them, but on them; not standing but seated, being seated to be humble, and above them in security. But in the porches of Jerusalem we shall stand.

Let us see if our pleasure is stable or transitory; if it pass away, it is a river of Babylon."

The final sections in Molinier's edition of the "Pensées," the last word on the arrangement of this most perplexing book, are those on "Miracles, with Special Reference to that of the Holy Thorn," on "The Jesuits," on "Style," and one composed of "Various Thoughts," for which no other place could be found. That on miracles is exceedingly fragmentary, but the fragments throw much light on Pascal's whole attitude in regard to the supernatural. He is bold enough to attempt a definition of miracles, and then draws a curious deduction from his definition.

"Miracle. An effect which exceeds the natural force of the means employed, and non-miracle an effect not exceed ing the natural force of the means employed. Thus those who heal by invocation of the devil work no miracle, for that does not exceed the natural power of the devil."

No doubt he was considering the tale handed down from his own nursery days, and made up his mind that the old woman who had first bewitched him, then healed him by herbs and the blood of a cat, had worked no miracle, but used only the natural means of her master and ally. But the miracle of the thorn was the clear will of God.

"Here is a sacred relic, here is a thorn from the crown of the Saviour of the world, on whom the prince of this world

has

has no power, which works miracles by the immediate power of the blood that was shed for us. Thus God has himself chosen this house wherein openly to show forth his power.

"Here are not men who work miracles by an unknown and doubtful virtue, obliging us to a difficult discrimination; it is God himself, it is the instrument of the passion of his only Son, who being in many places chose this, and made men come from all sides, there to receive miraculous succour in their weaknesses."

And being thus sure in his own mind, he propounds this dilemma

"Which is the most clear?

"This house is not of God, for they do not there believe that the five propositions are in Jansenius.

"Others: This house is of God, for in it strange miracles are done.

"Which is the most clear?"

Then on a detached scrap of paper he flings this ecstatic meditation

"As God has made no family more happy, he should also find none more grateful."

The fragments on Jesuits and Jansenists need not long detain us. We have already seen Pascal's position in the matter, and those who will know it in detail must turn to the "Provinciales." But one passage is most valuable, as showing the human revolt which broke out now and then even in so obedient a son of the Church, when he saw his enemies gaining the upper hand, and he was conscious of his own integrity and confident of the soundness of his cause.

"The

"The Inquisition and the Society are the two scourges of

the truth.

"If my Letters are condemned at Rome, what I condemn in them is condemned in heaven.

"Ad tuum, Domine Jesu, tribunal appello."

Nor need the remaining sections detain us, though in them there occurs the interesting passage on the differences between the mathematical mind and the mind of the practical man of business, and other thoughts, worthy of attention, did space allow; but it has been necessary, since somewhat must be overlooked, to dwell almost exclusively on the religious side of Pascal's mind.

Enough has been said to show the exceeding value and interest of a book so much talked of, yet so little studied, in England; of the life of one whose name is on the lips of many, but, again in England, written in the hearts of few. In France it is very different; the prophet has honour in his own country, may he have it increasingly among ourselves, for he deserves all we can give, as one of the great thinkers of the world, who, like all such, has given thought a new impulse even when he sought to restrain it in the interests of what he deemed truth. He has been like some weir cast across a mighty river, which seeming to check its course has given it a fresh impulse and added to its picturesqueness and beauty. Thought would indeed be a sluggish stream had there been no such limitations through which it had to burst.

THE STORY OF JEAN CALAS.

от

NOT only idle and vulgar curiosity leads people

to throng courts of justice when any remarkable case is brought forward for judgment. Lower and baser considerations, no doubt, attract some of the crowd, and enter in some degree into the minds of all; but the true, even if unconscious, motive always seems to be, that in such trial there is unveiled to human eyes a part of the great judgment which is ever in secret being transacted; the world's sifting of falsehood from truth, right from wrong, is here gathered up into the concrete; men hear both sides fairly stated—a rare circumstance, save in a legal trial; and in the great majority of cases the verdict of the jury is also that of the public, who, at the same time, silently and unofficially try the case. The records of causes célèbres have the same sort of interest, but with this element superadded, that history and time have judged the judges of each old case, have stilled the passions which sway the minds of even judicial persons in seasons of strong political or religious excitement. And it may happen

at