Jacques-Philippe Lallemant

Lallemant , JACQUES-PHILIPPE, French ‘Jesuit, b. at St-Valery-sur-Somme about 1660; d. at Paris, 1748. Little is known of him beyond his writings. He took part in the discussion on the Chinese rites, and wrote the “Journal historique des assemblees tenues en Sorbonne pour condamner les Memoires de la Chine” (Paris, 1700), a defense of his confrere Lecomte against the Sorbonnist, Jacques Lefevre. In his “Histoire des Contestations sur la Diplomatique” (Paris, 1708) he sided with the Jesuits Hardouin and Papebroch against the Benedictine Mabillon. His principal works, however, are against the Jansenists. In close succession he published: “Le Pere Quesnel seditieux clans ses Reflexions sur le Nouveau Testament” (Brussels, 1704); “Jansenius condamne par l’Eglise, par lui-meme, par ses defenseurs et par St-Augustin” (Brussels, 1705); “Le veritable esprit des nouveaux disciples de St-Augustin” (Brussels, 1706-7); “Les Hexaples ou les six colonnes sur la Constitution Unigenitus” (Amsterdam, 1714), with a number of pamphlets in defense of the same; “Entretiens au sujet des affaires resentes par rapport A la religion” (Paris, 1734-1743). The better to counteract Quesnel’s “Reflexions morales”, Lallemant composed, in collaboration with other Jesuits (e.g. Bouhours and Michel), “Reflexions morales sur le Nouveau Testament traduit en francais” (Paris, 1713-25), which Fenelon styled very pious and capable of guiding the reader through any part of the sacred text. This work, translated into many languages, enjoyed a well-deserved popularity, and the latest edition (Lille, 1836) was warmly praised by the “Revue Catholique”. Lallemant is also the author of “Le Sens propre et lit-Oral des Psaumes de David” (Paris, 1709) and of “L’Imitation de Jesus-Christ, traduction nouvelle” (Paris, 1740), of which there have been countless editions and translations. The “Memoires de Trevoux” (August, 1713, and May, 1714) contain several dissertations with Lallemant’s initials, and the Jansenists attributed to him several writings like the “Mandement of M. de Vintimille contre les Nouvelles Ecclesiastiques” (1732) and the supplement to the “Nouvelles Ecclesiastiques” (1734-8).

J. F. SOLLIER