GUYON, gi"6n', JEANNE MARIE BOUVIER DE LA MOTTE: French mystical writer of the Quietist school; b. at Montargis (38 m. e. of Orléans) Apr. 13, 1648; d. at Blois June 9, 1717. Her earliest educa tioh was received in convents. As a young girl of

delicate constitution, she displayed an enthusiastic tendency toward an ascetic, self-tormenting mysti-

cism, marked especially by a fervent Early Life. devotion to the name of Jesus. She

early became familiar with the writings of St. Francis of Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal (see Visitation, Order of the) and began instinctively to make all the vows and practise all the good works she found recommended in the latter's works.

Her great desire was to join an order, and especially that of the Visitation founded by her model, but her mother had other plans for her. On Jan.

28, 1664, she was married to a rich man Marriage. twenty-two years her senior, Jacques

Guyon, Seigneur de Chesnay, whom she had seen for the first time two or three days before. She was exceedingly unhappy in the worldly and otherwise uncongenial atmosphere of her husband's house, and her only consolation was to maintain unbroken communion with God; but, insufficiently acquainted with the practises of mysticism, she found it difficult to live a life of prayer until a young Franciscan whom she met at her father's spoke the decisive words which were to direct her whole life: "Your trouble comes from seeking externally what all the time is within you. Accustom yourself to seek God in your own heart, and you will find him there."

From this time she began the methodical practise of ascetic usages, scourging herself till the blood came, wearing nettles next to her skin and a girdle set with sharp nails, drank bitter drafts to spoil the taste of the little food she allowed herself, and broke off all intercourse with the world. Not long after she had entered on this course of life, she became acquainted in Paris with the prioress of the Benedictine nuns there, Genevipve Granger, who recommended her to the mystic Bertot as her director. In the same summer, under the prioress' advice, she went through the solemn form of a mystical espousal with Christ. Four years later M. Guyon died. His wife had given him the most devoted care during his illness; but she felt that now her chains were broken and she was free to devote her whole life unreservedly to God. The next day she renewed her mystical espousal and vowed never to take another earthly husband, on condition that her director approved of making the vow for life.

In 1680 she went to Paris for a time, and entered into correspondence with Pyre Ia Combe, superior

of the Barnabites at Thonon. Moved Widow- by his words and by some striking hood. Re- occurrences at the time, she believed lations with herself called by God to go to Geneva.

Ptre Is The bishop of that diocese (d'AranCombe. thon) being then in Paris, she sought

an interview with him and told him it was her intention to devote her property to the foundation of a community for "those who were willing truly to turn to God and serve him without reserve." The bishop told her of an association already at work in his diocese for the education of the daughters of Protestants and other converts to the Catholic faith, which was planning to establish

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Canyon an institution at Gex, and offered her the headship of this community. She set off without telling any one of her intention, reached Geneva on July 21, 1681, and proceed to Gex, where she was joined by Pdre la Combe, whom she now (Bertot having died just before) adopted as her spiritual father. She was not at all comfortable in the house, how ever, so that it was not long before she gave up the project and took refuge with the Ursulines of Tho non. Here her life began to be a continuous series of visions and revelations; and here, at 1a Combe's instance, she entered on her career as an author. When la Combe left Thonon to take up a position in the household of the Bishop of Vercelli, she accepted the invitation of the Marquise de Prunai to Turin so as to be near him. She intended to reside there permanently; but he announced to her that it was her duty to go at once to Paris. She yielded, and went as far as Grenoble, where she began her commentary on the Scriptures and became an object of general attention as her fame had already been spread abroad. She was soon, how ever, denounced as a dangerous person, in fact a sorceress in league with the Evil One, and was obliged to take flight. She went first to Marseilles, and finally, on Good Friday, 1685, made her appearance at Vercelli. Here there seemed a prospect of her finding at last a peaceful retreat, as the bishop planned to use her for the foundation of a congregation Returns of women; but a dangerous illness to Paris. sent her back to Paris, whither la Her Ideas Combe got permission to accompany Condemned. her. She had hardly reached there before she found that her own brother, a priest, and others were working against la Combe; suspicion of his relations with Madame Guyon and the charge of being a follower of Molinos led to his being imprisoned in the Bastille on the order of the archbishop (Oct., 1687). But the attack was directed not merely against him. It was reported to the king that Madam Guyon was a supporter of the Quietistic mysticism, and that she held meetings of a prohibited sort. By royal order she was arrested and confined in a convent of the Visitation (Jan. 29, 1688); but she was fortunate enough to enlist the sympathy of Madame de Maintenon, who procured her release. From 1688 to 1694 she lived partly in Paris and partly with her married daughter. At St. Cyr she came into contact with Fdnelon, and began a lively interchange of relig ious ideas with him. Her friends brought about a meeting also with Bossuet, who came to see her and looked at her manuscripts early in 1694. New trials were, however, preparing. Her ideas had found entrance into Madame de Maintenon's school at St. Cyr, and the confessor of Madame de Maintenon denounced them as dangerous and heretical, which led to her visits there being interdicted. Soon it was reported that Bossuet had found a number of grave errors in her writings, and accu sations were even whispered against her manner of life. She besought Madame de Maintenon for an investigation, and a commission was named, consisting of Bossuet; de Nosilles, Bishop of Cb$ lons; and Tronson, superior of St. Sulpice, a friend of Fdnelon's. The final result of their meetings, at the latter of which Fdnelon, now archbishop of Cambrai, assisted, was made known on Mar. 10, 1695. Thirty propositions collected from her writings were condemned. On Apr. 15 she signed a revocation of these propositions, after which Bossuet gave her a certificate of orthodoxy. Returning to Paris from Meaux, where she had spent some time for convenience of examination, she felt fortified by her rehabilitation and began to hold meetings for promoting the spiritual life. On Dec. 28 she was again arrested and imprisoned, first at Vincennes and afterward in the Bastille. She remained in confinement until the king and Bossuet had obtained from the pope (Mar., 1699) a condemnation of her Maximes des saints, and Bossuet had emerged victorious from his conflict with Fdnelon. He now began to take a milder tone with her, and she was released either in 1700 or 1702. She lived fifteen years longer in retirement at Diaiers near Blois, where her son was, maintaining a voluminous correspondence with admirers in France, Germany, Holland, and England.

Madame Guyon's influence did not perish with her, but spread wider throughout France and the surrounding countries, where her folHer lowers regarded as Gospel truths her

Influence maxims-that the true Christian must and strive for a pure, wholly disinterested

Writings. love; that he must pray, not in order to gain anything, even salvation, from God, but as an act of submission and resignation without any will of his own; that perfect prayer is mental power, the resting in God without words and without will; that he who has attained this state is thenceforth without sin. Since this kind of "internal" religion, without dependence on the institutions and sacraments of the Church, was acceptable to Protestants, it had numerous fol lowers among the members of different religious bodies in both England and Germany. Among Madame Guyon's works the following are note worthy: her autobiography in three volumes (Cologne, 1720); Moyen court et trds facile pour l'oraison (Lyons, 1688); Le Cantique des eantigues,, interprN selon le sens mystique (Grenoble, 1685); and her version of the Bible with notes and reflections (Les Torrens spirituels, 30 vols., Cologne, 1713-15).

(C. Pfender.)

Bibliography: A number of Madame Guyon's works are acoessible in English e.g., her Autobiography, Bristol, 1772, Dublin, 1775, Bristol, 1806, and a full transl. by T. T. Allen, 2 vols., London, 1897; many of her Poems were translated by w. Cowper, London, 1811, and they appeared, edited and arranged, with a short life, by A. Saunders Dyer, Glasgow, 1887; A Method of Prayer, An Analysis . . by T. C. Upham, London, 1859; A Short and Easy Method of Prayer, ib. 1867; and A Method of Prayer, by D. MacFadyen, ib. 1902.

On her life consult: J. B. Bossuet, Quakerism h la mode, or a History of Quietism, particularly that of . Madame Guyone, Containing her Life, Prophecies and Visions, London, 1698; L. M. Francis, The Biographies of Lady Russell and Madame Guyon, Boston, 1832; C. Hermes, Ztipe aus derv Leben der Frau von Guioxi, Magdeburg, 1.845; T. C. Upham, Life and Religious Opinions and Experience ofMadame de la Mothe Guyon, 2 vols., New York, 1847; H. Heppe, Geschichte der quietistischen Mystik, pp . 145 sqq., Berlin, 1875; A. Grivesu, Ettudr

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sur la condamnation du livre des Maximes des Saints, Paris, 1878; L. Guerrier, Madame Guyon, sa vie, sa doctrine et son influence, Paris, 1881; H. T. Cheever, Correspondencies of Faith and Views of Madame Guyon, New York, 1885; H. Delacroix. Etudes d'histoire et de psychologie du mysticisme, Paris, 1908.