Michel Le Vassor
Encyclopedia
Michel le Vassor was a French Oratorian priest and author, who became a Protestant in exile in England. He is known for theological, historical and political works.
about 1648. Influenced by Nicolas Malebranche
, but also close to Jansenist in his view, he tried fruitlessly to reconcile Malebranche with Antoine Arnauld
in 1679. In fact Le Vassor's lectures on grace
after Malebranche, given at Saint-Magloire, set off a substantial public debate involving Arnauld.
Le Vassor left the Oratorians in 1690. In 1695 he was converted to Protestantism, and went to England via the Netherlands. There he was supported by William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
and by Gilbert Burnet
. He died in Northamptonshire
.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1701.
, Jean Le Clerc
, and Benedict Spinoza. It included early examples of arguments against Spinoza's thought that were to become standard, and was widely recommended (by the Lutheran Johann Wolfgang Jaeger as well as the Catholics Daniele Concina and Luis António Verney); Le Vassor's reputation was made by the work, accessible in French, and he was mentioned with the leading Catholic opponents of Spinoza, Daniel Huet (in Latin only) and François Lamy
, as well as the Protestants Bernard Nieuwentyt
and Buddeus. It was stated in the Traité as a commonplace that a form of Spinozism had become popular particularly in educated French circles, that its appeal was both its systematic character and the opportunities it afforded for sniping against the Bible and miracles, and that Spinoza had not in fact died an atheist as had been alleged, in Pierre Bayle
's account. The main religious battle had now shifted, Le Vassor argued as many others did at the time, to face general impiety rather than just Protestant views, and an "enlightened" Christianity was required to provide effective opposition to free-thought. The basis needed was an emphasis on rational design in nature, the innateness of belief in a providential God (an argument also in René-Joseph Tournemine
), and the continuity of tradition attesting the teaching of the Church. The design argument was used also at this time by Jacob Abbadie and Le Clerc, and was taken up later by Isaac Jaquelot and Jean Denyse.
Simon defended himself against Le Vassor in 1689 with an Apology, published in the name of a nephew. In the same year Le Vassor published some New Testament paraphrases.
The anonymous Les Soupirs de la France esclave (1689) has been attributed to Le Vassor; the traditional attribution to Pierre Jurieu
is now much contested. It touched on economic themes under the ancien régime, was published in 15 parts, and was largely reprinted (13 parts) in 1788 as Les voeux d'un patriote, through the efforts of Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Étienne
. Le Vassor's Lettres d'un gentilhomme français (1695), published at Liège
, discussed a proposed French poll tax
.
Traité de la manière d'examiner les différends de religion (1697) was seen as a work of apologetics
on behalf of the Church of England
. Lettres et memoires de François de Vargas, de Pierre de Malvenda et de quelques évéques d'Espagne touchant le Concile de Trent (1699) was a translation from Spanish originals of 16th-century letters of Francisco de Vargas y Mexia
to Cardinal Granvelle relating to the Council of Trent
, expanded by correspondence of Pedro de Malvenda and others. The letters were in the collection of Sir William Trumbull.
Other works were the Histoire du règne de Louis XIII (Amsterdam, from 1700, ten volumes) and An account of the present state and government of the Empire of Germany (1711) addressed to Thomas Foley
, on the death of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
. The history of Louis XIII was a virulent anti-Catholic work; at the time of its publication Le Vassor was tutor to Henry Bentinck
, known by the courtesy title Viscount Woodstock. Louis XIV made a point of asking Woodstock's father the Earl of Portland to dismiss Le Vassor; and Portland eventually complied for the sake of diplomacy. Voltaire
wrote that this was the satirical work of an "odious declaimer", who sought only to denigrate Louis XIV, and of the factual content little was actually incorrect, though all the judgements were.
Life
He was born in OrléansOrléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
about 1648. Influenced by Nicolas Malebranche
Nicolas Malebranche
Nicolas Malebranche ; was a French Oratorian and rationalist philosopher. In his works, he sought to synthesize the thought of St. Augustine and Descartes, in order to demonstrate the active role of God in every aspect of the world...
, but also close to Jansenist in his view, he tried fruitlessly to reconcile Malebranche with Antoine Arnauld
Antoine Arnauld
Antoine Arnauld — le Grand as contemporaries called him, to distinguish him from his father — was a French Roman Catholic theologian, philosopher, and mathematician...
in 1679. In fact Le Vassor's lectures on grace
Grace (Christianity)
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
after Malebranche, given at Saint-Magloire, set off a substantial public debate involving Arnauld.
Le Vassor left the Oratorians in 1690. In 1695 he was converted to Protestantism, and went to England via the Netherlands. There he was supported by William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Baron Bentinck of Diepenheim and Schoonheten, KG, PC was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. He was steady, sensible, modest...
and by Gilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
. He died in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1701.
Works
Le Vassor's Traité de la véritable religion (1688) was an attack on the biblical criticism of Richard SimonRichard Simon
Richard Simon was a French Oratorian, influential advanced biblical critic, orientalist, and controversialist.-Early years:...
, Jean Le Clerc
Jean Leclerc (theologian)
Jean Le Clerc, also Johannes Clericus was a Swiss theologian and biblical scholar. He was famous for promoting exegesis, or critical interpretation of the Bible, and was a radical of his age...
, and Benedict Spinoza. It included early examples of arguments against Spinoza's thought that were to become standard, and was widely recommended (by the Lutheran Johann Wolfgang Jaeger as well as the Catholics Daniele Concina and Luis António Verney); Le Vassor's reputation was made by the work, accessible in French, and he was mentioned with the leading Catholic opponents of Spinoza, Daniel Huet (in Latin only) and François Lamy
François Lamy
François Lamy was a French Benedictine ascetical and apologetic writer, of the Congregation of St-Maur.-Life:Lamy was born at Montireau in the Department of Eure-et-Loir. While fighting a duel, he was saved from a fatal sword-thrust by a book of the Rule of St. Benedict which he carried in his...
, as well as the Protestants Bernard Nieuwentyt
Bernard Nieuwentyt
Bernard Nieuwentijt, Nieuwentijdt, or Nieuwentyt was a Dutch philosopher, mathematician, physician, magistrate, mayor , and theologian...
and Buddeus. It was stated in the Traité as a commonplace that a form of Spinozism had become popular particularly in educated French circles, that its appeal was both its systematic character and the opportunities it afforded for sniping against the Bible and miracles, and that Spinoza had not in fact died an atheist as had been alleged, in Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
's account. The main religious battle had now shifted, Le Vassor argued as many others did at the time, to face general impiety rather than just Protestant views, and an "enlightened" Christianity was required to provide effective opposition to free-thought. The basis needed was an emphasis on rational design in nature, the innateness of belief in a providential God (an argument also in René-Joseph Tournemine
René-Joseph Tournemine
René-Joseph de Tournemine was a French Jesuit theologian and philosopher. He founded the Mémoires de Trévoux, the Jesuit learned journal published from 1701 to 1767, and assailed Nicolas Malebranche with the charges of atheism and Spinozism.His Réflexions sur l'athéisme originated as a preface to...
), and the continuity of tradition attesting the teaching of the Church. The design argument was used also at this time by Jacob Abbadie and Le Clerc, and was taken up later by Isaac Jaquelot and Jean Denyse.
Simon defended himself against Le Vassor in 1689 with an Apology, published in the name of a nephew. In the same year Le Vassor published some New Testament paraphrases.
The anonymous Les Soupirs de la France esclave (1689) has been attributed to Le Vassor; the traditional attribution to Pierre Jurieu
Pierre Jurieu
Pierre Jurieu was a French Protestant leader.-Life:He was born at Mer, in Orléanais, where his father was a Protestant pastor. He studied at the Academy of Saumur and the Academy of Sedan under his grandfather, Pierre Du Moulin, and under Leblanc de Beaulieu...
is now much contested. It touched on economic themes under the ancien régime, was published in 15 parts, and was largely reprinted (13 parts) in 1788 as Les voeux d'un patriote, through the efforts of Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Étienne
Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Etienne
Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Étienne was a French revolutionary.-Biography:Rabaut de Saint-Étienne was born at Nîmes, Gard, the son of Paul Rabaut, the additional surname of Saint-Étienne taken from a small property near Nîmes....
. Le Vassor's Lettres d'un gentilhomme français (1695), published at Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, discussed a proposed French poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
.
Traité de la manière d'examiner les différends de religion (1697) was seen as a work of apologetics
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
on behalf of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Lettres et memoires de François de Vargas, de Pierre de Malvenda et de quelques évéques d'Espagne touchant le Concile de Trent (1699) was a translation from Spanish originals of 16th-century letters of Francisco de Vargas y Mexia
Francisco de Vargas y Mexia
Francisco de Vargas y Mexia was a Spanish diplomat and ecclesiastical writer....
to Cardinal Granvelle relating to the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, expanded by correspondence of Pedro de Malvenda and others. The letters were in the collection of Sir William Trumbull.
Other works were the Histoire du règne de Louis XIII (Amsterdam, from 1700, ten volumes) and An account of the present state and government of the Empire of Germany (1711) addressed to Thomas Foley
Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley (1673–1733)
Thomas Foley, 1st Baron Foley was the eldest son of Thomas Foley and inherited the Great Witley estate on his father's death...
, on the death of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph I , Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, King of the Romans was the elder son of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg....
. The history of Louis XIII was a virulent anti-Catholic work; at the time of its publication Le Vassor was tutor to Henry Bentinck
Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland
Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland , styled Viscount Woodstock from 1689 until 1709, was a British politician and colonial statesman....
, known by the courtesy title Viscount Woodstock. Louis XIV made a point of asking Woodstock's father the Earl of Portland to dismiss Le Vassor; and Portland eventually complied for the sake of diplomacy. Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
wrote that this was the satirical work of an "odious declaimer", who sought only to denigrate Louis XIV, and of the factual content little was actually incorrect, though all the judgements were.