would take the paines leave to add his perhaps with as ridiculous a successe as those that thought they had found spots in the Sun That also the Academie desired to please none but the wisest men and not those fooles that begin to be dazeld with the glory which it receives from so great a protector That if these resolutions may not serve as rules for the future they may at least serve as advice since t is not probable that so many men assembled together should not be able to decide things in which it cannot be denyed but they have manifested sufficient experience That this Company hath taken the name of the FRENCH ACADEMIE because t was the most modest and most proper to its Function That for the Seale it would use and the Priviledges it would enjoy it referred it self therein to its Founder and to his Autority who alone having given forme to this Institution was able to build it up upon foundation strongs enough to continue as long as the Monarchie This Project accompany'd with the Letter which I told you of was presented to the Cardinall by the 3. deputies of the Company He caused the Letter to be read to him twice once by Cardinall de la Valette who then was with him and the 2d time by Monsieur de Boisrobert He answered the Deputies in these very termes as I find them in the Register Reg. March 27. 1634. That he had a good esteem of the whole Company in generall and each member thereof in particular That he was very well pleased with their desiring his Protection that he granted it to them with all his heart He caused the Project also to be read to him and Marked in it some passages which he thought were to be corrected and promised to approve it when 't was mended which being told the Company they gave in charge first to Monsieur Chapelain Godeau Habert and Desmarests to Examine the discourse Reg. May 1. 1634. At last since each of the Academiciens found fault with some thing or other in it t was resolved that every one of them should examine it by themselves and to this purpose that there should be thirty copies of it printed Reg. May 8. 1634. to be distributed amongst them but that they should swear not to speake of it or shew it to any body I learnt afterwards one thing which I account very remarkable t was that to have these thirty Copies they took the way of printing not onely because they judged it the most facile and ready way but also because according to the Common opinion the lesser pains the Eyes take in reading a book the more liberty the minde hath to judge of it That one sees more clearly observes better the graces the faults of a work when t is written in a good Character then when in an ill and better yet when t is printed then when t is written That for Instance Cardinall Perron who spared neither paines nor care nor costs for his books made them alwayes be printed twice first to distribute onely some Copies of them to his private friends on which they might make their observations and Secondly to publish them to the world in that forme which he resolved to set them forth in And to the end that none of this first sort should be divulged against his will he caused them to be wrought off at his own house at Bagnolet where he had a Presse on purpose Well Reg May 18 1634. the thirty printed copies were brought back by the Academiciens with their Notes and which is considerable in so great a number there was not one of them that had divulged the secret The discourse was examined afterwards with great care in severall Assemblies whereof many were extraordinary for this very businesse At last Reg. June 19. July 17. Octob. 30. 1634. Monsieur Faret made it ready to be presented a second time to the Cardinal which he and Monsieur de Biosrobert had charge to do The Cardinall received the Copy which they presented him and having approved it for the matter sent it back soon after to the Company with his own marginall castigations written by the hand of Charpentier his Secretary which related onely to the forme and expressions of it T was ordered that he should be most humbly thanked for his favour Reg. November 15. 1634. and that they would correct according to his desire those passages which he had taken notice of Onely assuming to themselves a laudable liberty in a time when all the Court Idolized the Cardinall and when t would have been a crime to contradict him Reg. November 27. 1634. they ordered that upon two of those passages He should be desired to tell them whether it were his absolute pleasure that they should alter them because his Note was conceived in dubious termes and because the Expressions seemed to the whole Company to be sufficiently noble and French good enough I do not find that they changed these passages afterwarâ—s which makes me think the Cardinal did not urge them any more Now the design oâ— the Academy was to print this Project with their Statutes when they were finiâ—ht that they were agreed about them But this was never done whether it were that this first ardour for the glory of the Company began in time to coole or that as I am very prone to believe it happened then to this judicious Society as it doth every day to many brave men not to satisfie themselves though they satisfie all men else Perhaps the Academy approved all the parts of this discourse but still found some fault or other in the whole as to the order and cariage of it I durst almost suspect it was thus not onely because after they had read it twice and that with very much pleasure they seeme to me to incline moâ—e towards this defect then any other but besides because in one of the Conferences wherein t was examined as I find in the Registers there was a generall Rule made for the future which too in my opinion may serve as a generall lesson for all writers Reg. July 17. 1634. That none should hereafter read any discourse in the Company unlesse at the same time he bring the Analysis of it by it self that so the Academy may judge of the whole as well as of the parts They forgat not in the mean time to deliberate about the principal imployment of the Academy concerning its Statutes and the Letters it was to have for its Establishment Reg. March 20. 1634. In the 2d Assembly upon the question that was propounded concerning its Function Monsieur Chapelain declared that in his opinion it ought to be To endeavour the purify ng of our Language and the rendering it capable of the highest Eloquence as you saw 't was said in the Project That to this purpose they are in the first place to regulate the Termes and Phrases
where he had not his Scouts to give him notice of all their designes These two Gentlemen then feared lest that this commerce which they should have with him by meanes of an Academie which he was to be Founder and Protector of should give men occasion to talke and render them suspected to their Lords They omitted not therefore any thing which might perswade the company to be of their minds However at last the contrary opinion passed which was Monsieur Chapelain's for as he had neither passion nor interest against the Cardinal who had taken notice of him and as a testimony of the esteem he had of him had given him a Pension He represents unto them that it must be confest they could have been contented that their conferences had not been thus divulged but that considering the condition things were in it was not free for them to take which of the two parts they liked best That they had to do with a Man who is extreme eager in what he desires and that is not accustomed to meet with opposition or if he does to suffer it unpunisht That he might take it for an affront if they should refuse his protection and might revenge himselfe for it upon each of them in particular That at least since that by the Lawes of the Realme all kind of Assemblyes were forbidden that are made without authority from the Prince he might if he pleased with a words speaking put an end to this in spite of them and by this meanes break up a Society which there wa none of them but wish't might be eternall Upon these reasons it was resolved that Monsieur de Boisrobert should be desired to returne most humble thanks to the Cardinal for the honour he did them and to assure him that although they never had any such ambitious thoughts and were extreamly surprized with his Eminence designe yet they were wholly resolved to obey his Commands The Cardinal received their answer with great satisfaction and giving divers testimonies that he was very serious in this establishment he commanded Monsier de Boisrobert to tell them that they should meet together as they were wont and that they should augment their company as they should think fit and that they should advise among themselves what forme and what Lawes it would be best to give it for the future Things passed thus in the beginning of the yeare 1634. At the same time Monsieur Conrart at whose house they had their meetings hitherto was about to marry having then invited all these Gentlemen as his particular friends to be at his wedding they conceived that for the future his housewould not be so proper for their conferences as before Therefore they began to meet at Monsieur Desmarests to think seriously according to the intention of the Cardinal concerning the establishment of the Academie IF you remember that you have read in some one of the Poets the description of a young Commonwealth where some are busied in making laws and creating Magistrates others in setting out the ground and drawing a platforme of the houses these in getting together materialls and those in laying the foundations for the Temples and Walls Imagine that it was just so in this first Institution of the Academie and that there passed divers things almost at the same time which cannot be related but one after another One of the first was that these Gentlemen increas'd their company with divers persons considerable for their merit amongst whom there were some that were otherwise so for their quality For as the Court does alwaies zealously imitate the inclinations of the grand Ministers and Favorites especially when they are grounded upon reason and honesty Those which were neere the Cardinal and that were in any reputation of wit thought it a peice of honour to be of that body of which he was the Protector and Father Not only Monsieur Desmarests and Monsieur Boisrobert who were the first that knew of these private assemblies but also Monsieur de Montmer Master of requests Monsieur de Chastelet Counsellor of State who was in great favour Monsieur Serrien then Secretary of Estate and Monsieur Seguier Keeper of the Seales now Chancellor of France desired to be of this Company But because I must in another place speak of all the Academiciens in particular I shall deferre till then to let you know when and upon what occasion each of them was admitted And that they might give some order and forme to their Assembly they resolved to create forthwith their Officers A Director and a Chanceller that should be changed from time to time and a Secretary that should be perpetuall the two first by lot and the last by the suffrages of the Assembly The Director was Monsieur de Serizay the Chancellor Monsieur Desmarests the Secretary Monsieur Conrart to whom this Office was given in his absence by a common consent all agreeing herein that no man could better fill this place Then began he to set down in writing what pass'd in the Assemblie and to keepe those Registers from whence I have drawn the best and greatest part of this Relation They begin March 13. 1634. Besides these three Officers they created a Stationer to the Academie Register 13. March 1634. who was also to serve as dorekeeper to it This charge was given to Camusat who of all others was esteemed the most able Register Apill 10. 1634. for besides that he was very well seene in his profession he was a man of a good judgment and would not print any scurvy books so that when you and I came abroad into the world and began first to reade French Pieces 't was almost an infallible marke of good ones that he printed them They consulted likewise in these beginings Reg. March 20 1634. what name the Company should take and among others that were propounded that of the FRENCH ACADEMIE which had already been approved of by the Cardinal was liked best Some have since called it the Academie of the beaux esprits others the Academie of Eloquence as Monsieur de Boissat who wrote to it from Dauphine with this Title erroneously though he himself was one of it Many others have believed that it was called the eminent Academie in allusion to the qualitie of the Cardinal who was its Protector And I confesse that I my selfe was heretofore deceived in the Epistle Dedicatorie of the first Book of my Paraphrase of the Jnstitutes See Monsier Naudaeus in his Dialogue de Mascurat where he names also the Offuscati of Cesene the Disuniti of Febriano the Caliginosi of Ancona the Adagiati of Rimini the Assorditi of Cita de Castello the Insensati of Perouse the Raffrontati of Ferme the Catenati of Macerata the Ostinati of viterbe the Immobili of Alessandrie the Occulti of Bresse the Perseveranti of Trevise the Filarmonici of Verona the Humorosi of Cortona and the Oscari of Lucca but in a word it never calls
be denyed him If any Academicien commit any fault unworthy a man of honour he may be either expelled as I said before or interdicted for some time according to the Importance of his fault This law will seeme to you at first sight to presage ill and you will say perhaps there was no need of one to this purpose in the Academie no more then in the Common wealth of Athens against parricides but that which hapen'd since which I will tell you elsewhere will shew you that this providence was not altogether unprofitable To debate upon the publishing of any work of the Academiciens there must be twenty at the least which number the Statutes require in all affaires of any great consequence But to give approbation of any particular mans worke 't is sufficient if there be twelve under which number there can be nothing resolved either in this or any thing else This approbation of the Academie must be engrossed in parchment signed by the Secretary and sealed with the Academies Seale it must be plaine and without commendation according to a constant form It is forbidden to be printed before the book but they may put this into the Title as I told you before By such an one of the French Academie There are many good rules to this purpose but the difficulties and delayes which are mett with in obtaining this kind of approbation are the cause that the Academiciens never look after them To conclude I will add only two Articles of the Statutes The first by which the Academie imposes this law upon it self to judge onely of the works of those of its Body With this clause That if for any Important reason it find self obliged to examine any other it shall plainly declare its opinion without either censure or approbation The other Article is that which I spake to you of before and which seems to me so judicious by which 't is forbidden any private member to write any thing of his own head in defence of the Academie without having thereto obtained leave of the Company assembled to the number of twenty at least SUCH ARE the Statutes of the FRENCH ACADEMIE add we now one word of the daies places and forme of their Assemblyes The dayes of these Assemblyes have changed very often they were at first every Monday after dinner as it appeares by one of the articles of the Statutes Article 17. Reg. December 21. 1637. Reg. March 20. 1638. Afterward I know not for what reason they chose Tuesday insteed of Monday to which neverthelesse a while after they returned And yet afterwards when the Lord Chancellor was made Protector of the Academie upon a desire of it in his name and to the end that he might be the more often present at the Assemblyes Reg. December 14. 1643. Reg. December 27. 1643. they changed it to Saturday and presently after to Tuesday There have been divers other Changes of the day which 't is of no Importance to observe 't is sufficient that you know that the Academie must assemble regularly one afternoon every week and if the Ordinary-Day chance to be a Holy-Day they take another and most commonly that which goes before or that which follows But if there be any thing extraordinary in hand they meet extraordinarily as when 't was debated about making the Platforme or the Statutes of the Academie and the sentiments on the Cid And when they desired to hasten the businesse of the Dictionary they meet severall dayes and at severall places as you shall see anon Even now when I write this they assemble twice a week Wednesday and Saturday on purpose to forward this work and to repaire the time that 's lost The Academie hath commonly its Vacations about the end of August Reg. August 25. 16 44. Reg. July 1638 and elsewhere which last till St. Martin's day But this has no certain rule nor is there any article in the Statutes concerning it THE PLACE of the Assemblyes hath changed oftener then the Day For to say nothing of those which were at the beginning at Monsieur Conrarts house betwixt that small number of friends I find that they have been since held in severall places March 13. 1634. Octo 30. 1634. April the last 1635. July 9. 1635. Decem. 3. 1635 Decemb. 24. 1635. June 16. 1636 May. 3. 1638. June 14. 1638 At Monsieur Desmarests in Clocheperce-Street at the Hostel de Pelué at M. Chapelaine's in Cinq Diamans-Street at M. de Montmor's in St. Avoye-Street after which they came again to M. Chapelains and after that to M. Desmarests since all these they mett at M. de Gombervile's neer St. Gervais Church at M. Conrart's in St. Martins Street at M. de Cerisy's at Sequire Hostel at M. the Abbot's de Boisrobert at the Hostel de Mellusine These frequent changes of place proceeded sometimes from the sicknesse or absence and sometimes from the businesse of those Gentlemen who had lent them their houses But at last in the year 1643. Feb. Feb. 16. 1643. 16. after the death of Cardinall de Richelieu The Lord Chancellor sent word to the Company that he desired they would for the time to come meet at his house as they have done ever since And truely when I consider the various retreats which this Company had for almost ten yeares sometimes at one end of the Citty sometimes at another till the time of this new Protector me thinks I see the Poets Island Delos Errant and floting untill the birth of its Apollo In earnest it would make a man wonder that the Cardinall de Richelieu who founded it did not take a little more care to furnish it with a constant place of meeting If that be true which the Lawyers say that Temples Palaces Theaters and in a word all publick places are as 't were so many strong bonds of civill society which tye and unite us streightly to one another he could not doubt but that a certain place assigned to the Academie and common to all that were of it would in some sort strengthen this sweet society and contribute much to its duration And if otherwise he sought in all things the greatnesse and immortality of his name the very terme Academie might seeme to hint to him that the small expence in a businesse of this nature would make him more talked of hereafter then a thousand other stately Edifices For pardon me that I make this digression how many Kings and great men have there been of whom we are Ignorant whether they ever had a being who neverthelesse have founded Temples magnifique places Academus on the other side was onely a petty burgess of Athens yet was pleased to bestow upon the Philosophers of his time a garden of some Acres of ground in the suburbs of that famous Citty This place was called the Academie from whence comes that word so well known at this day over the whole world which will make the name and memory of
the Stage 'T was the onely meanes to get accesse to the Grandees and to be favoured by the prime Minister of State who scarce liked any of the divertisments of the Court but that 'T will not be amisse ere I passe farther to let you know how much he was addicted to it He was not only present with much delight at all new Comedies but took pleasure also to conferr with the poets to see their design in its birth and to furnish them himself with plots And if he knew any good wit that of himself had no great inclination to travaile in this kind He would insensibly engage him in it with all manner of care and good usage Thus seeing that Monsieur Desmarests was very averse from it he desired he would at least invent a plot for a Comedie which he would get somebody else he said to make up Monsieur Desmarests brought him four presently after That of Aspasiae which was one of them pleased him infinitly but after he had given him a thousand Commendations he added That he onely that was able to invent it would be able to handle it worthily And obliged Monsieur Desmarests to make him the like every year And when he thought to excuse himself with being employ'd about his Heroique Poem of Clovis of which he had already made two books it ayming at the glory of France and even of the Cardinall himself the Cardinall answered that he had rather enjoy the fruits of his Poetry as much as 't was possible and that believing he should not live to see the end of so long a work he conjur'd him for his sake to busy himself in making Playes wherewith he might refresh himself with pleasure from the wearinesse of greater affaires By this meanes he got him to compose the inimitable Comedy Des Visionaeires or the Fanaricks the Tragicomedie of Scipio that of Roxana Mirame and Europa 'T is true indeed that part of the plot and humors of Mirame were his own ' and hence 't was that he exprest a Fatherly tendernesse of this piece the representation whereof stood him in two or three thousand crowns and for which he caus'd that great Hall of his Palace to be built which still serves for these Shews And no question but he himself invented the plots of the three other Comedies namely The Tuilleries The blind man of Smyrna and The Grand Pastorall In this last there were at least five hundred verses of his own making but it was not printed as the other two were the reason was this When he had a design to publish it he desired that Monsieur Chapelain should reveiw it and make exact observations upon it These observations were brought to him by Monsieur de Boisrobert and though they were written with very much discretion and respect so vext and nettled him whether for their number or for the knowledge they gave him of his faults that before he had read them through he tore them in pieces But the night following as he was in bed and all the house asleep having considered of the Choler he had betray'd he did a thing incomparably more to be esteemed then the best Comedie in the world 't was that he yeilded himself to reason for he commanded the torn peices of this paper to be gather'd up and layd together again and after he had read it from one end to the other and made deep reflexion upon it he sent to have Monsieur de Boisrobert waked to tell him that he preceived well that the Gentlemen of the Academie understood these matters better then he and he must talk no more of having this printed He caused to be made the verses of those pieces which were then called The pieces of the five Authors by five severall persons distributing to each an Act and by this meanes finishing a Comedie in one month These five persons were M. de Boisrobert Corneille Colletet de l'Estoille de Rotrou on whom besides the Ordinary pension he gave them he bestowed considerable gratuities when they writt nobly according to his minde Thus M. Colletet has assur'd me that when he carryed to him The Monologue of the Tuilleries he stopt particularly upon two verses of the description of the square Fish-pond at this passage La cane s'humecter de la bourbe de l'eau D'une voix enrovèe d'un battement d'aisle Animer le canard qui languit auprés d'elle And that after he had heard all the rest he gave him with his own hand fifty pistoles with these obliging words That 't was onely for these two verses which he found so excellent and that the King himself was not rich enough to reward him for all the rest M. Colletet told me one thing more which was very pleasant In that passage which I related to you just now insteed of La cane sohumecter de la bourbe de l'eau the Cardinall would perswade him to put in barbotter dans la bourbe de l'eau He delired to be excused as conceiving that word too low and not content with what he then said when he was returned to his lodging he wrote a Letter to him about it perhaps that he might speak of it with the more freedome The Cardinall had newly read it when there came in some of his Courtiers who complementing to him about some of his Majesties happy successes in the wars told him That nothing was able to withstand his Eminence You 'r deceived answers he laughing for I find even here in Paris those that withstand me And when they asked him who those were that durst be so audacious Colletet sayes he for having quarrel'd with me yesterday about a word he will not yeild it but has even now written me a large Letter here about it He made afterwards those Comedies of the five Authous be acted before the King and the whole Court the Stage being very magnificently adorned These Gentlemen had a seat by themselves in one of the most convenient places they even named them somtimes with praise as at the acting of the Tuilleries in a Prologue made in prose where among other things the invention of the plot was attributed to M. Chapelain who yet did onely mend it in some places but the Cardinall desired him to send him his name in this occasion adding that in recompence he would lend him his purse in any other It was about this time that M. Corneille who was looked upon till then as one of the chiefest in that kind of writing having let his Cid be acted was placed at least in the common opinion infinitly above all others 'T is hardly imaginable with what opprobation this piece was received by the Court and by the publique They were never weary with seeing it they talked of nothing else in Company every body could say some part of it by heart they made their Children learn it and in many places of France it went for a proverb to say T is as brave as the Cid It
Philosophy and the Mathematicks with so good success as kindled jealousie in the most able The love of soverain Truth casting him upon the study of Divinity he stopt not but at the clear and wholsome springs fâ—om whence he drew those beams which did enlighten and yet not dazle him After he had collected much treasure from Authors both sacred and prophane he believed he should commit a piece of theft if he were not liberal therewith The first fruits of his pen were consecrated to the glory of God by the Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes which he composed and entitled PENSEES MORALES In this work the dignity of the subject is maintained with an Elocution strong without rudeness rich without ornament curious and handsome without affectation It was generally received with extraordinary applause Envie it self spake not a syllable against him or if it did it was in secret This encourag'd him to make another Present to posterity which was the first and second parts of his LYCEE in which describing an Honest man he drew his own picture ere he was aware He was in travel of the third when an unexpected accident snacht him from France in the two and fortieth year of his age and deprived posterity of the fruits of his studies He had the conduct of Monsieur d'Humieres in his youth and afterwards dwelt with him to assist him with his Counsel in his most important affairs which he embraced as his own He gave a very good testimony that he loved him passionatly for seeing him in danger to be drowned be ran to his succour not considering that in such encounters charity is commonly dangerous Fear of the danger wherein he saw a person that was so dear to him confounding him he lost both his strength and breath so that he was not able to resist the impetuosity of the waters which turning in the place where he was lost made a whirlepool in the midst of one of the most calm and gentle Rivers of the world This misfortune would have disquieted his friends for the state of his soul had not the integrity of his life assured them that he was alwaies prepared for death there could not be a more lamentable kind of death nor a more glorious cause He was of a most sweet conversation and he knew so well to temper the severity of his Vertue that it was not offensive to any one Although his estate were lesse then he deserved yet he thought it high enough and to make it better would not stoop to any of those servile diligences which custome has rendred almost honourable Eight dayes before his death he spake in the Academy and his soul was elevated to so high a pitch that one might judge from thence that he began to untack himself from matter and that he drew nigh his Center His stature was moderate the colour of his hair and visage shewed a just temperament of that melancholy which Philosophers call wise and ingenious The Academy did solemnly perform their devoirs to him which Piety oblig'd them to and 't was a long time ere they could dry their tears The regret which he begat even in those that knew him not was a consolation to his friends and the publick sadness was a remedy to their private grief For a stately Monument they preserved the memory of his name in their souls endeavouring to follow his example and had no thoughts sweeter then those which represented to them his Vertue The Epitaph on Monsieur BARDIN STAY Passenger and weep Who e're thou art thou hast lost a friend if thou beest one to knowledge and to vertue 'T is PETER BARDIN worthy of all other honour but that of a grave Neverthelesse comfort thy self thou hast not lost him quite the better part of him remains I might say all if thou hadst all his HONEST MAN which he had begun to frame in his LYCEE Thou wantest nothing of him but what is wanting of that Book yet thou mayst finish it if thou knowest his life Alas he was taken away in the two and fourtyeth year of his age I dare not say unhappily since it was with glory Seeing his Benefactor ready to be drowned he threw himself in to help him He dyed and he for whom he was afraid dyed not The danger was innocent and the fear was mortall This accident surprizes thee it did not surprize him He was alwaies ready and his sudden death did onely shorten his griefs and hasten his felicity But I am injurious in staying you to teach you his praises passe on go wither thou wilt there are few places upon earth where you will not hear them The other Epitaph Bardin repose en paix au creux de ce tombean Vn trespas avanoc le ravit a la torre Le liquide element luy declara la guerre Et de ses plus beaux jours éteignit le flambean Mais son esprit exempt des outrages de l'onde S' envola glorieux loing des peines du monde Au palais immortel de la felicité Il eut pour but l'honneur le savoir pour partage Et quand au fond des eaux il fut precipité Les verus avec luy firent toutes naufrage That is Bardin doth rest in peace within this Tombe A too too sudden death snatcht him away The liquid Element his Foe become And quencht alas the torch of his bright day But his brave soul free from the outrages O' th waves is fled unto theÌ„ Court of blisse 'T was Honour that he made his mark and Crown Knowledge the portion that his Parents left And when to th'water's bottom he sunk down Each Virtue was with him of life bereft I scarce know what to add to this Elogie and these Epitaphs Those that knew this Gentleman say he was really such as you see him there deâ—cribed and do give very honorable Testimony of his vertue His writings sufficiently manifest all the rest and the beauty of his minde appears in that of his expressions and Sty e which perhaps has no other fault but that it is a little too diffuse I have bin told of some other works of his which I have not seen nor are they mention'd in the Elogy They are The great Chamberlain of France dedicated to the Duke de Chevreuse and printed at Paris by du Val in the year 1623. A book dedicated to the King and a reasonable long Letter concerning the possession of the Nuns of Londun He had resolved to intitle his Lycee THE HONEST MAN and was troubled that Monsieur Faret to whom he communicated his design had prevented him and made use of that title himself MONSIEUR DU CHASTELET Paul Hay in Sieur du Chastelet was of the ancient house of Hay in Bretagne which glories that it sprung six hundred yeares ago from that of the Earles of Carlile one of the most illustrious families of Scotland He was at first advocate Generall to the Parliament of Rennes and afterwards Counsellor
ruines he was or'ewhelm'd He was not then above two and thirty peares old his stature was indifferent his hair flaxen his eyes blue his visage pale and pitted with the small pox His aspect and conversation were cold and serious but he had a high fancy great courage and ardent passions in so much that I have bin assured he was like to have dyed in good earnest for love of one of his Mistresses He was courteous discreet and judicious a person of honour and honesty and all that knew him speak of him as of a man not onely very amiable but also worthy of a most particular esteem The onely work that he has in print is The Temple of death which is one of the most handsomest pieces of our French Poetry He made it for Monsieur de la Mesteraie on the death of his first wife which was Daughter to Marshal d'Effiat He has left other verses in a Manuscript but I have heard that they are not altogether of the same strength whether it be that a man cannot write alwayes with the like happinesse or that he had not leisure to correct and polish them as he did the others which he chang'd and rechang'd for the space of three yeares to bring them to that perfection in which we see them He made also a Relation in prose of the passages in Italie under the Marquis d'Uxelles Generall of the army which King Lewis the 13. sent to the succor of the Duke of Mantua The Academie caused an Elogie to be made on him by Monsieur de Gombauld and an Epitaph in verse by Monsieur Chapelain which will hereafter be seen with the rest of their works Monsieur DE MEZIRIAC CLAUDIUS CASPAR BACHET Sieur de Meziriac was of Bresse of a noble and ancient Family He was well made and of a handsome stature had black eyes and hair a pleasant countenance and conversation very sweet He was learned in the Languages and particularly in the Greek he had a deep insight in Mythologie in Algebra in the Mathematicks and other curious sciences In his youth he spent very much time at Paris and at Rome in the latter of which he made many Italian verses in emulation of Monsieur de Vaugelas who was there also Afterwards he retir'd to his house at Bourg in Bresse and if we may believe a common friend of ours that was very intimately acquainted with him he there led a life the most Charming that one can imagin He was already known and accounted in France one of the prime men of his time whether for wit or learning which was sufficient to satisfie a reasonable ambition as his was As for his estate it was at the first worth five or six thousand livres rent and at last eight or ten by the death of William Bachet his elder Brother He never troubled himself to get more nay on the contrary he avoyded all publick offices and employments which others sought after with so much care Whilst he was yet at Paris they talkt of making him Tutor to the late King Lewis 13. this was the reason that he made such haâ—e to quit the Court and he has said since that he was never in so much pain for he thought he had already the heavy burden of a whole kingdom upon his shoulders After he was thus retired he married and though he might pretend to a very rich fortune he choâ—e rather to take a wife without any Portion but one of a good familie handsome and of very sweet conditions and perfectâ—y agreeing with his own He never repented himself of this choice and often took delight to talk of it with his friends as of the best choice that he ever made Health that precious blessing which renders all others infinitely more acceptable was not wanting to him and the onely inconvenience was that he had now and then some light touches of the gout But the principall part of his happinesse consisted in his disposition for 't was naturally facile discreet and moderate alwayes merry and displeasâ—d with nothing There was not any Science which he had not applyed himself to for some time as I told you before No handsome art but he understood and could labour in it with his own hands No person of what quality soever and even of his own domestiques that he would not freely discourse with One might see him do all kind of exercises according to the season of the year or the Company he was with playing at cards dice and all other games in which he was skillfull even to the best niceties dancing amongst a Company of Ladies and that with so much Liberty that he would often have his table-Table-book carryed after him to write when he had a minde to it without leaving the Room where the Company was With his free and familiar humor added to his merit birth and estate he was not only beloved but also respected and revered of every one and possessed a kind of Empire in his Country Neverthelesse he abused it not nor made use of it but for the good and delight of those that gave it him He diligently studied their inclinations and their geniuses and according as he judged them fit for any science or art he would put them upon it with all his power and took delight to instruct them in it and conferr with them about it And sometimes he would allot them parts in playes And to this purpose I remember I have often heard a friend of ours relate at large how he caused The shepearddesses a Pastorall of Monsieur de Racan's who was his intimate friend to be acted by persons of qualitie that he himself pickt out First he altered it in some places that the scene might be the Country about Bourg in Bresse then for the acting of it he took a dining-room where the windows being open on both sides the spectators might see the very places that were presented in little upon the Stage The Engines which were of necessity to be in this play to represent the Charms of a Magician were contriv'd ordered with an extreme deal of care And when a certain fiery dragon began to appear one of the actors fell into a swoun and most part of the Company trembled for fear lest the fire as it often happens in the like encounters should exceed its Commission But the thing most to be admir'd at was that he had chosen all the Actors fit for the parts he gave them and that almost all of them having the same passions which they were to represent or at least being not far from them they were as t were possest after an extraordinary manner There was among the rest a young man that personated an afflicted Lover and was himself an afflicted Lover who upon this occasion far surpassed all the Rosciusses Aesops and Montdories and weeping himself first made the whole assembly weep This then was the life of this Academicien which was not long for he was scarce five
a quite peculiar manner with an ingenious livelynesse Although he never printed any thing yet was he in great repute not only in France but also in forrein Countrys for the excellency of his wit the Academy of the Humorâ—sts at Rome sent him Letters whereby they made him one of their Academy His works were published after his death in one Volume which was received by the pubâ—icke with so much approbation that they were forced to make two Editions of it in six Months His Prose is more correct and exact it has a certain Air of gallantry which is not found any where else and something so naturall and so exact both together that the reading thereof is infinitely taking His Verses perhaps are no lesse curious although more neglected He many times slighted Rules but like a Master as a man that thought himself far above them and that scorned to bind himself to observe them That which is most to be commended in all his writings is that they are not Copies but Originals and that by reading the ancients and the moderns Cicero Terence Ariosto Marot and many others he made a certain new Character wherein he imitated no man and scarce any man can imitate him He had written the beginning of a Romance in prose which he called Alcidalis the subject whereof was given him by Madame the Marques of Montausieur who was then Mademoiselle de Rambouïllet Julie d'Angenes But since his death this beginning having fallen into the hands of this Lady was never seen and perhaps never shall To conclude 't was he that brought again into the fashion in our age the Rondeaux or sonnets that end as they begin which have bin quite out of use ever since Marot's time I have amongst my papers one thing which justifies what I now said T is a Letter of his which was never printed written to Monsieur de la Jonquiere Father to Monsieur de Paillerols my Cousin 'T is dated January 8. 1638. and has this Postscript I doubt whether you know what Rondeaux are I have of late made three or four of them which have put the Witts in the humor of making them 'T is a kind of writing which is proper for jeasting and raillerie I know not whether you are grown more grave now then you were when you were a Boy I for my part am alwayes in the same humor I was in when we stole the drake If then you love my follies read them but by no meanes let the Ladyes see them whose hands I kisse Rondeau Cinq ou six fois Cette nuit en dormant c. Ou vous savez tromper bien finement c. MONSIEUR SIRMOND IOHN SIRMOND was a native of Rion in Auvergne of a good familie of the Robe he was nephew to Father Sirmond the Jesuite Confessor to K. Lewis 13. and one of the most knowing men of our age He came to Court and by the favour of Cardinal de Richelieu who esteemed him one of the best writters in those daies was made Historiographer to the King with a pension of 1200. crowns He wrote divers pieces for the Cardinall on the affairs of the times but almost all of them under assumed names The Abbot of S. Germain who was the writer one the adverse part treats him extreme ill in the Tract which he called The Chimerique Embassadour He made an answer to it which is in the Collection of Monsieur du Chastelet The Abbot of S. Germain replyed and handled him yet more injuriously whereby he was obliged to write again in his own defence But Card. de Richelieu and King Lewis 13. dyed in the interim and he could never obtain under the Regency a priviledge to print this Book Hereat he was very much troubled and seeing besides that his Enemie was upon his return to Court and that favour would be no longer on his side he retired into Auvergne where he dyed being about threescore yeats Old He left a Son who as they say will print some of his works particularly his Latine verses His Prose shews that he had an excellent Genius for Eloquence his Style is strong and Mascu ine and wants no adornment The pieces which I have seen of his are these whereof the greatest pa t are in the Collectâ—on of Monsieur du Chastelet The Pourtraicture of the King made of the times of the Constable of Luynes The trâ—ck of State of K. Lewis 13. writ in favour of Cardinall de Richelieu The Letter decifred An Advertisement to the Provinces by the Sieur de Cleonville which I have heard accounted his Master-piece L' Homme du Pape and du Roy in answer to the Count de la Rocque Spanish Embassador at Venice who had written a Book against France under the name of Zambeccari The Chimera defeated by Sulpice de Mandrini Sieur de Gazonval The Relation of the Peace of Querasque taken out of a Treatise written by Monsieur Servien He hath made also some Latin verses as I said and that Epigram against Mamurra wherein this Parasite is called Pamphagus is his I will add here by way of acknowlegment that one of his Books was one of the first things that made me relish our Language I was but newly come from Colledge when I met with I know not how many Romances and other new pieces which though I was very young and a mere child I could not endure but run back to my Tully and Terence which I found more rationall At last there came to my hands almost at the same time four Books which were The eight Orations of Tully The trick of State of Monsieur Sirmond The fourth Volume of the Letters of M. de Balzac which were wholly printed and The Memoires of Queen Margaret which I read over twice from the beginning to the end in one and the same night After that I began not onely no longer to contemn the French Language but even passionatly to love it to study it with some care and to believe as I do still even to this day that with a Genius some Time and Pains a man may render it capable of all things MONSIEUR DE COLOMBY FRANCIS DE CAVVIGNY Sieur DE COLOMBY was of Caen in Normandy a kinsman to Malherbe whose Disciple and follower he was He was also of kinne to Monsieur Morant Treasurer de l'Espargne who procured him a pension and saw it paid him He had an office at Court which never any had before or since him for he was Styled Orator to the King in affairs of State and 't was upon this account that he received 1200. crowns a year he received also other favours from the Court and was indeed proud that they were thought to be much greater then they were Towards his latter end he took upon him a religious habit but he was no Priest He dyed at the age of threescore years He was of a great stature very strong of an ambitious humor and resolute in all his actions He
did not at all value M. Coeffeteau found fault with almost every thing he saw of his He has verses in many of the printed Collections Letters in the Collection of the year 1637. His principal work is the Translation of justice printed 1627. which he has dedicated after a new and strange manner To the King to the Queen his mother in two dedicatory Epistles There is also of his doing a piece of the first book of Tacitus in French with observations which he printed in the year 1613. I have seen besides a discoursin writing to the Duke of Orleans to perswade him to return into France when he had withdrawn himself in discontent and here it is that he subscribes himself Your most humble servant Oratour I have heard also of a piece which he writ against Judicial Astrologie a Treatise of Soveragnity no doubt he had many others upon the affairs of the times as Letters Apologies c. But in general I here give you notice that I pretend not to forget nothing of what the persons I treat of have written In such a Country as France where they have almost alwaies neglected this kind of Memorialls 't is sufficient that you may take for truth what I say without rejecting as false what I do not say And if I be not deceived we should use the same discretion in reading all sort of writers even the most exact for when all 's done 't is impossible but that many thingâ— must escape them MONSIEUR DE VAUGELAS CLAVDIUS FAVRE Sieur DE VAUGELAS Baron of Peroges was of Chanberry and sonne of the Illustrious President Favre Author of the Volume which we call Code Fabrien which is of great use in those our Province which are governed by the Civill Law He was the sixt Son and had no more portion then the Baronie of Peroges which was in Bresse and worth but little together with an ill paid pension of two thousand Livres which Henry 4. granted to his Father for him and his heirs for the services he had done the State in the Marriage of Madame of Savoye 'T was this pension which the Cardinal got re-establish upon him when he undertook the Dictionary He came to Court very young and there spent the remainder of his life He was Gentleman in Ordinary and afterward Chamberlain to the Duke of Orleans whom he followed constantly in all his retreats out of the kingdom He was also towards the end of his dayes Governor of the Children of Prince Thomas But although he neglected nothing which might advance his fortune though he were in esteem and reputation at Court and was no way given to debauchery the mâ—ny voyages he took in following his Master and other troubles made him dye poor so that his estate was not sufficient to satisfie his Creditors He dyed aged about 65. yeares of an Imposthume in the Stomack which was many years growing upon him and often times brought upon him a paine in his side which they attributed to the spleen At last in the year 1649. having bin extraordinarily afflicted with this grief for the space of five or six weeks he found some ease and believing he was almost cured he would needs walk abroad to take the Ayre in the Garden of the Hostel de Soiffons where he had lodgings But the next Morning his paine took him again with more violence Of two servants which he had he sent him that was at hand to call for help but before he returned the other coming in found that he had vomited up the Imposthume and all in amazement asking him how he did You see my friend replyde he coldly and without motion what a poor thing man is After these words he spake no more and lived but some few minutes He was a comely man well made in body and minde of a good stature his eyes and hair were black his visage full and well-coloured He was very devout civil and respectfull even to excesse particularly towards Ladyes for whom he had an extreme veneration He alwayes fear'd to offend any one and upon this account he scarce ever durst take part in any controversies or disputes He was very frequent at Rambouillet Hostel His most intimate friends were M. Faret who had bin as 't were his Scholar M. de Chaudebonne M. Voiture and towards his latter end M. Chapelain and M. Conrart But above all he had contracted a most strict acquaintance with the Baron de Foras who is still alive and did also as well as he belong to the Duke of Orleans They called Brothers and were companions in their devotions in which as in their friendship they persevered constantly From his childhood he had very much studied the French Tongue He chiefly imitated Monsieur Coeffetedu and had so great an esteeme of his writings and above all of his Historie of Rome that he could scarce allow of any phrase or expression which was not used there To this purpose Monsieur de Balzac said That in the judgment of Monsieur de Vaugelas there was no salvation out of the Historie of Rome no more then out of the Church of Rome His chief excellency was for Prose As for Poetry he had made some Italian verses which were very well esteemed But he never made any in French unlesse 't were extempore upon a frolick As for example it happen'd that one day passing through Nevers where Princesse Mary now Queen of Poland then was some of her Gentlewomen who were then making a purse for some poor man came into the Inne where he was he could not see them because he had taken Physick but he sent two pistoles with his Epigram Empesché d'un empeschement Dont le nom n'est pas fort honneste Ie n'ay pû d'un seul compliment Honorer au moins vostre queste Pour en obtenir le pardon Vous direz que je fais un don Aussi honteux que mon remede Mais rien ne paroist precieux Aupres de l'Ange qui possede Toutes les richesses des Cieux 'T was the Princesse he meant I have also another Epigram of his made in promptu upon the mistake of a word which a Porter of Rambouillet-Hostel had committed when he delivered a message to him from the Lady Marquisse Tout à ce moment Maistre Isaac Un pen moins disert que Balzac Entre dans ma Chambre m'annonce Que Madame me derenonce Me derenonce Maistre Isaac Oüy Madame vous derenonce Elle m'avoit done renoncé Luy dis-je d'un sourcil froncé Porter luy pour toute réponce Maistre Isaac que qui derenonce Se repent d'avoir renoncé Mais avez-voue lien prononcé These Epigrams might have bin spared but that the least things of great men are precious He had a present wit and made many times very excellent replyes such as that I spake of before which he made to Cardinall Richelieu He left behind him but two works considerable one whereof is
of England negotiated that he might be put into the hands of the Scots This unfortunate Prince of whom he hath since given this Testimony that he never saw a man of a greater Spirit more vertue delighted often to discourse with him and expressed a great deal of affection to him After he had bin sometime in Scotland he setled in his place one of his Brothers who was the third He returned into France to take possession of the Charge of Secretary to the prince of Conty who sent him to Rome in 1648. to sollicite for a Cardinalls Hat This absence injur'd him for in the mean time Monsieur Sarazin was likewise made the Princes Secretary and shared his employment or to say better kept to himself the best and most profitable part of it This sets them at variance and wrought him much vexation even to his death His Master being clapt up with the Prince of Condê and the Duke de Lougueville 't is incredible what service he did them during their imprisonment for he found out meanes to win the Soldiers of the Gaurd to deliver them letters who writ a world of them continually for their deliverance and in a word as t is reported he alone labour'd as much as all their other servants together The Princes after his coming forth said publikely That they were more endebted to him for their liberty then to any man I learned from a friend of mine to whom he told it himself that for to write to them he made use of a secret which the King of England had taught him in the long conferences which they somtimes had together 'T was a certain pouder very rare which being cast on the paper made that which was before hand written there with a white Liquor to appear which without that was wholly imperceptible There were many drugs sent to the Prince of Conty who feigned himself very sick they were wrapt up in white papers and every paper was a Letter yet so that nothing could be seen though it were never so narrowly looked upon unlesse they made use of that pouder which the Princes had It lay commonly over the Chimnies of their Chamber and to the eyes of the Guard passed for pouder to dry their hair By this artifice and severall others there was scarce a day wherein he sent not news and heard not from them and he shewed no lesse then 300. Letters of the Prince of Conde's writing After their coming forth 't is very like they rewarded him according to his desert and since that he had bestowed on him in the court of Rome to the value of ten thousand Livres all the benefices of the Prince of Conty who 't was then believed was very speedily to marry Mademoiselle de Chevreuse But he was wanting to his fortune and dyed at that time being about seven or eight and thirty years old He seemed not to be above twenty or five and twenty for he was naturally very fair and reteined even then the complexion and flower of his first youth He was of a middle Stature flaxen haired of a visage very white and mixed with an handsome rednes They found upon his lungs a strange protuberancy in form of a mushrom which by little and little choaked him There is nothing of his in print but he left divers pieces both in Verse and Prose which perhaps will one day come forth MONSIEUR DE L' ESTOILE CLADIUS DE L' ESTOILE Sieur de Sassay was a Parisien a Gentleman and of a very ancient familie so as to reckon a Chancellor of France amongst his Ancestors His Father who was Audiencier to the Chancery of Paris collected divers Memoires of the affairs of his time out of which a friend of his to whom he lent them extracted the book entitled A diarie of what passet under Henry the third His Children would never suffer the rest of these Memoires to be seen which now perhaps are lost There were three Brothers of them the eldest which dyed young the second which was Secretary to the Cardinall de Lyon and this who was the third and had no other employment but Learning and Poetry wherein he is become very famous He had more of parts then study and learning He particularly addicted himself to making of Verses which he did rarely well and according to the rules of the Stage which he ptofessed to have learnt of M. de Gombauld and M. Chapelain One of his private friends told me then when he had a minde to study if it happened to be in the day time he would have the windows of his Chamber shut and a Candle brought and that when he had composed any thing he would read it to his servant as t is also said of Malherbe to know whether he had done it well believing that Verses have not their entire perfection unlesse they be filled with a certain beauty which is perceivable even to the most rude and clownish He was a great admirer of the Verses of Monsieur de Serisay and Monsieur de Gombauld of the latter of these going one day with him to the Hostel de Burgogne I heard him say very seriously that he had rather be the Author of that Scene of the Danaïdes where the act of those cruell Sisters is described then of all the best Playes that have been made there 20 years He was of a very amorous complexion and 't was this passion that was the cause of almost all the troubles and afflictions of his life In his latter dayes he marryed for love a woman of a mean estate He kept his marriage private a longtime and being not so rich as was requisite to live handsomely at Paris with a family he retired to a Country house where he spent most of the remainder of his life He dyed about fifty years old He was of a middle stature and very slender His hair and eyes were black his visage very pale and meager scarr'd and without beard in some places by reason that being a child he fell into the fire He was a person of very much vertue and honour and bore his ill fortune without making any complaint of it and without being troublesome or importunate to any one He would reprehend boldly and smartly and with a strong severity what he disliked in things wherein his judgement was required They charge him to have been the cause that a young man dyed of grief and vexation who came out of Languedoc with a Comedy which he thought was a Master-piece wherein he shewed him manifestly a thousand faults A friend of mine who had never seen him was carryed one day to his house to ask his opinion concerning a piece of the same nature He heard the first and second Scene of it read without speaking a word but at the third in which there was a King that spake not to his humour starting up This King is drunk said he else he would ne're talke thus He wrote with extraordinary care and