1. The Convent—Its location, origin, and early history. Fashionable patronage and relaxation of the rules. Angélique Arnauld. The Paris House, now the Musée de Cluny.
2. Educational System—The lay brothers in the original house. Antoine Arnauld, the De Sacys, Nicole. Their text-books: grammars, geometry, logic. Place in the history of education.
3. The Jansenist Movement—Story of Jansen and his famous book. Notable people who were influenced by it. How it made trouble for Port-Royal. Antagonism of the Jesuits, reason of it, development of the feud.
4. Suppression of the Institution—Reasons for the hostility of Louis XIV. Story of the dispersion of the nuns, described at length by Schimmelpenninck. Destruction of the beautiful buildings.
Books to Consult—Charles Beard: Port-Royal. Ethel Duncan Romanes: The Story of Port-Royal. Felix Cadet: Port-Royal Education. Sainte-Beuve: Port-Royal. (In French, not translated.)
Prepare a supplementary paper on the Puritan Spirit in Human Nature. This constantly reappears in history (see the Stoics), and is represented in France in this period by this Jansenist movement. An interesting paper might be written on Jacqueline Pascal, the sister of the great philosopher, and the celebrated episode of her healing, which had far-reaching consequences.
X—FAMOUS MEMOIRS OF THE TIME
1. Cardinal de Retz—Story of his adventurous life: description of his appearance and personal characteristics. Relation to the Fronde. Richelieu's opinion of him and relation to him.
2. The Duc de Saint-Simon—Personal history. Relation to the King and the court. Reason for writing: the servile tone of the memoirs of the Marquis de Dangeau. Saint-Simon's independence and frankness of criticism. "The Tacitus of French History." Compare with Pepys. Read descriptions of court life and personal passages.
3. Madame de Sévigné—Story of her life and that of her daughter. Her education and relation to the great world. Style. Readings from her letters.