INTRODUCTION:

...to know the wanderings original: "égaremens." This refers to the human mind losing its way or deviating from the truth. of the human mind regarding the Christian Religion, the origin of heresies and errors, the practices upon which they were based, the path they followed, and the resources they employed from their birth until our days; which would teach us what principles were opposed to them, and by what reasons they were fought and condemned, the precautions taken to stop their progress; why these precautions succeeded, and how they became useless, and sometimes fatal.

With the help of these Memoirs In the 18th century, "Mémoires" often referred to collected historical records, documents, or "accounts" used as a basis for writing history., one could surely distinguish the love of truth from the spirit of party original: "l’esprit de parti," meaning factionalism or partisanship.; zeal for Religion from personal interest: one would not confound permitted opinions with condemned errors, nor involuntary error with heresy: one would know the extent and the limits of the zeal and firmness that Religion commands, the indulgence it inspires, and the moderation and prudence it prescribes. The most learned and virtuous Christians would see therein that they have had equals, and that their equals were mistaken; knowledge would be less proud and more sociable, and virtue would be neither haughty nor stubborn.

With this knowledge and these dispositions, how many men would one not snatch from error? How many would one not protect from seduction? In this context, "seduction" refers to being led astray by false arguments or charismatic but deceptive leaders. How many troubles and evils would one not prevent?

One can, in these Memoirs, follow the order of time, as in a history, or make...