Letter that called out two more folios from Arnauld, which Claude met with equal ability and learning. A clique of the Jansenists, secretly pleased with the confusion of Port-Royal, yet bound in honour to appear in the lists, issued their Just Prejudices against Calvinism. Claude reviewed it in his masterly Defense de la Reformation. Abbadie’s iron pen, ever nibbed with merciless courtesy, now the massive mace of Richard, now wary and keen as the Saracen’s cimetar, gave the coup de grace to the Papal hero of the clerical tilt.”
The above list of works —the one occasioning the next to be both written and printed — represents several years. Madame de Turenne died in April 1666, i.e., when Abbadie was twelve years old; and the controversy went on after the perversion to Popery of the unstable widower. It was in marvellously early youth that Abbadie wrote those Letters, concluding thus:—
“I may seem bold to enter the lists with such stalwart foes; but while those proud Philistines are defying the armies of the living God, may I not hope, though as feebly armed as the shepherd warrior of Israel, to confound them with a single blow? In my own cause I would despair; but I am fearless in thine, O God, who out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast perfected praise.”
He resided at Berlin, says the Biographia Britannica, “for many years with great reputation, and in high favour with the Elector; making now and then a trip to Holland on account of publishing his writings, which were received with great applause.” At first his congregation was thin, but after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, numbers of French refugees retired into Brandenburg. “They were received with the utmost compassion, so that Dr. Abbadie had a great charge, of whom he took all imaginable care; and by his interest, he rendered them many services at court.” His first book, containing four sermons, was published at Leyden in 1680. Early in the year 1684 he brought out the brilliant essay which established his fame — a panegyric on the Elector of Brandenburg. Bayle spoke of it, “not only with great condescension, but also with such marks of approbation as are not usual with that author;” and it was translated into Italian by Gregorio Leti.
In the Rev. William Douglas’s Album there is the following autograph:—
μαϰάριοι οί δεδίωϒμϩνοι ένεχεν διχαιοσΰνης
ότι αϋτών έστιν Βασιλεία τών ούρανώνν.
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior esto.
Omnia fausta atque felicia
animitus apprecatur hujus libelli
possessori reverendissimo Domino
Douglacio addictissimus servns
Dabam
Berolini
Oct. 3, 1687.
The death of the Elector in 1668 seems to have spoilt the charm of his adopted home; not that he had anything but happy feelings towards his successor, in whose honour he published “Sermon prononcé à l’occasion du couronnement de l’Electeur de Brandenburg, le 13 de Juin 1688.” Though the Elector was a friend, yet the venerable and admirable Schomberg was a dearer one; and at the Marshal’s pressing invitation he accompanied him to Holland (where perhaps he had been superintending the publication of the coronation sermon) to England.
I cannot do better than quote Professor Weiss’s summary of the literary history of Abbadie up to this date:—
