LAMENNA1S, FELICITE-ROBERT, ABBfi DE, the son of a ship owner of Saint•Malo, was born at that port, on the 6th of June 1782. Prevented by the turbulence of the times from being sent to school, at the usual ago, he received from his elder brother his first lessons in Latin, and then finished alone his stinted education. For all that, he was able to read Livy and Plutarch, when be was only twelve years old. In 1794, having been sent to live with an uncle, this relation not knowing what to do with a wilful boy, used to shut him up for whole days, in a library, consisting of two compartments, one of which, called "Hell," contained a largo number of prohibited books, which little Robert was enjoined not to read. But the led already cared for none but books of reflection, and finding some of these on the prohibited shelves, that division became his favourite. Long hours wero thus spent in readiug tho ardent pages of Rousseau, the thoughtful volumes of 31allebranche, and other writers of sentiment and philosophy. Such a course of reading, far from pro ducing its usual effects of precoaious vain-glory and unbelief ou so young a mind, served rather to ripen his judgment, and to develop that religious fervour which was a part of his nature. Thus left to himself for many years, he declined hie father's repeated offers to settle him iu some mercantile office, and in 1807 found means to enter the college of Saiut-31ale, as teacher of mathematics.
He I reduced in 1803 his first work, '116flexions our l'Etat de l'Eglise en Franco, pendant he 18 Sircle, et sur as situation actuelle.' In this book he denounces the materialism propagated by the philosophers of the 18th century, and bitterly deplores the apathy thence induced to religion. His vocation being the Church, he took the tonsure, of his own accord, in 1311; and in 1812, in concert with hie brother, pub lished his ' Tradition de ttglise sur l'Inetitution des Eveques.' Aa the power of Napoleon I. was di-solving, aud the time seemed pro pitious for the diffusion of unfettered thoughts, be went to Paris in 1814, his first production being a violent pamphlet against the fallen emperor. This untimely pbilippio drove him from France during the Hundred Days ; he sought refuge in England, spent several mouths as usher at a school kept by the Abbe Caron, near London ; and thee returning home in 1316, was at length ordained priest.
The following year was signalised by the appearance of his Essai sur Pludifffirence en matiere de Religious' a book which produced an impression so sudden aud so deep, that in a single day, said his disciple Lacordaire, be rose like a new Bossuet above the horizon. But in this, as in all his former works, tho Abb6 Lamennais atilt adhered to the orthodox standard of Catholicism, no other theological writer going beyond him in upholding the clerical authority in preference to private judgment. In 1821 he visited Rome, met with the most flattering reception from Popo Leo X11., but declined the offer of the Cardinal's hat, made to him by that pontiff. Hia next work, 'La Religion consid6r6o dans aes Rapports avec l'ordre Civil et Politique,' began to exhibit that freedom of thought, reacliiug to the last boundary of revolution (but which however, independent of church interests, abandons nothing iu spiritual faith), for which he has since become so widely known. For this book he was sum moned to appear before the Cour Correctionuelle, and condemned to a fine.
The general agitation and the fermeut in the public mind, which preceded the fall of Charles X., bad gradually produced a modification in the opinions of this enthusiast, whose faith was too sincere to be stagnant : the revolution of July induced him to adopt the principle of the people's supremacy. Still he continued the same full believer,
and earnest worshipper iu the Christian doctrine, as it is understood in the Roman Catholio Church. In attaching himself with equal warmth to the democratic principles, he pointed his objections at the temporal abuses of the Church ; whilst his reverence for her spiritual authority remained unaltered. In September 1830, he brought out a journal, called 'L'Avenir,' in which several young men who had adopted his opinions, assisted him with their contributions. Among these wore the Abb6 Gerbet, the eloquent preacher Lacordaire, and M. de Mon talembert. The object of this journal was to spread the system of the Abb6 Lamennais, and to explain that It combined the advocacy of the interests of the Roman Catholic, Church, and the defence of liberal opinions in connection with it; and to maintain that religion, so long neglected, and suffered to decline by the upper classes, ought to be, and might be regenerated by the common people. He likewise demauded, in thls paper, the complete separation of the spiritual from the temporal pow er, insisting that political influence ought to be transferred to the multitude by means of universal suffrage. These bold opinions, expressed in a style of eloquence, somewhat biblical in form, and of remarkable power, produced upon au excitable people an effect so manifest as to provoke the censure of Rome, in the form of an encyclical letter, of the 18th of September 1832. Having submitted to this rebuke by suppressing his journal, the ableS received • gracious letter of congratulation from the pontiff on the 28th of December.
But in May 1834, the new champion of independeooe In church matters, produced his most admired book, the Paroles d'uu Croyant,' pathetio lamentatiou, addressed alike to tho suffering classes, and to the great and powerful; a work which sundered for ever the bond that united Lamennais to the sae of Rome. Irritated by this new provocation, Gregory XVI., in a second letter, dated July 7, 1334, condemned the book in very severe terms; whilst the revolutionary party applauded their advocate for his independent spirit aud original powers of mind. Thus stigmatised by the Church, prosecuted by government, and by the people hailed as an apostle, the Abb6 Lameu nais set no bounds to his course. He now produced in rapid alio cession : 'Les Affairee de Rome,' in 1836; Le Livre du Peuple,' in 1837; 'Le Pays et le Gouvernoment,' in 1840 (for which he was sentenced to a year's imprisonment); 'De la Religion,' in 1841 ; ' Le Guide du Premier Ago,' in 1844; 'Une Veil de Prison,' in 1846; and Les Conseils de l'Abb6 Lnmennais au Peuple,' in 1349. His most elaborate work 'Esquisse dune Philosophies' was published in 4 vols, 1840.46. He died February 27, 1354, unreconciled to the Church, though during his last illness the most strenuous efforts were made to induce him to retract his heterodox opinions: by his express desire lie was interred without any religious ceremony. It was one of his last and most earnest injunctions that certain papers, which con tained his latest sentiments, should be published without alteration or suppression ; but the religious advisers of his niece (who was also his housekeeper) so far wrought ou her susceptibility as to cause her to refuse to give up the papera to the persons whom Lamennaia had authorised to superintend their publication. The matter was in cone aequeuce brought beforo the proper legal tribunal, when the judges directed (August 1856) that the papers should be handed over for publication in their integrity.