Protestantism in France From Death of Henry IV to the Revolution - James Aitken Wylie

Protestant, Valentine Conrart, a man of fine literary
genius. A little company of illustrious men, who
met at Conrart's house, first suggested the idea of
the Academy to Richelieu. The statesman gave it a
charter, but Conrart gave it rules, and continued to
be its life and soul until the day of his death. In this
list of Protestants who adorned the country that
knew so in to appreciate their faith, was Guy
Pantin. He was distinguished as a man of letters,
and not less distinguished as a philosopher and a
physician. Another great name is that of Pierre
Dumoulin, who is entitled to rank with the best of
the classical prose writers of France. "With more
respect for the proprieties," says Weiss, "and less
harshness of character, his style reminded the
reader of the great qualities of that of Calvin,
whose Institutes of Christianity had supplied
France with its first model of a lucid, ingenious,
and vehement prose, such as the author of the
Provincial Letters would not have disowned."[4]
With the Huguenots came the era of pulpit
eloquence in France. In the worship of the Church
of Rome, the sermon was but the mere accessory.
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