THE  JANSENISTS  229

thus  carrying  out  St.  Cyran's  injunction  to  "speak
little,  bear  much,  and  pray  still  more."  In  other  words,
Fenelon  had  recourse  to  strong  measures  only  when
all  other  persuasions,  such  as  praise  and  a  charming
personality,  had  failed,  or  were  likely  to  fail.  In  this
conflict  for  spiritual  mastery  Fenelon  finally  won,  and
the  duke  gradually  learned  to  master  his  violent  tem-
per, becoming  affable,  generous,  and  self -poised.  The
effectiveness  of  this  indirect  method  of  discipline  is
startlingly  illustrated  by  an  incident  in  the  duke's
conduct.  Fenelon  had  gently  reproved  the  young  duke
for  some  shortcoming,  when,  as  Fenelon's  biographer
tells  us,  he  said:  "I  know  who  I  am,  and  who  you  are  ! "
Fenelon,  controlling  himself,  made  no  reply;  but,
possessing  himself  in  patience,  and  taking  the  matter
to  God  in  prayer,  he  addressed  the  duke  the  following
day  in  a  tranquil  but  serious  tone,  saying:  "You  re-
call, no  doubt,  the  v/ords  you  spoke  to  me  yesterday.
