he was not willing to take anything, not even a glass of wine.

At his death he gave all he possessed, which was inconsiderable, to his
parishioners, and desired to be buried in his garden.

They were greatly surprised to find in his house three manuscripts, each
containing three hundred and sixty-six pages, all written by his hand,
signed and entitled by him, "My Testament." This work, which the author
addressed to his parishioners and to M. Leroux, advocate and procurator
for the parliament of Meziers, is a simple refutation of all the
religious dogmas, without excepting one. The grand vicar of Rheims
retained one of the three copies; another was sent to Monsieur
Chauvelin, guardian of the State's seal; the third remained at the
clerk's office of the justiciary of St. Minehould. The Count de Caylus
had one of those three copies in his possession for some time, and soon
afterward more than one hundred were at Paris, sold at ten Louis-d'or
apiece. A dying priest accusing himself of having professed and taught
the Christian religion, made a deeper impression upon the mind than the
"Thoughts of Pascal."

The curate Meslier had written upon a gray paper which enveloped the
copy destined for his parishioners these remarkable words: "I have seen
and recognized the errors, the abuses, the follies, and the wickedness
of men. I have hated and despised them. I did not dare say it during my
life, but I will say it at least in dying, and after my death; and it is
that it may be known, that I write this present memorial in order that
it may serve as a witness of truth to all those who may see and read it
if they choose."

At the beginning of this work is found this document (a kind of