Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
Blois between 1714 and 1716 , where he rediscovered Scottish friends from Aberdeen who still belonged to this mystic network . Madame Guyon called them the “ Trans- ,” while the French were the “ Cys- .” An entire metaphoric language prevailed there . Those around her sought to find their childhood spirit , in homage to the “ Little Master ” ( Madame Guyon ’ s affectionate term for Jesus ), at the side of the “ Blessed Mother ,” that is Madame Guyon . Here , Ramsay was trying out an early , small-scale version of universal brotherhood . The unknown author of The Supplement to the Life of Madame Guyon reminds us that “ she did not reject the protestants , nor did she encourage them to change their religion , but to find pathways within themselves . It is known that she did not approve of Ramsay ’ s conversion .” 20
From 1717 onwards , Ramsay began to publish works by Fénelon , accompanying them with prefaces to honor his memory . He also wrote the Histoire de la vie de Messr . François de Salignac de La Motte-Fénélon ( the History of the Life of Fénelon ). It was divided into three parts : a quasi-apologetic account of Fénelon ’ s defense of Madame Guyon ; Fénelon ’ s exchanges ( Entretiens ) with Ramsay that led to his conversion to Catholicism , and a “ Discours Philosophique sur l ’ Amour de Dieu ” ( Philosophical Discourse on the Love of God ), with a focus on Pure Love , since “ this disinterested virtue had always been the Prelate ’ s favorite Doctrine , the source of his disgraces and his glory , the key to all his principles , the great impulse of his heart , and the culmination of his life . To give an accurate idea of his feelings about this doctrine , is to paint him as he truly was . That is what I shall do , using his own words as much as possible .” 21
Ramsay was consequently reproached for adapting Fénelon to conform with his own ideas and presenting him as both a supporter of Universal Tolerance and a disciple of Madame Guyon whereas in fact he only defended her . Nevertheless , the promotion of the doctrine of Pure Love was a means for Ramsay to disseminate his own work in France , and especially in the Pietist circles that were beginning to appear in Europe . In 1717 , he added a preface to Fénelon ’ s Les Aventures de Télémaque as guidance for the reader , and in 1727 he published his allegorical account of Les Voyages de Cyrus , which he explicitly stated was in imitation of Fénelon . 22 This book was supplemented by a “ Discours sur la mythologie des Païens ”, a preliminary draft of his later work , The Philosophical Principles of Natural and Revealed Religion .
20 Anonymous , Supplement à la vie de Madame Guyon , Ms ., Bodleian Library , Oxford University ( our translation ).
21 Chevalier Andrew Michael Ramsay , “ Discours Philosophique sur l ’ Amour de Dieu ”, in Histoire de la vie , pp . 1-2 ( new pagination for the Discours starts after p . 204 ). ( Our translation .)
22 Chevalier Andrew Michael Ramsey , Les Voyages de Cyrus , Histoire Morale , suivie d ’ un Discours sur la Mythologie et la Théologie ancienne ( The Hague : Nicolas Van Dallen , 1728 ). Published in English as The Travels of Cyrus , to which is annexed a Discourse upon the Theology and Mythology of the Pagans . I consulted the eighth edition ( London : printed by James Bettenham , 1752 ).
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