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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90369	The history of the French Academy, erected at Paris by the late famous Cardinal de Richelieu, and consisting of the most refined wits of that nation. Wherein is set down its original and establishment, its statutes, daies, places, and manner of assemblies, &c. With the names of its members, a character of their persons, and a catalogue of their works. / Written in French, by Mr. Paul Pellison, counseller and secretary of the King of France.; Relation contenant l'histoire de l'Académie française. English	Pellisson-Fontanier, Paul, 1624-1693.; Some, Henry.	1657 (1657)	Wing P1110; Thomason E1595_1; ESTC R203126	122,702	275

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

Monsieur Chapelain reconciles them upon which there are Latin Verses both of the one and others making He dyed at the age of about threescore and ten August 6. 1644. There is of his a volume of works in Latin with which there is a Collection of Elogies made on him which you make see He was esteemed by the publike the best Latin Poet of his time and his Prose though it has made lesse noise deserves perhaps no lesse praise then his Verse MONSIEUR FARET NICOLAS FARET was of Bresse of a familie little known He came to Paris very young with Letters of recommendation from M. de Merziriac to severall ingenions persons amongst others to Monsieur de Vangelas and de Boisrobert He applyed himself to these two and to Monsieur Coeffetean to whom he dedicates his translation of Eutropius He continued ar Paris a long time without getting any employment At length Monsieur de Boisrobert and some others of his friends preferr'd him to be Secretary to the Count of Harcour 'T was a place in appearance little advantageous for this Prince had not as yet an allowance answerable to his birth and the whole House of Lorrain was at that time out of favour However it happened that Faret contributed to the good fortune of his master and therein to his own For as he often saw M. de Boisrobert he perswaded him that the Cardinall to divide the the House of Lorraine which was an enemie to him could not do better then to draw to his side this Prince who was already upon no good terms both with his Elder Brother Monsieur d'Elboeuf and his mother and who in the condition wherein he stood would the more easily be brought to be at the commands of the Court The Cardinall embraced this counsell took into his alliance the Count of Harcour and afterwards bestowed on him great employments Faret who had alwayes lived with him with very much familiarity and more like a friend then a domestique shared in this prosperity He maried twice very richly especially the last time They say he dyed very well to passe though out of a laudable gratitude he divers times engaged himself to help Monsieur de Vaugelas in his wants which had well nigh made him ruine his own estate He dyed aged about fifty years of a Malignant fever after he had endured very much He left one Son by his wife and other Children by his second He was a man of a good Complexion somewhat fat and grosse of a Chesnut coloured hair and high coloured visage He was a great friend of Mol●ere's the Author of Polyxena and of Monsieur de S. Am●nt who has commended him in his ver●es as a brave good-fellow However he was nothing neer so much as a man would guesse from thence although he did nor hate good cheer and mirth and he ●aies himself somewhere in his works that the fitnesse of his name to time with Cabaset which signifies a tipling-house was partly the cause of this report which M. de S. Amant had rai●ed of him A man may perceive by reading his writings that he had an excellent wit very much of purity and cleanness in his Sty●e and a good genius for Language and eloquence His principall work is The honest man which he made about the year 1633. It has been translated into Spanish This book deserves to have its A●thor es●eemed for that being judiciously assisted by the writings of such as wert before him particularly the Count Balihasar Cast●glio he has collected in a little room and explained in very elegant terms a great deale of good counsel for all sorts of persons and especially Courtiers He has left also his Translations of Eutropius dedicated as I told you but now to Monsieur Coeffeteau who ever since highly esteemed him for his Language He collected two Volumes of Letters of severall Authors amongst which there are many of his own He made but few verses neither am I certain that he has any more then an Ode to Cardinall de Richelieu which is in The sacrifice of the Muses and a sonnet which is to be seen in Nostre-Dame Church with a Picture for a vow which he made in Piemont at the Combat de la Route where he was with his Master MONSIEUR MAYNARD FRANCIS MAYNARD a Tolosain was of a very good family His Grand-father John Maynard a Native of S. Cere though born in an age when Learning but began to revive in France in the reign of Francis the first was in esteem for his Learning and wrote Commentaries on the Psalms which are still extant From him issued Gerard Maynard Counsellor in the Parlement of Tolose a great Lawyer His is commended for continuing faithfull in the Kings service in a time when civill wars had divided all the Soverain Courts of the Realm He was one of those that retreated to Chastel-Sarrasy when the Company was wholly oppressed by the Power of the Duke of Ioyeuse At length to withdraw himself yet farther from the troubles he quitted his employment and returned to dwell at S. Cere In this retirement he collected that great Volume of Arrests wherein is contain'd almost all the Law of our Province This book which my late Father afterwards took the pains to abridge for his own private use with what successe you are not ignorant which was very well received of the publike even in the Authors life time and translated as I hear into divers languages Gerard had John his eldest Son who was also Counsellour in the Parlement of Tolose but did not long exercise this charge dying being very young and Francis Maynard of whom we speak who for his witt and verses is become more famous then any of his Ancestors He was President in the Presidiall Court of Aurillac and had also the honour before his death to be Counsellor of State In his youth he came to Court and was Secretary to Queen Margaret beloved of Desportes and camarade to Regnier He then writ a large Poem in Stanza's which he intituled Philander after the manner of that of Monsieur d'Urfé's and The transformation of the Shepheardesse Iris of Destingendes In the year 1634 he went to Rome where he was in the attendance of Monsieur de Noailles Embassadour for the King There he was intimately acquainted with and beloved of Cardinall Bentivoglio the rarest Wit and best writer that Italia has brought forth in our age And so he was of Pope Urban the 8th who often delighted to discourse with him about ingenious matters and gave him with his own hand a Copie of his Latin Poems Nor was he lesse known and esteemed in France by the greatest but his fortune was not any thing bettered by them as the continuall and perhaps too excessive complaints which he makes of it in his writings do but too much manifest He was nominated at the first as you saw before to be of the Academie But the Cardinall de Richelieu never did

behind that he might view them and sent them back some time after signed with his own hand and countersigned by Charpentier his Secretary and sealed with his armes En placard But I must not forget to tell you that this was after that he had caused one thing onely in it to be changed which would have seemed to be too much to his advantage and to tax him of a little vanity The fifth Article of the Statutes was in substance That every Academicien should promise to reverence the vertue memory of my Lord their Protectour He desired that this article should be taken away and the Company ordered it should be so in obedience to his Eminence but that there should be mention of it made in the Registers I should now questionles be very tedious if I should go about to relate to you exactly how much time paines was requisite on the other side to get these Letters Patens ratifyed in Parliament Reg. January 19. and Febuary 5. 1635. After that they were signed according to order by Monsieur Delomenie Secretary of state who was then called Monsieur de Villeauclair and is at present Monsieur the Count of Brienne with whom they found no difficulty they were delivered into the hand of Monsieur Hennequin of Bernay Counsellor in the great Chamber to make a report of them They sent severall deputies as well to him as to the Kings Advocates and to Monsieur the chiefe President le Jay Reg. March 12. March 19. April 16. 1635. but all were to no purpose And although to give the more force to their Sollicitations after the two first they resolved to make no more in the name of the Company but of the Cardinall who liked well it should be so and though in his name Messieurs Desmarests Reg. July 23. 30. 1635 de Bautru de Boisrobert had been to waite upon the Chiefe President he gave them but little hopes of obtaining what they desired This was the reason why the Cardinall upon the Complaint that was made to him of it by Monsieur de Boisrobert in behalf of the Company wrote to the Chief President the following Letter SIR I doe not take pen in hand to represent unto you the merit of those persons which compose the FRENCH ACADEMIE lately established in Paris because the most part of them having the honour to be known to you I think you cannot be ignorant of it but to conjure you that you would for this reason and for the affection which I beare to them in generall and in particular contribute the Power you have in your Parliament for the confirming those priviledges which it has pleas'd h s Majesty to grant them at my humble desire being profitable and necessary to the publike and having quite another designe then that which you have hitherto been made believe I do not doubt but you will in this occasion bring for their contentment all the facility which you can possibly and which they have reason to promise to themselves upon my recommendation to you assuring you that besides the obligation which these Gentlemen will have to you for this favour which you will shew them in this affaire I shall partake of their resentment to witnesse to you mine own also when ever I shall have opportunity to do you service and to let you know by my actions that I am December 1635. SIR Your most affectionate servant LE CARD DE RICHELIEU A Copie of this Letter was read in the Academie and because the Attourney Generall exprest a desire of it they obtained further of the King three Letters under the Privy Seale One for him and the Advocates Generall another for the Parliament and the third for the chief President le Jay The Attorney Generall at that time was that great man to whom I am so infinitely obliged M. Molé now keeper of the Seales of France These Letters were all written to the same tenour and purpose and it will be sufficient to relate to you one of them that you may know the rest BY THE KING TRVSTY AND WEL-BELOVED We have heretofore by our Letters Patents in forme of an Edict in January last willed and ordained that there should be an establishment of a FRENCH ACADEMIE in our good Citty of Paris in the which there being only persons of great worth and learning it cannot be but very advantageous to the publike and to the reputation of France FOR THESE CAUSES we will and command that you proceed to the registring of the aforesaid Letters according to their forme and tenour and that you permit the said Companie to enjoy the priviledges wherewith we have endowed them without giving thereto any delay restriction or difficulty hereof faile yee not FOR such is our pleasure GIVEN at S. Germain en Lay the 30th day of December 1635. Signed LEWIS and underneath DELOMENIE and on the backside To our trusty welbeloved Councellors holding our Court of Parliament at Paris Moreover the Cardinal signified to the Atturney General who came to visit him at Conflans that he absolutely desired this ratification and that having set his seale to the Statutes of the Academie he judged them worthy the priviledges that were granted to them He also let the cheife President know that for feare there should yet be delayes and obstacles in this affaire he should cause the Letters to be presented and ratified in the grand Councell They continued the sollicitings in his name and those which did it said from him that h had forbidden the Academie to trouble it selfe any more about it being resolved it should receive this favour only from himselfe At length the Atturney Generall gave his favourable determination and Monsieur Savarre Counsellor in the great Chamber in whose hands the Letters were professed also his great willingnesse adding withall That he did not believe since he was of the Parliament he had received a greater honour then the contributing something to the establishment of the Academie Neverthelesse he had not this satisfaction for he fell sick some few daies after and whether 't were that there were yet some other obstacles or that his sicknesse which was long and of which he died at last was the cause of it so if was that the Letters returned into the hands of Monsieur de Bernay were not ratified till a year after or more the 10th of July 1637. with this clause Provided that those of the Assembly Academie take no cognizance but only of the ornament embellishment augmentation of the French Tongue and of the books that shall be made by themselves and by others that shall desire it The Academie being assembled three daies after wou'd have deputed some to go thank the Cardinal but he sent them word by Monsieur de Boisrobert that he desired it not and that they should go only to thanke Monsieur de Bernay the reporter Monsieur the Atturney Generall and Monsieur the chief Peresident which was done by

in defence of the truth and relation to see such honest men in so strange an opinion that this story which perhaps to you that read it will seem frigid never comes into my mind even to this day but it makes me ready o laugh But to return now to the Parliament of Paris and the difficulty it made to confirm the Edict of the Academie You will not believe and doubtlesse a man would hardly imagine it that they should apprehend it for the stile of the Lawyers For my part I 'le tell you my opinion of it This great body wherein there are alwaies some Extraordinary persons amongst many others that are not so was divided about the businesse of the Academie and of the Cardinall de Richelieu with the very same passions and opinions that divided all the rest of France saving perhaps in this Company there was lesse affection for him then in others and that for the most part they lookt upon him as the enemy of their liberty and the infringer of of their privileges I suppose then that there might be three parties in the Parliament above their businesse The first and least of those who judging of things sincerely saw not any thing in this designe worthy to be blamed or despised The 2d of those who bring animated against the Cardinall or else too much addicted to the sole study of the law and civill affairs laughted at his Institution as a Childish thing and of this number there was one amongst them as I have heard who giving his voyce concerning the confirmation of the Letters said That this businesse brought into his mind what one of the Emperours somtimes did who after he had taken away from the Senate the cognisance of publick affaires desired to know their opinions what sawce he should make for a great Turbot that was brought him from France Finally I believe there was a third last party which it may be was not the least powerfull of those that supected every thing and apprehended as well as the Vulgar some dangerous Consequence of this Institution Of this I have two proofs in a manner convincing Frist the Cardinals Letter wherein you see he assures the Chief President That the Academiciens had a Design wholly different from what he was made to believe Secondly That Clause in the Order for the Confirmation That the Academie should take cognisance onely of the French Tongue and the Books which they themselves made or which were offered to their judgment As if there had been some danger that it would have taken to it self other functions and have undertaken some greater matters And this as I think is the cause of those hinderances which for two years retarded the confirmation of these Lettrrs I SHOULD HERE put an end to the first part of my work touching the birth and foundation of the Academie but that I remember I spake by the way of some Satyres which at the first were made against it and that to omit nothing 't is fit I should now say something to you of them as of some other Circumstances of its Establishment The first that wrote against the Academie was the Abbot of St. Germain who was then at Brussels accompanying the Queen Mother Mary de Medici in her banishment As he continually bayted by his writings and that with a sharp kind of animosity all the actions of the Cardinal de Richelieu so he omitted not to speak very injuriously of the FRENCH ACADEMIE which he Confounded with that other Academie which the Gazelier Reuandot had established at the Bereau d'Adress whether 't were that he did purposely mistake so or that indeed he had but ill intelligence how things went at Paris The Academie would not answer to it in a work on purpose but Monsieur de Chastelet who was of it and did then in behalf of the Cardinall answer most of those Brussel-pamphlets was desired after that he himself had propounded it in the Assembly to add a few lines about this businesse which were afterwards read and approved by the Company The Abbot of St. Germain his peices against the Cardinall de Richelieu have been since printed at Paris in two Volumes after the death of the late King Lewis the 13th The answers of Monsieur du Chastelet were in a peice which he finished not being prevented by death and which was never printed Of all the other things that have been made against this Company I have not above three of them which deserve to be mention'd The first is that Comedie of the Academie which after it had past a long time in manuscript was at length printed in the year 1650. but with abundance of faults and without either Author or Printers name Some are pleased to ascribe it to one of the Academiciens themselves because it does not ill resemble his Style witt and humors and because he is there spoken of as a man that makes no great reckoning of these conferences But some others have assured me that it was a Gentleman's of Normandy by name Monsieur de St. Evermond And truly if the Author of it was of the Academie I 'de say he put many things into it on purpose to make it be believed that he was not of it as when he makes Monsieur Tristan an Academicien who was not so yet untill 10 yeares after also when he brings in the Marquis of Brevale deliberating whether he should go to the war or stay in the Academie The Marquis of Brevale I say who was never of it and of whom I do not find any mention great or small in the Registers nor in the notes which have been communicated to me This piece though artlesse and irregular and rather deserving the name of a Jig then that of a Comedie is not without witt and has some very pleasant passages The second which I am to tell you of and which has been lesse seen then the rest is intituled A Role of presentations made on the great daies of the French Eloquence 'T is as 't were a register of some ridiculous requests for the conservation or suppression of certaine words together with as many imaginary answers of the Academy As for example The Secretaries of St. Innocent presented themselves desiring it might be declared that the word Secretary might not signifie in good French the Clark of a Counsellor Answer Remonstrances shall be made concerning it to the Roy de la Bazoche H. Fierbras a cadet of Gascon presented himself in behalfe of all those of his Country requiring that none might take away the point from their honour nor the glittering from their sword Answers For what concerns the Point it should be communicated to the Mathematique professors and for the Glittering the Fourbishers should be sent to I have been told by some that this Role of presentations was made by the Author of Francion and of The Extravagant sheapheard it was presently printed and it has been reprinted since in the same Volume me

and I know not whether they can expect theirs I made the CID to divert my self and for the divertisment of honest people that delight in Comedies 'T is a suficient Testimony to me of the Excellency of my piece that it has been so often acted that there has been such an extraordinary concourse of people to see it and such general acclamations given it All the favour the Sentiment of the Academie can hope for is to go as farr I do not fear it will out go me c. And a little after The Cid will alwayes be handsome and will keep its reputation of being the best piece that ' has appear'd upon the Stage untill there comes another which will not tire the Spectators even at the 30th time c. At last when he had seen the Sentiments of the Academie I find that he writ a Letter to Monsieur de Boisrobert Decemb. 22. 1637. in which after he had thanked him for the care he had taken to let him taste the Cardinals bounty namely in getting him his pension paid after he had given him some orders to have this mony kept for him at Roan he said Moreover I beseech you to believe that I am not at all angry that you have showen nay given my Letter to the Gentlemen of the Academie If I had desired it of you I could blam onely my self but if my memory faile me not I think I onely desired you in that Letter to assure them of my most humble service as I desire you would do still notwithstanding their sentiments All that troubles me is that the Gentlemen of the Academie having resolved to be judges in this Controversie before they knew whether I would consent to it or no and their sentiments being already in the presse as you write me word before you received that Testimony of mine they have endeavoured to build their judgment thereupon and make it be beleeved that what they have done therein was onely to oblige me and at my entreaty c. And a little after I was resolved to answer them because Ordinarily the silence of an Author that is written against is taken for a sign that he sleights his censurers I have thus used it towards Monsieur de Scudery but I did not believe it would become me to do the same towards the Gentlemen of the Academie and I was perswaded that so Illustrious a Body did well deserve that I should render them an account of the reasons upon which I built the conduct choise of my design and therefore I should extreamly force my humor which is not to write in this kind and to divulge the secrets of my Art I was confirmed in this resolution by the assurance which you gave me that my Lord would be well pleased with it and I resolved in my self to addresse the epistle Dediatory to his Eminence after I had first asked his leave But now that you advise me not to answer any thing considering the persons that are engaged in it I want no Interpreter to understand it I am somewhat more a man of this world then Heliodore who chose rather to lose his Bishoprick then his book and do more prize the favour of my Master then all the reputation upon earth I will hold my Peace then not out of contempt but respect c. This Letter conteined very much more to the same purpose and at the bottom he added by way of postscript I conjure you not to shew my Letter to my Lord if you think there hath escaped me any word which may be ill taken by his Eminence But as to that which is imply'd by this Letter that the Academie had begun to make their Sentiments and even to print them before they had the consent of Monsieur Corneille as M. de Boisrobert had write him word I cannot tell what past between them onely this that M. de Boisrobert might have told him to oblige him perhaps with the lesse difficulty to consent to this judgment as to a thing already resolved on and begun that his resistance could not hinder it But I know very well by the Registers of the Academie which are very faithfull and very exact at that time that they began not to speak of the Cid till the 16. of June 1637. that this was after that they had there read a Letter of Monsieur Corneille's That the first which I spake of wherein he said The Gentlemen of the Academie may do what they please c. is dated at Roan the 13th of the same month That thus it might have come to Paris and been shown to the Academie the 16th and that lastly this work was not given to the Printer till about 5. Months after Monsieur Corneille who has since heen received into the Academie as well as Monsieur Seudery with whom he is fully reconciled did alwayes believe that the Cardinall and another person of great quality raised this persecution against the Cid witnesse these words which he writ to a friend of his and mine at that time when having publisht his Horace another Tragedie 't was reported that they would make more observations and a new judgment upon this piece Horace saith he was condemned by the Duumviri but he was absolved by the People Witnesse also those 4. verses which he made after the death of the Cardinall whom he lookt upon in one respect as his Benefactor and in another as his Enemie Qu'on parle mal ou bien du fameux Cardinal Ma prose ni mes vers n'en diront jamais rien Il m' a fait trop de bien pour en d're du mal Il m' a fait trop de mal pour en dire du bien that is Talk well or ill o' th' famous Cardinall But neither from my prose or verse shall fall He did me too much good to speak him ill He did me too much harm to speak him well Such were the thoughts of the parties most interessed touching the work of the French Academie The Publick received it with very much approbation and esteem Even those that were of a contrary opinion ceased not to commend it and envy it self that expected all this while when something of this Companies would come forth that it might tear it in pieces never meddled with this For my part I know not whether the famous Academies of Italie ever produced any thing better or so good upon the like occasion I make account in the first place 't is very much that without exceeding the bonds of justice these Gentlemen could satisfie a prime Favourite that had the whole power of France at his command and he too their Protector who for certain what ever were the cause of it was incensed against the Cid For I am sure he would have desired that they should treat it more hardly if they had not let him know in their addresse That a Judge ought not to speak as a Party and that a man loses so much

printed the other not yet when I wrote this The first is his Book of Remarques on the French Tongue against which Monsieur de la Mothe le Vayer has made some observations and it has since bin written against by le Sieur Dupleix but in the publick opinion it merits a most particular esteem For not onely the matter of it is very good for the most part and the style excellent and admirable but besides there is in the whole Body of the work something of an honest man so much ingenuitie and so much freedom that one can scarce choose but love the Author of it And I would to God that the Memoires which he had long since ready to make a second Volume could be found and that we had not cause to bewail the losse of them which happened after his death in the hands of those that seiz'd upon his papers The other Considerable work and as yet unprinted is The Translation of Quintus Curtius upon which he had bin thirty years changing and correcting it continually Nay they say that after he had seen some Translations of M. d'Ablancourt he was so taken with the Style of them which is a little lesse diffuse then his own that he began afresh all his labour and made quite a new translatior I have seen the sheets which remain of this last sort where for the most part every period is translated in the margin five or six severall wayes almost all of them very good Monsieur Chapelain and Monsieur Conrart who take the paines to review this work with all exactnesse to print it are many times hard put to it to judge which is best And which I count most remarkable commonly that which be set down first is that which they like best This is the piece of which Monsieur Balzac said The Alexander of Quintus Curtius is invincible and that of Vaugelas is inimitable Monsieur de Voiture who was much his friend used to jeare him for that excesse of pains and time which he bestowed on it He told him he would never have done that whilst he was polishing one part of it our language would alter and oblige him to new-make all the others Whereto he merrily applyed what is said in Martiall of the Barber that was so long in shaving a mans beard that before he made an end it began to grow again Eutrapelus tonsor dum circuit or a Luperci Expungitq genas altera barba subit so said he altera lingua subit MONSIEUR BARO BALTHAZAR BARO was of Valence in Dauphine In his youth he was Secretary to Monsieur d'Urfé one of the most rare and admirable wits that France ever bore who dying just as he had finisht the fourth part of Astrea Baro caus'd it to be printed and composed the fift part out of his papers He came to Paris and there married a widdow his Land-laday's Sister He had great accesse to the Duchesse of Chevreuse for which reason the Cardinall de Richelieu was hardly brought to consent he should be of the Academie He was also gentleman-usher to Mademoiselle Towards the end of his life he obtained two Offices of a new Creation one of Kings-Atturney in the Prestdiall Court established not long since at Valence The other of Treasurer of France at Montpellier He dyed aged about 50. years and left Children He made many Plaies divers others Poems but his greatest and principall work is The Conclusion of Astrea where he seems to have bin inspired with the Genius of his Master MONSIEUR BAUDOIN IOAN BAUDOIN was of Pradelle in Vivarets but after he had made divers voyages in his youth he passed the rest of his life at Paris with the fortune of most learned men that is without getting any great good He was Reader to Queen Margaret and afterwards also to the Marshall de Marillac Notwithstanding the gout and other Maladies with which he was afflicted in his old age he never gave over writing even to his end and we are beholding to him for translating into our Tongue a very great number of good Books His Master-piece is The Translation of Davila but he has done likewise many others which are not to be contemned as Sueton Tacitus Lucian Salust Dion Cassius the Historie of the Ynca's by an Ynca Tasso's Jerusalem The d●scourses of the same Author Those of Ammirato on Tacitus many pieces of the Lord Chancellor Bacon Monsieur de Priezac's Vindiciae Gallicae Suger's Epistles Aesops Fables and the Iconologie of Ripa He took a voyage on purpose into England by order of the Queen Mary de Medicis to translate the Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia and was assisted in the work as they say by a French Gentlewoman who had bin a long time there and whom he afterward married In all these works his Style is facil natural and French And if perhaps in many places he has not done things so well as they might have bin it must be attributed to his fortune which would not permit him to employ upon his writings so much time and care as they required He dyed at the age of above sixty years He was of small Stature had Chesnut-colour'd hair and a lively Complexion He left a Daughter one Son which is since dead in the wars MONSIEUR DE MONTEREUL IOHN DE MONTEREUL a Parifien and Son of an Advocate in Parlement after he had bin a very hard Student he began to plead at the Barre but at the age of 18. or 19. years he was in Italie with Monsieur de Believre who presented him to Cardinall Antonio nephew to Pope Urban the 8. This Cardinall made him Chanon of Thoul which obliged him to return into France from that time he was retein'd to be Secretary to the Prince of Conty This Prince was then at Colledge and had not any reed of his service Therefore he omitted not in the mean time to take some other imployment He was at Rome with the Marquis de Fontenay Mareüil Embassador of France in the quality of his second Secretary but at last Monsieur Bovard who was the first having bin withdrawn by reason of the disgrace of Monsieur du Thou whose kinsman he was Montereul became the first and even before that he had the chief hand in businesses At his return from Rome he was in the same qualitie of Secretary to the Embasse in England with Monsieur de Believere and at last was left as Resident in Scotland where he did very good service for he was most proper for negotiation of a souple Spirit quick and resolute and one that scarce ever did any thing without design 'T was he that gave the advice that the Elector Palatine should passe incognito in France to go and command the troops of the Duke of Weimar and possess himself of Brisac which was the cause that they provided for him and that the Elector was stopped in his passage 'T was he also that thinking thereby to do some good Office to the King

review'd the same things a hundred times which is the reason we have so few things of his He left two Plays The fair slave and I Inc●igne des F●●●u● and had almost finisht a third when he dyed which he called The Secretary of Saint Innocent He had a part as I told you in that of the five Authors There are divers Odes and Stanza's of his very excellent in the last printed Collections THIS is all I have to say of the Academiciens that are dead I wish I might speak of those that are living with the same liberty and render to every one of them that I am more intimatly acquainted with that testimony which their wit and vertue deserves But there are many reasons which hinder me and one which makes me glad that I am hindred 'T is that if I regard the publick their Images will questionless be seen elsewhere in a more noble place and by some better hand and if I consider you in particular you know my mind well enough and have not forgotten what I have so often said to you of them in our long walks at Roumers where there were only trees and fountains that heard us Be contented therefore to see them here named among●t the rest according as they are in the Catalogue of the Academy I shall add only a word or two to let you know the Christen name and quality of each his Countrey and the title of his works by which he is known A Catalogue of the Gentlemen of the French Academy THE ABBOT DE BOURZEYZ Amable de Bourzeys Abbot of Saint Martin de Cores born in Auvergne There is nothing of his printed under his own name but one Letter to Prince Edward Palatine which is a Treatise of Religion THE BISSHOP OF GRASSE Anthony Godeau Bishop of Grasse and Vence born at Dreux His works that are hitherto printed according to the Catalogue that was given me of them are these The Preface to the Dialogue of the causes of the corruption of eloquence translated by M. Giry That before Malherbe's works The Paraphrase on the Epistles of S. Paul and the Canonical Epistles The life of S. Paul Christian Instructions and Prayers for all sorts of persons Synodical Ordinances and Instructions Meditations on the Lords Prayer A Funeral Oration on K. Lewis 13. Another on the Bishop of Bazas The Idea of a good Magistrate in the life and death of Monsieur de Cordes A Treatise of the Ecclesiastical Tonsure Another of the Ecclesiastical Vocation Elevations to Jesus Christ after the manner of Meditations and A new Paraphrase on the epistle to the Hebrews A Remonstrance made to the King against the Parliament of Tolose An exhortation to the Parisiens touching Alms and Charity to the poor of Picardy Champagne Advice to the Parisiens concerning the Procession made in the year 1652. for the bringing forth of the shrine of S. Geneviefue under the name of a Curate of Paris The life of S. Augustin in quarto An Ecclesiastical History of the four first ages in two Volums in folio His Poems in print are One Volume of Christian Poems The Paraphrase of all the Psalms in French verse which have been set to musick by Sieur Govy An Ode for King Lewis 13. The institution of a Christian Prince for K. Lewis 14. La grande Chartreuse La Sorbonne A Hymn of S. Charles Borromée A Hymn of S. Geneviefue He has made a Poem on S. Paul in five Canto's which is not yet publisht as also several other Hymnes Discourses and Epistles in verse addressed to his private friends THE ABBOT DE BOISROBERT Francis de Metel Sieur de Boisrobert Abbot of Chastillon upon Selne Consellor of State and Almoner to the King born at Caen in Normandy He has composed besides some Letters in Prose and some Poems which we see of his in several Collections A book of Epistles or Discourses in verse after the manner of Horace Many Dramatick Poems A Tragedy intitled The chaste Dido or The loves of Hyarbas Two Tragi-Comedies which are The Coronation of D●rius and Palene Three Comedies the first of his own invention intituled The three Ororta's and the two others The self jealous one and The foolish Wager taken from Lopez de Vega. DE MONTMOR Henry Lewis Habert Counsellor to the King in his Counsels and Master of Requests of his Hostel born at Paris DE GOMBAULD John Ogier de Gombauld born in Xantonge at S. Just de Lussac neer Brovage His works in print are Endimion Amaranthe a Pastoral a volume of Poems a volume of Letters These following are not yet printed The Danaides a Tragedy Cidippe a Tragicomedy Three Books of Epigrams several other Poems Letters and Discourses in Prose DE LA CHAMBRE Marin Cureau de la Chambre Counsellor to the King in his Counsels and his Physician in ordinary born at Mans. His works in print are New Conjectures about digestion New Conjectures concerning the causes of Light The overflowing of Nile And the love of inclination The Characters of the Passions in two volums A Treatise of the understanding of Beasts New Observations and Conjectures about the Rain-bow If he perfects what he has begun we shall have A continuation of the Characters of the Passions A Treat●se of human beauty Another of the nature and D●sposit●ons of Nations and The Art of knowing men He hath translated into French The eight Books of Aristotles Physicks which is not printed and gives us hopes ere long of A Commentary on Hippocrates's Aphorisms which he calls Usus Aphorismorum where his design is after he has set down Hippocrates's meaning in each Aphorisme to apply it to other subjects and shew all the uses that may be made of it DE GOMBERVILLE Marin Le Roy Sieur de Gomberville a Parisien The printed works which I have seen of his are the Romances of Polexander in five Volums of Cytherea in four volumes The young Alcidiana which is not yet finished The Preface to Maynards Poems DE SERISAY James de Serisay born at Paris Intendant of the House to the Duke de la Rochefoucault There is not any thing of his in print but he has many Poems and other works in prose to print DE. S. AMANT Mark Anthony Gerard Sieur de S. Amant born at Roüen There are of his Three volums of Poems He is making an Heroick Poem called Moses DE PORCHERES LAUGIER Honorat Laugier Sieur de Porcheres of Provence They have printed several Poems of his in the Collections And a hundred love Letters under the name of Erander He has many pieces both in verse and prose not printed and amongst others A Treatise of Devises THE ABBOT DE CERESY Germain Habert Abbot of de la Roche and Abbot and Earl of Nostre-Dame de Ceresy a Parisien He set forth The Life of Cardinal de Berule in prose There are divers Poems of his in some of the Collections of verses Some Paraphrases of the Psalms and The Metamorphosis of Philis's eys