CHAPTER V. THE ‘PROVINCIAL LETTERS.’

It was in the interval betwixt the first and second judgment of the Sorbonne that the first of the ‘Provincial Letters’ appeared.  The story is, ⁵ that during the course of the process Arnauld, Nicole, and Pascal, along with M. Vitart, the steward of the Duc de Luynes (to whom Arnauld’s second Letter had been addressed), and other friends, were met in secrecy at Port Royal des Champs.  Their conversation turned to the pending case, and the misapprehensions and prejudices which prevailed in the public mind regarding it.  It was felt that some effort should be made to clear away these prejudices, and to diffuse right information in a popular form.  Arnauld, ever ready with his pen, was prepared himself to undertake this task; and in a few days afterwards he read to his friends a long and serious paper in vindication of his position.  But his friends were not moved as he expected.  His pen, powerful in its own sphere, was not fitted to tell upon the popular mind; and his audience were too honest to conceal their disappointment.  Arnauld, in his turn, frankly acknowledged the truth forced upon him.  “I see you do not find my paper what you wished, and I believe you are right,” he said; and then, turning all at once to Pascal, he said, “But you, who are young, who are clever, ⁶ you ought to do something.”  page 117The effect was not lost upon Pascal.  He divined with his genuine literary instinct exactly what was required in the circumstances, although distrusting his power to produce it.  He promised, however, to make an attempt, which his friends might polish and put in shape as they thought fit.  Next day he produced “A Letter written to a Provincial by one of his friends.”  The Letter was unanimously pronounced exactly what was required, and ordered to be printed.  It appeared on the 23d January 1656; and a second followed six days later.