P. 282, l. 31. Father Brisacier, born 1603, a Jesuit, and a warm opponent of Jansenism. He wrote Le Jansénisme confondu, and several minor works. He is constantly quoted in the Provincial Letters.
P. 283, l. 1. Venice. The Jesuits had just returned to Venice in 1657, having been expelled thence in 1606.
P. 283, l. 22. Amice, ad quid venisti. Matt. xxvi. 50.
P. 283, l. 24. probability, or, technically, probabilism. Probabilism teaches that it is permissible to act on an opinion which is less probable than the opinion opposed to it so long as there is a solid ground for regarding it as probable in itself. Thus, if out of three moral theologians of recognised authority, two give it as their opinion that a certain course of conduct is unlawful, while the third asserts it to be lawful, probabilism permits the adoption in practice of the third opinion in opposition to the other two. A confessor would therefore have no right to forbid it under pain of sin.
P. 284, l. 12. Dii estis. Ps. lxxxii. 6.
P. 284, l. 13. If my Letters are condemned at Rome. The Provincial Letters were condemned at Rome, Sept. 6, 1657.
P. 285, l. 22. imago. An allusion to the famous panegyric on the Jesuits called, "Imago primi sæculi." See Fifth Provincial.
P. 285, l. 36. Si non fecissem quæ alius non fecit. Jon. xv. 24.
P. 286, l. 31. These nuns. The nuns of Port Royal were called upon to sign the Formula which declared that the Five Propositions were in Jansenius.