Dialogues Concerning Eloquence

by François de Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon

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Francois Fenelon was a French aristocrat and clergyman. He was known for his relatively progressive views on education and conversion tactics, and his adherence to mystic theology. He also published important written works on both political and religious subject matter.

In 1689, Fenelon became the tutor to the French heir, and duc de Bourgogne, Louis. While serving as Louis tutor, Fenelon wrote his most famous work, "Les Aventures de Telemaque." This story imagined the story of Ulysses’s son Telemachus, but also expressed Fenelon’s own political perspectives, particularly regarding the nature of kings and monarchical power. In the story, Telemachus reflected that "there were but few princes whose fortitude could effectually resist their own power [...] . He perceived that good kings were, for this reason, rare, and the greater number are so wicked [...] ." The monarchy was obviously displeased by Fenelon’s perspective, and he "fell permanently from official favour."

Following Fenelon’s tenure as the young Duke’s tutor, he was appointed to Archbishop of Cambrai. Fenelon’s religious practices and beliefs were also fairly modern. After the Edict of Nantes was repealed, Fenelon opposed forced conversion tactics and instead held open meetings for open conversation between protestants and Catholics in an effort to "present Catholic doctrine in a reasonable light."

Aside from his practical methodology regarding the church’s activity, Fenelon also had a very particular view of religious practice and how a practicing Catholic should best approach their worship. He was "moved by strong mystical tendencies, quite probably sought a closer alliance between mystic tradition and Christianity." He championed "an intimacy of the soul or inner self with the spirit of God" and recognized that "religious warmth combines with intellectual effort." Thus, human effort was necessary in order to encounter the divine, but the divine was something that transcended earthly, human things. He did not believe that true wisdom could be found only through "human reason" and instead argued that "it is only through a spiritual sense that highest truth is reached." His perspective thus might be interpreted as incorporating a sense of humility regarding the limitations of humanity.

This perspective is reflected in his book "Dialogues Concerning Eloquence." The book’s primary subject is rhetorical strategy. He reduces the principles of rhetoric to “proving, painting, and moving passions.” Part of the purpose of the book is "to guard us against the vitiated taste of false wit[...] ." The subject matter is largely removed from religion, but Fenelon’s views on humble and simple speech echo similar values to those that he championed in his religious takes. Similar to how the human intellect is merely a tool to be harnessed to encounter divine wisdom, writers should not be so enamored by their own intellect and prose that their "glittering fancy and quaint turns" lead to “artificial ornaments of false oratory.”

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as "Cambray on eloquence. 12mo." and kept by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson later sold a copy of this title to the Library of Congress. His copy of the 3rd edition published in 1760 is still at the Library of Congress, but it has been rebound and has no definitive Wythe markings. Nevertheless, both the Brown Bibliography and George Wythe's Library on LibraryThing include this copy as the one which once belonged to George Wythe. The Wolf Law Library has been unable to locate a copy of this edition of Dialogues concerning Eloquence.

See also

• Jefferson Inventory
• Wythe's Library