Protestantism in France From Death of Henry IV to the Revolution - James Aitken Wylie
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Nor was it popular assemblies only who<br />
listened approv<strong>in</strong>gly <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>se flights <strong>of</strong> rhe<strong>to</strong>ric;<br />
similar laudations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Revocation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Edict <strong>of</strong><br />
Nantes were pronounced before <strong>the</strong> French<br />
Academy, and received <strong>the</strong> meed <strong>of</strong> its applause.<br />
The Abbe Tallemand, when speak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
demolition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Protestant church at Charen<strong>to</strong>n,<br />
exclaimed -- "Happy ru<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>est trophy <strong>France</strong><br />
ever beheld! The statues and <strong>the</strong> triumphal arches<br />
erected <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g will not exalt it<br />
more than this temple <strong>of</strong> heresy overthrown by his<br />
piety. That heresy which thought itself <strong>in</strong>v<strong>in</strong>cible is<br />
entirely vanquished." Bossuet had compared Louis<br />
<strong>to</strong> Constant<strong>in</strong>e and Theodosius; Tallemand,<br />
discours<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> a body <strong>of</strong> learned men, seeks for a<br />
more classic pro<strong>to</strong>type <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> K<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>France</strong>. A<br />
second Hercules had arisen, he <strong>to</strong>ld <strong>the</strong> Academy,<br />
and a second hydra, more terrible by far than <strong>the</strong><br />
monster which <strong>the</strong> pagan god had sla<strong>in</strong>, had fallen<br />
beneath <strong>the</strong> blows <strong>of</strong> this second and greater<br />
Hercules.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> this universal chorus <strong>of</strong><br />
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