By Sr. Mary Ancilla Reilly RSM

The revival of paganism in manners as well as in literature was an outstanding characteristic of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Pious and zealous men, alarmed at the rebirth of pagan science, art, and poetry condemned the whole movement as evil. But this was not the attitude of the Church; on the contrary, she undertook to direct the new movement; she prepared to create a revival that would be Catholic. She tried to open men's minds to beauty in life and art as a reflection of the Eternal beauty. Consequently, the Christian Renaissance was a time of great conquest and triumph for the Church as well as a time of disaster and loss. Side by side with the falling away of souls, as a result of the Protestant Revolt, was the light of true faith which still shone with undimmed brilliance. Adherents to the Church not only became stronger in love, honour, and loyalty to their God, but they also showed greater fidelity to the marriage state, and respect for the ministers of Religion. To the last half of this century belonged Saint Francis de Sales whose writings aroused the interest of the intellectuals of his day and exerted no small influence on the period.

The century in which he produced his earlier works is styled by some the most glorious in French literature. The language available to literature was so developed, strengthened, enlarged, and fitted to literary uses that it has ever since remained what the sixteenth century made it. The works of Saint Francis gave evidence of this care and studied form; and the greatest of his works La Vie Devote reveals a technique in the use of symbolism which is characteristically outstanding. A particular study of the Saint's works was made in order to learn more about the source of this symbolism as found in Pliny.

The age of Francis, in point of science, was on a level with that of Pliny whose one hundred thirty seven books contain the sum and substance of all the knowledge of antiquity with regard to the arts and sciences. In the sixteenth century this "information" which seems far fetched was frequently used in a symbolical way in sermons and literature, and it was generally understood; a passing allusion to the science in a book or an address was assumed as intelligible without any further comment. 1n fact, Pliny's Natural History was so popular at the time that it was considered a handbook for the educated. Saint Francis employed this accepted knowledge extensively. lndeed, the comparisons are amusing in the light of modern science, but we must remember the enthusiasm of the Renaissance and the charm which the Natural History held. Francia draws from this ancient source a wealth of ideas for his unique symbolism and uses it to attain his religious objective, namely, the moral uplift of society.

Not only does he symbolize commonplace animals which have a direct appeal to the populace, but he also employs fabulous animals to enhance his imagery. His ability to ex[1]press analogies in an eloquent and charming manner, his great originality and creative power in literary symbolism, his capacity for observing human nature, his ability to touch the human heart and arouse a profound sympathy and love for the beautiful have made the works of Saint Francis appeal to all classes of society, and have won for the Saint a lasting place in the literary world.