uman destiny as a whole. As regards the other
indictment, the early stories sometimes dwell to excess on the mere
framework of opulence; but the pathology of moral irresolution, of
complicated affairs of the heart, of the ironies of friendship, in which
the writer revels, can be more appropriately studied in a cultured and
leisured society than amid the simpler surroundings of humbler men and
women. The style of all Bourget's writings is singularly graceful. His
knowledge of the literature of other lands gives it a greater
flexibility and a finer allusiveness than most of his contemporaries can
achieve. The precision by which it is not less distinguished, though
responsible for a certain over-refinement, and for some dull pages of
the novels, is an almost unmixed merit in the critical essays. As a
critic, indeed, either of art or letters, Bourget leaves little to be
desired. If he is not in the very first rank of novelists, if his books
display more ease of finished craftsmanship than joy in spontaneous
creation, it must be remembered that the supreme writers of fiction have
rarely succeeded as he has in a different field.

See also C. Lecigne, _L'Evolution morale et religieuse de M. Paul
Bourget_ (1903); Sargeret, _Les Grands Convertis_ (1906). His _Oeuvres
completes_ began to appear in a uniform edition in 1899.

BOURIGNON, ANTOINETTE (1616-1680), Flemish mystic, was born at Lille on
the 13th of January 1616. From an early age she was under the influence
of religion, which took in course of time a mystical turn. Undertaking
the work of a reformer, she visited France, Holland, England and
Scotland. Her religious enthusiasm, peculiarity of views and disregard
of all sects raised both zealous persecutors and warm adherents. On her
death at Franeker, Friesland, on the 30th of October 1680, she left a
large number of followers, who, however, dwindled rapidly away; but in
the early 18th century her influence revived in Scotland sufficiently to
call forth several denunciations of her doctrines in the various
Presbyterian general assemblies of 1701, 1709 and 1710. So far as
appears from her writings and contemporary records, she was a visionary
of the ordinary type, distinguished only by the audacity and persistency
of her pretensions.

Her writings, containing an account of her life and of her visions and
opinions, were collected by her disciple, Pierre Poiret (19 vols.,
Amsterdam, 1679-1686), who also pu