andtoreferyoutomyletters，inwhichIhavedeclaredthat\"Iamaprivateindividual\"；andagaininsomanywords，that\"IamnotofPort—Royal，asIsaidinmySixteenthLetter，whichprecededyourpublication。Youmustfallonsomeotherway，then，toprovemeheretic，otherwisethewholeworldwillbeconvincedthatitisbeyondyourpowertomakegoodyouraccusation。ProvefrommywritingsthatIdonotreceivetheconstitution。
Mylettersarenotveryvoluminous—therearebutsixteenofthem—andIdefyyouoranybodyelsetodetectinthemtheslightestfoundationforsuchacharge。Ishall，however，withyourpermission，producesomethingoutofthemtoprovethereverse。When，forexample，IsayintheFourteenththat，\"bykillingourbrethreninmortalsin，accordingtoyourmaxims，wearedamningthoseforwhomJesusChristdied，doInotplainlyacknowledgethatJesusChristdiedforthosewhomaybedamned，and，consequently，declareittobefalse\"thathediedonlyforthepredestinated，\"whichistheerrorcondemnedinthefifthproposition？Certainitis，father，thatIhavenotsaidawordinbehalfoftheseimpiouspropositions，whichIdetestwithallmyheart。AndeventhoughPort—Royalshouldholdthem，Iprotestagainstyourdrawinganyconclusionfromthisagainstme，as，thankGod，IhavenosortofconnectionwithanycommunityexcepttheCatholic，ApostolicandRomanChurch，inthebosomofwhichIdesiretoliveanddie，incommunionwiththePope，theheadoftheChurch，andbeyondthepaleofwhichIampersuadedthereisnosalvation。Howareyoutogetatapersonwhotalksinthisway，father？Onwhatquarterwillyouassailme，sinceneithermywordsnormywritingsaffordtheslightesthandletoyouraccusations，andtheobscurityinwhichmypersonisenvelopedformsmyprotectionagainstyourthreatenings？Youfeelyourselvessmittenbyaninvisiblehand—ahand，however，whichmakesyourdelinquenciesvisibletoalltheearth；andinvaindoyouendeavourtoattackmeinthepersonofthosewithwhomyousupposemetobeassociated。Ifearyounot，eitheronmyownaccountoronthatofanyother，beingboundbynotieeithertoacommunityortoanyindividualwhatsoever。AlltheinfluencewhichyourSocietypossessescanbeofnoavailinmycase。FromthisworldI
havenothingtohope，nothingtodread，nothingtodesire。ThroughthegoodnessofGod，Ihavenoneedofanyman’smoneyoranyman’spatronage。
Thus，myfather，Ieludeallyourattemptstolayholdofme。YoumaytouchPort—Royal，ifyouchoose，butyoushallnottouchme。YoumayturnpeopleoutoftheSorbonne，butthatwillnotturnmeoutofmydomicile。Youmaycontriveplotsagainstpriestsanddoctors，butnotagainstme，forIamneithertheonenortheother。Andthus，father，youneverperhapshadtodo，inthewholecourseofyourexperience，withapersonsocompletelybeyondyourreach，andthereforesoadmirablyqualifiedfordealingwithyourerrors—oneperfectlyfree—onewithoutengagement，entanglement，relationship，orbusinessofanykind—one，too，whoisprettywellversedinyourmaxims，anddetermined，asGodshallgivehimlight，todiscussthem，withoutpermittinganyearthlyconsiderationtoarrestorslackenhisendeavours。Since，then，youcandonothingagainstme，whatgoodpurposecanitservetopublishsomanycalumnies，asyouandyourbrethrenaredoing，againstaclassofpersonswhoareinnowayimplicatedinourdisputes？
Youshallnotescapeunderthesesubterfuges：youshallbemadetofeeltheforceofthetruthinspiteofthem。Howdoesthecasestand？ItellyouthatyouareruiningChristianmoralitybydivorcingitfromtheloveofGod，anddispensingwithitsobligation；andyoutalkabout\"thedeathofFatherMester\"—apersonwhomIneversawinmylife。Itellyouthatyourauthorspermitamantokillanotherforthesakeofanapple，whenitwouldbedishonourabletoloseit；andyoureplybyinformingmethatsomebody\"hasbrokenintothepoor—boxatSt。Merri！\"Again，whatcanyoupossiblymeanbymixingmeupperpetuallywiththebookOntheHolyVirginity，writtenbysomefatheroftheOratory，whomIneversawanymorethanhisbook？Itisratherextraordinary，father，thatyoushouldthusregardallthatareopposedtoyouasiftheywereoneperson。Yourhatredwouldgraspthemallatonce，andwouldholdthemasabodyofreprobates，everyoneofwhomisresponsibleforalltherest。ThereisavastdifferencebetweenJesuitsandalltheiropponents。Therecanbenodoubtthatyoucomposeonebody，unitedunderonehead；andyourregulations，asIhaveshown，prohibityoufromprintinganythingwithouttheapprobationofyoursuperiors，whoareresponsibleforalltheerrorsofindividualwriters，andwho\"cannotexcusethemselvesbysayingthattheydidnotobservetheerrorsinanypublication，fortheyoughttohaveobservedthem。\"Sosayyourordinances，andsosaythelettersofyourgenerals，Aquaviva，Vitelleschi，&；c。