court who did not take a pleasure in reading it, so that for a long time it was the common subject of conversation of the Court and of the town.

These two books, so opposed in doctrine and in style, made such a stir on every side that the King interposed, and forced M. de Cambrai to submit his work to an examination by a council of prelates, whom he named.  M. de Cambrai asked permission to go to Rome to defend his cause in person, but this the King refused.  He sent his book, therefore, to the Pope, and had the annoyance to receive a dry, cold reply, and to see M. de Meaux’s book triumph.  His good fortune was in effect at an end.  He remained at Court some little time, but the King was soon irritated against him, sent him off post-haste to Paris, and from there to his diocese, whence he has never returned.  He left behind him a letter for one of his friends, M. de Chevreuse it was generally believed, which immediately after became public.  It appeared like the manifesto of a man who disgorges his bile and restrains himself no more, because he has nothing more to hope.  The letter, bold and bitter in style, was besides so full of ability and artifice, that it was extremely pleasant to read, without finding approvers; so true it is that a wise and disdainful silence is difficult to keep under reverses.