The first part. Of the esta­blishment of the Academie

THE FRENCH Academie was not e­stablished by the Kings edict, till the yeare 1635. But we may say that its origine was foure or five yeares elder,Mr. Naudé in his Dia­logue de mas­curat, where he cites, Giou Bapt. Albertinel discorso dill' Academia parte secunda. p. 88. and that it owes in a manner its institution to fortune.

They that have written of the Accade­mie of the Humorists of Rome, say that is sprung up by chance at the wedding of Lorenzo Maucini, a Gentle man of Rome, that divers persons of qualitie among the guests, to give some divertisement to the Ladies, and because twas the time of Car­naval, set themselves at first extempore, & af­erwards with a little premeditation to re­ceit some sonnets, comedies, & discourses, which gave them the name of Bellihumori: That afterwards taking an affection insensi­b [...]y to these exercises, they resolved to form an Academie of good literature: That then they changed the name of Belli humori in­to [Page 4] that of Humoristi, and chose for their devise, a Cloud, which being formed of salt exhalations from the Sea, falls down again in a sweet and gentle shoure, with that of the Poet Lucretius, for the Motto, Redit agmine dulci.

The French Academie did not arise in­deed from an accidentall meeting, as that did. But certaine it is, that those which began it scarce thought of any thing lesse then that which happened afterward. A­bout the year 1629. some Gentlemen lodging in severall places of Paris, and finding nothing more incommodious in that City, then to go many times to seek one another and all in vain took a resolution to meet together one day in a week, at some one of their lodgings. They were all persons of Learning & of Extraordinary merit Mon­sieur God [...]au now Bp of Grasse, who then was not a Churchman, Mounsieur de Gom­bauld, Monsieur Chapelain, Monsieur Conrart, Monsieur Giry, the late Monsieur Habert Commissarie of the Artillerie Monsieur the Abbot of Cerisy, his brother, Monsieur de Serizay, and Monsieur de Mal­leville. They mett at Monsieur Conrarts, whose lodgings were the most commodious to receive them, and in the heart of the Citty, from whence all the rest were almost equally distant. There they entertained themselves very familiarly, as it is usuall in an ordinary visit, with all kind of things, affairs, news, and good learning. And [Page 5] if any of the Company had com­posed any Work, as it often happened, he communicated it voluntarily to the rest, who freely told him their opinions. Their conferences were concluded sometimes, with a walk, and sometimes with a collati­on. Thus they continued three or four yeares, and as I have heard divers of them say, with extream pleasure, and incredi­ble advantage. In so much as even at this day when they talke of those times, and of the first age of the Academie, they speak of it as of a golden age: during which, withal the innocency and all the liberty of the primitive times, without noise and without pomp, and without any other laws then those of Friendship; they enjoyed whatsoever an ingenious Society and a Rati­onal life has either sweet or charming.

They had made an order not to speake of it to any body, which was very exactly observed for a time. The first that fail­ed in it, was Monsieur de Malleville (for tis no hurt to accuse him of a fault which the happinesse of the event has excursed) He had said something of it to Monsieur Faret, who had then newly printed his Honeste-Homme; and who having obtained Leave to be at one of their conferences, brought with him a Copie of his Book which he gave them. He returned with very much Satifaction, as well with their judg­ments which they gave of his book, as with all that pass't in the rest of the conversation. [Page 6] But as 'tis a hard matter, that a secret to which we have once given vent, should not soon after become publick, and that ano­ther should be more faithfull to us then we have been to our selves: Monsieur Des­marests and Monsieur de Boisrobert knew of these meetings, by meanes of Mr. Faret, Mr. Desmarets came thither severall times, and read there the fifth Volume of Aria­na, which he then composed. Mr. de Bois­robert desired also to be present at them, and there was no colour in the world to deny him admittance, for besides that he was a friend to most of these Gentlemen, e­ven his fortune procured him some respect, and rendered him the more considerable. He then was admitted, and when he ob­served in what manner works were there examined, and that it was not a businesse of complements and flattteries, where each one commends that he might be com­mended, but that they did boldly and free­ly censure even the least faults, he was fill­ed with joy and admiration. He was then in his greatest favour with the Cardinal de Richelieu, and his chiefest care was to recre­are the spirits of his Master, after the noise & perplexties of busines, as well by pleasant stories, at which he was the best of any man in the world, as in telling him all the pretty news of the Court and Town: and this divertisement was so usefull to the Cardinal, that his Cheif Physitian Monsieur Citois, was wont to say to him, My Lord, [Page 7] wee'll do all we can for your health; but all our drugs are worth nothing, unlesse you add thereto a little of Boisrobert. Amongst these familiar discourses, Mr. de Boisrobert, who entained him with all kind of news, o­mitted not to make an advantageous reci­tall to him of the little Assembly he had seen, and of the persons which composed it: and the Cardinall who had a soul na­turally carryed unto great things, and lov­ed above all the French tongue, in which he himself wrote exceeding well, after he had commended the design, he asked Mon­sieur de Boisrobert, whether these Gentle­men would make a societie and assemble regularly and under publicke authoritie. Monsieur de Boisrobert having answer'd that in his opinion this proposition would be received with joy, he commanded him to make it, and to offer to these Gentle­men his protection for their Company, which he would get established by Letters Patents, and his affection to each of them in particular, which he would manifest up­on all opportunities.

When these offers had been made, and the question was to resolve in particular, what answer they should return, there was scarce any of these Gentlemen which wit­ness'd not a displeasure, and a regret, that the honour which was done them would disturbe the sweetnesse, and the familiari­ty of their conferences: nay some of them and especially, Monsieur de Sorisay, and [Page 8] Monsieur de malleville were of opinion that they should excuse themselves to the Car­dinal the best they could: but these two, besides the generall reasons that were com­mon to them with the rest, had a particu­lar one which they had an eye to. Monsieur de Serisay was Controller of the house of the Duke de la Rochefoucant, and Monsieur de Malleville was Secretary to the Mar­shall de Bassompierre; These two Lords were lookt upon as Enemies to the Cardi­nall, The first perceiving himself in no good condition at Court, had retired to his Government of Poitou, and the other was already a Prisoner in the Bastille. Now you know in what reputation the Cardinal then was. One might think, that seeing himselfe in a place so envy'd, and so expo­sed to the plots of the Grandees, there was scarse any place, 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 [Page 9] 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 [Page 10] 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.

[Page 11]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 [Page 12] 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, 'twas 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 [Page 13] 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 it self by any other name then that of the FRENCH ACADEMIE.

In the choise of this name, which hath nothing in it either of pride or strangenesse they have shown perhaps lesse gallantry; but perhaps too, more judgment and soli­dity then the Academies beyond the Alps, who wrong themselves in taking one ei­ther mysterious, or ambitious, or fantasti­call, such as we find them in a carrousel or in a mascarade: as if these exercises of the mind were rather debauches and sports, then serious occupations.

Thus their Academicks call themselves at Siena Intronati, at Florence dela Crusca, at Rome Humoristi, Lincei, Fantastici, at Bolonia Ot [...]osi, at Genoa Addormentati, at Padua Ricovirati and Orditi, at Vicenza Olimpici, at Parma Innominati, at Millane Nascosti, at Naples Ardenti, at Mantua In­vaghiti, at Pavie Affidati, and I know none of them, but the Florentine Academie on­ly which is the most antient of them all, which took a plaine simple Name without any affectation.

But perhaps I shall one day, elsewhere and in a discourse by it selfe, treate of all these Academies, and their names; To [Page 14] returne at present to that which I began to speak of. At the same time that it chose its name, it deliberated also concerning the Imployment it would have, and the Lavvs it should establish. All the Acade­miciens were order'd to think of it in pri­vate, Monsieur Faret was charged in the meane time to make a discourse, which should conteine as 'twere the Project of the Academie, and which might serve for a preface to its Statutes: and Monsieur de Serizay, to frame a letter to the Cardinal, to beseech him to honour the company with his Protection. 'Twas by this Let­ter, and by this Project, that they began. The letter vvhich is of the 22th of March,The Acade­mies Letter March, 22, 1634 1634. contained in effect thus much, That if Monsieur the Cardinal had pub­lish't his writings, there would want no­thing to the perfection of the Tongue, and that questionlesse he would have done that which the Academie propounds to it selfe to do: but that his modesty forbidding him to set forth his own rare peices, did not also hinder him from approving that o­thers searcht after those treasures which he keeps locked up, and from authorizing their search. That this was the most so­lid foundation of the Academies de­signe, and of its project, which should be presented to his eminence with this letter by Messieurs de Bautru, du Chastelet, and [Page 15] de Boisrobert: That it would not re­ceive life but from him, and that the hope of his protection oblig'd it already to an extreame resentment. The Project of the Academie The Project was a discourse very large, full of many excellent passages, which may be reduced in a lesser compasse to these heads: That the Countrey we inhabite hath alwaies bred most valiant men, but that their valour hath beene without re­putation in comparison with that of the Romans and Greeks, because they never had the act of rendring it illustrious by their writings. That neverthelesse at this day the Greeks and the Romans being become slaves to other Nations, and their very languages, though so rich and plea­sant, being reckoned amongst the dead; it fell out happily for Frauce that we have continued not only in possession of the va­lour of our Ancestors, but also in a condi­tion to raise againe to life, Eloquence, which seemed to be buryed with those, that were the inventors and Masters of it: That after the great and memorable acti­ons of the King, 'twas a most happy acci­dent, that there are found at this day a­mongst his subjects so many men able to make that be read with delight, which we have seen done with astonishment. [Page 16] That also 'twas none of the least thoughts of that great Cardinal his prime Minister to take on him as he does the protection of Learning, so necessary for the good and glory of the State, and to cause it to flou­rish by his favour and approbation. That there seemed to want nothing else to the felicity of the Kingdom, but to separate from the number of barbarous languages that Tongue which we speak, and which all our neighbours too will speak erelong, if our conquests continue as they have begun: That for so brave a designe, he thought fit to assemble a certaine number of persons able to second his Intentions. That these Conferences are one of the most assured meanes to bring it about. That our tongue which is already more perfect than any other that is spoken at this day, may as well at length succeed the Latine, as the Latine did the Greek, if there were more care taken then hath been hitherto of Elo­cution, which is not indeed the whole of eloquence, but makes a very considerable part thereof. After this was added. That as for the order, practice, and lawes, of his Assembly, 'twas thought fit to re­duce them into a Statute apart, and in this place to treat only of two things, which would be too much forc'd and tor­turd [Page 17] in that brevity which is proper to the stile of Lawes. The first, of the qualities requisite in those who should be trusted in this businesse; and the second, What should be their Functions, and what kind of matters they should handle.

1. For the first, That it is not enough to have a large and profound knowledge in the Sciences, nor a facility to speak handsomly in conversation, nor a lively and prompt imagination, good as inventi­on: But that there must be at 'twere a particular Genius, and a naturall light able to judge of that which is most neat and profound in Eloquence: That lastly there is requisite a certain mixture of all these other qualities in one equall temper subjected to the Laws of the understand­ing, and to a solid judgment. As for their Functions, which was the second thing they promised to treat of: That they should be, The purifying of the language from the filth it hath contracted, either in the mouth of the vulgar, or in the croud of Lawyers, or in the impunities of wrang­ling, or by the ill use of ignorant Courti­ers, or by the abuse of those who corrupt it in writing, or of those that in the Pulpits speak indeed what they ought, but not as they ought. That to this end 'twere good [Page 18] to settle a certain constant use of words: That 'twere fit to retaine some of those which are now in use, so that they be refer'd to one of the three kinds of writings, in which they might be used; that those, for in­stance, which are naught in a lofty, might be borne with in a mean, and approved in the lowest and Comique style. That one of the meanes which the Academiciens would make use of, to attain unto perfecti­on, should be the examination and cor­rection of their own writings. That they would severely examine the Subject and the manner of handling it, the Arguments, the Style, the Numbers, and every word in particular. That after so exact observations, they would give any one that 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 tis not probable that so ma­ny men assembled together should not be able to decide things, in which it cannot [Page 19] be denyed but they have manifested suffici­ent experience. That this Company hath taken the name of the FRENCH ACA­DEMIE, because twas 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 'twas mended; which being told the Company, they gave in charge first to Monsieur Chapelain, Godeau, [Page 20] 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, twas 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, twas, 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 tis written in a good Character, then when in an ill; and better yet, when tis printed then when tis 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.

[Page 21]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. Twas 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 twould 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.

[Page 22]I do not find that they changed these pas­sages afterwar [...]s, which makes me think the Cardinal did not urge them any more. Now the design o [...] the Academy was to print this Project, with their Statutes when they were fini [...]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 mo [...]e towards this defect then any other, but besides because in one of the Conferences, wherein twas 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 [Page 23] 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 'twas said in the Project): That to this purpose they are in the first place to re­gulate the Termes and Phrases, by a large Dictionary, and a very exact Grammer which might give it a part of those Ornaments it wants, and that afterwards it might acquire the rest by a Rhetorique and a Poetique, which should be composed to serve as a rule to them that would write in verse and in prose. This advice which was also the thoughts of all the other Academies, was generally fol­lowed: and because Monsieur Chapelain had enlarged himself upon the manner how they ought to proceed in the Dictio­nary and Grammer,Reg. March 27. 1634. he was desired to draw a platforme of it, which was seen after­wards by the Company, and thereupon it was ordered he should confer with Messi­eurs de Bourzey, de Gombauld and de Gom­berville. But I shall have another occasion to tell you more of this platforme, and to give you an Abridgment of it, whereby you may judge what esteem and commen­dations it deserved.

As for the Statutes of the Academy,Reg. March 27. 1634. the first that travaild in this subject by order of the Company was Monsieur de Chastelet [Page 24] Counsellor of State. After they had seen his Papers, he was ordered to confer about it with the same Messieurs de Bourzey, de Gombauld and de Gomberville. Afterwards it was agreed, that all the Academiciens should be exhorted to give in their memoj­res in writing upon this subject. I have seen nine of these memoires or advices of some particular Academiciens, which are those of Messieurs Faret, de Gombauld, Chapelain, Conrart, Sirmond du Chastelet, Bardin, Colle­set, and Baudoin. I shall not stay to tell you the contents of them; but I believe I may remark by the way two things, which have not been followed in the Statutes. One which is in the memoire of Monsieur de Gombald, and which I relate here as a Testi­mony of his piety and vertue. Tis, that he propounded that each of the Acade­miciens should be bound to compose every year a piece great or small, in the praise of God. The other, which seems to me very strange, though it was desired by Monsieur Sirmond, a man otherwise of a very solid judgment, Twas, that he would have all the Academici­ens bound by oath, to use those words which were approved by the Major part of voyces in the Assembly. So that if this Law had been received, whatsoever particular aver­sion, one might have to a word, notwith­standing he must of necessity make use of it & if any one should use it otherwise, he would commit not onely a fault, but a sin. All these memoires were put into the hand of 4. Commisioners Messeurs du Chastelet [Page 25] Chaplain, Faret, and Gombauld, Reg. Decemb 4. 1634. to cul out of each what they liked best; and after their choise, Monsieur Conrart, who in quality of Secretary had also assisted at all these par­ticular Conferences, digested and couched in writing the Articles of the Statutes. They were read, examined, and approved by the Company.Reg. Novemb. 15. 1634.

The same Monsieur Conrart had also in Charge to draw up the Letters Parents for the Foundation of the Academie, which seemed to belong unto him upon a double account, because he was both Secretary to the Academie, and Secretary to the King. Af­ter that he had read them in the Assem­bly, Messieurs du Chastelet, de Serizay and de Cerisy were ordered to receive them with him,Reg. January 2. 1635. and to shew them to the Lord keeper of the Seales; and Monsieur de Boisrobert, to the Cardinall. I believe you'l take it kindly, that I have here inserted them at large, since that they serve for the foundati­on to all the rest, and that besides they are conceived in very pure and Elegant terms, which not omiting those clauses and formes of Speech usuall to the Chancerie do Neverthelesse rellish the politenesse of the Academy and the Court.

There had been added to the other pri­viledges, and tis likely it would have been easily obtained, exemption from taxes; but because all the Academiciens were already exempted from them, either by their Nobility, or otherwise; not any one of them thought fit to desire it, lest he should be thought to stand in need of it himself: & thus they preferred an imaginary honour, before the solid and real interest of their successors.

It was no difficult matter to get these Letters sealed. The Lord keeper of the Seales, had himself too great an inclinati­on to these kind of exercises,Reg. Decemb. 4. 1634. to be any hinderance therin, wherefore he used those deputies which spake to him of it,Reg. January [...]. 1635. with all the civility they could desire. Nay a little while after he sent to tell the Company by Monsieur de Cerisy, that he desired to be comprized in the Catalogue of the Aca­demiciens, which was soon after done. You shall see anone, how this Proposition was received; at present it shall suffice to tell you that he sealed the Letters with all Speed,Reg. January 29. 1635. and that they were brought back to the Academie, by Monsieur de Cerisy, the 29th. of January, 1635.

There wanted but two things for the entire establishment of this Body: the one, to get their Statutes Authorized by the Cardinall, according to the power giv­en [Page 33] him thereto by the Kings Letters. The other to get those Letters ratified in Parlia­ment. The first was very easie, the second on the contrary accompanyed with diffi­culties and delayes. To get the statutes Authorized by the Cardinal,Reg. Feb. 5. 1635. who was then at Ruel, they sent to him the 3. officers, with Monsieur de Boisrobert. I have heard Monsieur Conrart say, who was of that de­putation as an officer, and whom I think you will acknowledge for a just judge in such matters, that he never heard a man speak better then the Cardinal did in this meeting, that he answered to the speech of Monsieur de Serizay, the director, as if he had seen it a long time before hand, and had leisure enough to prepare himself upon the the head of it, and even upon every word that was in it; that he spake first for the Academie, in generall; then he addrest him­self to the 4. Deputies, and at last to each of them apart, but so apposite, with so much grace, civility, majestie and sweet­nesse, that he ravisht all that heard him,Reg. February 22. 1635. with admiration. He caused them at last to leave the Statutes 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 [Page 34] 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 [Page 35] 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.

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.

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 [Page 38] 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 'twere 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 [Page 39] Monsieur the chief Peresident, which was done by the three Officers. At last Mon­sieur du Tillet, Clark of the Parliament, sent the Attest of the Ratification to the Acade­mie then assembled the last of July in the same yeare. His Secretary that had the charge of it, was brought into the Assem­bly, and thanked in the name of the whole Body, by the director.

Thus the FRENCH ACADEMIE, al­though they assembled all this while, and had the same meetings which they have at this day, was neverthelesse not absolutely established, till three yeares and some moneths after that they began to labour in it. For they spent from the moneth of February of the yeare, 1634. to that of the yeare following, 1635, to give it the forme it was to have, to make ready its statutes, and to get the order of its Erection sealed, and from February 1635. till July 1637. to get this order confirm'd in Parliament.

WHEN YOU reade this, I make no question but you will enquire with some astonishment, for what reason and out of what Caprichio, so judicious a Body as the Parliament of Paris, gave their consent with so much difficulty to a design, I will not say so innocent, but so laudable. But that you may the better understand what was the humour of the Parliament, tis requi­site I let you know, how all France at that time stood affected, where the Cardinal de Richelieu having advanced the Regal [Page 40] authority much higher then ever any man had done before, was loved and adored of some, envied of others, hated and detested of many; feared, and redoubted of almost all. Besides then, that the Academie was a new institution, which of it selfe would have divided mens opinions, and at the same time have had enemies and approba­tours, they looked upon it as a work of the Cardinals, and judged either well or ill of it, acording to the passion wherewith they were prepossessed of him. Those which were his freinds, spake of it with excessive praises: Never had ages past, say they, so much eloquence, as ours shall have, we shall surpasse all that have gone before us, and all that shall come after us, and the greatest share of this glory will be due to the Academie and to the Cardinal. On the other side his Enemies, and those which envyed him entertained this designe with scoffs and jeeres. They accused the Academie of coining new words, of en­deavouring to impose laws upon things that were not capable to receive them, and they ceased not to decry it by railleries and satyrs. The people too, and those that were either lesse quick-sighted, or more jealous, who suspect every thing that comes from the Cardinal, were affraid lest that under these flowers there lay hid a ser­pent, and apprehended at the least that this [Page 41] establishment would be a new support to his domination, that they must be his pen­sioners, taking pay to doe whatever he please, and to observe the actions and thoughts of others. Nay they say he cut off fourscore thousand livres of the money leavied for the cleansing of the streets of Paris, to give to them 2000 livres pension a peice; and a hundred reports of that na­ture.

And to this purpose, if you will give me leave to mingle a little mirth with serious­nesse, and to forget a while the Parlia­ment of Paris to which I will not faile to returne: I could tell you a couple of sto­ries, which will serve not only for a di­version, but also for a confirmation of what I told you even now concerning the opinion which the vulgar had of the Aca­demie. The first is of a certain tradesman of Paris, who had, they say, lately hired a house very commodious for him in Cinq-Diamans street, where Monsieur Chapelain dwelt, at whose house the Academie then met. He observed that at certaine daies there came a great number of Coaches thi­ther, he enquired the reason of it, and learning it, presently hebrok off his bargain without giving any other reason, but that he would not dwell in a street, wherein there was every week a Cademy of Mono­polizers.

The other story is perhaps no lesse plea­sant then the former. When my Bro­ther, [Page 42] and I went to schole, we had leave to go spend the time of the vacation in the Country, at some of our friends houses, somtimes at Ondes that sweet dwelling, whose name and delights I shall never for­get; and somtimes in Gascogne at Monsieur Dubourg s in his faire house of Chermont. This Gentleman, as you doubtlesse knew, together with a great knowledge in good learning, and much wit, was master of so gay and pleasant a humour, that he could almost in every thing find matter of mirth, but so noble and gallant, as 'twas decent and becoming a person of quality, as in­deed he was, having the honour to reckon amongst his ancestors the famous Anne Duboury Counsellor in the Parliament of Paris, and Antonie Duboury Chancellor of France, in the Reigne of Francis the first. We were then at his house, and Monsieur de Fontrailles, his next neighbour, whom you know very well, and who since hath borne so great a part in one of the most im­portant affaires of our times, was there also. There came thither a young Gen­tleman newly arrived from Court; they asked him (as the fashion is) what newes there. He answered that there was no­thing more remarkable there, then an Aca­demie established within these few yeares by my Lord the Cardinal de Richelieu for the reformation of style. You shall see, saies Monsieur Duboury, who intended on­ly to be merry, that this man will have in­vented [Page 43] some new design against the Pro­ctors and other Lawyers to force them ei­ther to reforme their style, or else fine. The young Gentleman, who perhaps had heard of the false reports that had been gi­ven out in Paris of the Academie, believ­ed in good earnest that his Landlord might be in the like error, and to disabuse him, labour'd all he could to demonstrate to him by very good reasons that this re­formation of style respected only Poets and Orators. Monsieur Duboury, seeing the pleasant humour he was in, continued his discourse and answer'd that the Cardi­nall was more crafty then 'twas believed, that within these ten yeares all the de­signes, which we have seene, have had as faire beginnings, and as honest pretences but that they would infallibly come from Orators to Lawyers, and lay a fine upon them for every fault they commit, and to get themselves off, force them to pay vast summes of mony; that one by name * * * who was his Lawyer in the Parliament of Tholose, was ruin'd. For, added he, tis impossible he should reforme himself; he has belonged to the law some thirty or for­ty years, when ever he thinks to make a Complement, still there escapes him some wrangling Law Term or other. Af­ter all this, he appealed to Monsieur de Fontrailles as judge, who approved and consented to all he had said, nor was the young Gentleman ere the lesse obstinat on [Page 44] the other side, as he continued that whole after-supper time, and with so much zeale 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 [Page 45] 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.

[Page 46]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, 'tis 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 'twere 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, [Page 47] 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 [Page 48] 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. 'Tis as 'twere 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 [Page 64] me with the Comedie; but very much mutilated, and alter'd severall wayes.

The last of these three pieces is that in­genious Request of the Dictionaries, which too was printed not long since in a little Volume with abundance of faults, and was afterwards printed far more correct in quarto. Every body knowes that this was made by Monsieur Menage, not onely a ve­ry learned and polite man, but also a man of honour and of a solid vertue. He himself had alwayes a very high esteem of the Acade­mie, and has spoken honourably of it in divers of his works. He was a particular and intimate friend, as he is still, of many of the Academiciens, whom he mentions in that Request, and he did not do it, as he protests himself, out of any motion of ha­tred or envy, but onely for a diversion to himself, and that he might not lose some bons mots, that came into his mind upon that subject. Besides he supprest it after he had made it, and it lay above ten years hid among his Papers, untill a certain person that had then all in custody, suffer'd him­self to be rob'd of that, by one that you and I know, who presently after gave di­vers Copies of it.

These three pieces and all the rest that have been made against the Academie, go upon a false ground; and describe the Aca­demiciens, as men that labour night & day in nothing, but fantastically, forging new words, or else suppressing others, more [Page 50] out of humour then reason; whereas they thought of nothing lesse, and when any question was offer'd concerning language, they onely enquired after the use of the word, which is the cheif master in such matters, and resolved in favour of it. As for me, who have exactly veiw'd all their Registers, I can give them this Testimony, that I have there met with many handsome and rationall decisions, whence M. Vaugelas has taken part of his Remarques; but that I never found there, any footsteps of so much as one of those silly Orders, which are attributed to them in these Satyrs. They made the World then believe all those things; and, as you know, every man hath many times an aversnesse, of which he cannot give any reason, from some cer­tain word and phrases, which he does not love to use. If any one of this Body did expresse such a kind of aversnesse in jest or otherwise, presently envy and detracti­on made this passe for a decision of the Academie's. 'Tis known, for instance, that Monsieur de Gombervile did not love to use the wordfor. Car, which indeed is of­fensive if it be often repeated, and is fitter for a disputation, then a Romance or a Poem. He brag'd one day that he had rot at all made use of this word in the 5. Volumes of Polexander (where yet I am told it is thrice); they conclude presently from this discourse, that the Academie would banish the word Car, and although [Page 51] it never had the least thought of it, they made a thousand jests upon it, and this was the Subject of that handsome Letter of Vo [...]ture's, which begins Mademoiselle Car es tant d'une si grand consideration en nostre langue, &c.

The Academie shewed its judgment, in that placing its self above calumny it did not vouchsafe to be moved at all the wri­tings which were made against it: at the very beginning and before it saw any of them, it had as twere resolved, not to make any answer to whatsoever should be said con­cerning it. And lest that any particular person should undertake it of his own head, there was an expresse article put into the Statutes, which forbids all of the Body to meddle in it, without leave and with­out a publique consultation about it.

The Academies of Italy seem to have gone much farther, and to have resolved not onely to contemne, but even to fore­stall and (as I may so say,) outbrave Ca­lumny, having given themselves most in­jurious names. Thus the Academie de gli Intronati, if you search the originall of the word, signifies the Academie of Dul­lards or Blockheads, for intronato does pro­perly signifie a man whom the noise of thunder hath stunned and deprived of his witts: and many others of those Academies that arose afterwards, in imitation of that, took not to themselves more honourable names.

[Page 52] THE SECOND PART, wher­in is treated of the Statutes of the French Academie.

BUT 'tis time to come to my second part, which shall be much shorter then the first, wherein I must entertain you with the Statutes of the FRENCH ACADEMIE, and withall of the dayes, places, and forme of its Assemblies.

I have read elsewhere with pleasure that the same Academie degl' Intronati of Siena which I was but now speaking of, thought it enough at its birth to establish these six fundamentall Lawes very short.

Perhaps afterwards and in time, they added new Lawes to these first, but how­ever very certain it is, that according as a Company increases, and is composed of a greater number of persons, which have not all the same Genius or inclination, and which must by death make roome for others, 'twill have need of a greater num­ber of Statutes to avoyd confusion and dis­order.

[Page 53]Those of the FRENCH ACADEMIE, contained 5. Articles, written in such a Style as Lawes should be, perspicuous, brief and plain, without any affectation of Ar­gument.

I shall report onely some of the princi­pall passing by the rest, whereof there have been many expresly changed, by a con­sultation of the whole Body or tacitely abrogated by custome, as it alwayes happens and will do continually, in all humane So­cieties.

By these Statutes, the Academie was to have a Seal, to seal in blue wax all the Acts made by its Order. Upon this Seal was to be graven the Image of its Foun­der, with these words, ARMAND CAR­DINAL DUKE DE RICHELIEU, PROTECTOR OF THE FRENCH A­CADEMIE, ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR. 1635.

It was also to have a Counter-seale, where was to be represented a crown of Laurell, with these words, Al'immortalité. It was to have 3. Officers, a Director, a Chancellor, a Secretary, and besides a Statio­ner.

The Office of the Director, is to preside in Assemblies, to see that good order be kept there with all exactnesse and civility pos­sible, and as it ought to be amongst equalls; 'tis the very expression in the Statutes.

He is to gather the Votes, according to the ranke that the Academiciens chance to sit [Page 54] in, beginning with his right hand man, and giving his own vote last, after the two Offi­cers, as they after the rest of the Assembly.

The Office of the Chancellor, is to keep the seales, and to seal all the Acts made by the order of the Academie.

The Office of the Secretary is to write the resolutions and to register them, to signe all the Acts, to keep all the evidences and all the papers of the Academie, and to make Certificats for those of the Body, that have need of a Testimony that they are of it. He is also to write the Academies Letters; & here you must observe by the way that it wrote two sorts of Letters. Some­times the whole Company speaks in the Let­ters, & there its signed thus, for example, Your most humble servants. CONRART, Secre­tary to the French Academie. Somtimes the Secretary onely speaks in the name of the wholeIn this or the like forme. The Academie hath appointed me to write to you. Body, and then he subscribes his own name, as it 'twere his own private businesse, saving that as he writes for a so­ciety, he is more reserved in the termes of the Subscription of his Letters.

In the absence of the Director, the Chan­cellor presides at meetings, and in both their absences, the Secretary.

The Secretary is perpetuall and for life, but the Director and the Chancellor are to be changed every two months, yet some­times this terme is prolonged by a Com­mon consent, upon divers occasions. Monsieur de Serizay, and Monsieur Des­marests, [Page 55] who were the two that bore those Offices, at the beginning of the Academie, held them even to its compleate e [...]tablish­ment, that is, neer upon 4. yeares, from the 13th. of March 1634. to the 11th. of Janua­ry 1638. although during this space of time they did very often beseech the Company to appoint them successors. I do not find in the Registers any prolongations so large, but many lesse, is for four months, six months, and a who [...]e year.

The Stationer of the Academie is also perpetuall, though he be received upon this condition so long as the Company shall thinke fit, which signifies onely that it shall be free to take another if it please. His charge is to be at the Assemblies of the Academie as often as he can, to receive its Orders, and to print its works, and those of particular Academiciens; which shall be examined by it, and to whom it shall give a Certificat of it approbation. The Statute, (with neverthelesse they begin to dispense with, of late,) saies, that tis to those works only to which 'tis permitted to Subscribe, By such a one of the French Academie. And that they may not be prin­ted by any other Stationer but he; who is bound to change nothing in it after the ap­probation of the Academie, to which for this end he takes an oath at his first admis­sion to his charge.

The Director and the Chancellor are to be chosen by lot after this manner. They take [Page 56] as many white Balls as there be Academieciens in Paris: amongst which there are two, whereof one is marked with two black specks, and the other with one; all these Balls are put together into a box, each of the Academiciens present take one; there are some also taken for all the rest that are at Paris, although they be not then present in the Assembly: He that has the Ball marked with one Black speck, is Director: he that has that which is marked with two black specks is Chancellor. Reg. July 7. 1641. Decem. 1. 1642 Aug. 25. 1644. And though the lot falls up­on the Secretary for one of these Offices, he may hold it, as I find in the Regi [...]ers, and it is not Incompatible with his own. It is observed as a Caprichio of fortune, that from the very beginning of the Academie to this present, Monsieur Chapelain, who is without question one of the most consi­derable persons of the Company, was ne­ver yet Director nor Chancellor.

As for the Office of Secretary; No man can have it but by the suffrages of the Academiciens, Assembled to the number of twenty at the least.

The same number of twenty is requisite for the Election or for the Ejection of an Academicien. These Elections and Ejecti­ons are done by white and Black balls: For an Election, the Number of the white must be four more then the black: For an Ejection there must be 4. black ones more then the white. There is an Article, by which no man can be chosen that is not approved by the Protector. Wherefore [Page 57] when there is a place voyd in the Acade­mie, they proceed in this manner. The Director most commonly or some other of the Academiciens propounds him that is presented to fill it; or if there be more of them, they are all propounded together. Then they appoint some one of the Com­pany to know whether the Protector be pleased, that they consult about the recep­tion of him or them, and after that he has given his consent, to proceed to Electi­on by Balls, the next meeting. I find in the Register that the Academiciens which are at Paris and are sick,Reg. May 10. 1652. may send their Suffrages in writing, to the Company.

When an Academicien is admitted, the Statutes must be read to him, which he is exhorted to keep; and the act of his ad­mission must be Registred.

In all other things but these Elections, they must give their votes clarâ voce aloud; and this must be done without interrupti­on or jealousy, without reproving in cho­ler or contempt the opinion of any one, without saying any thing more then ne­cessary, and without repeating what hath been said. The determinations are refer­red to other succeeding meetings: I find in the Registers that sometimes the decision has been referred to the Protector; as for example, being troubled to know whether they should make a Funerall Oration for the Cardinall de Richelieu in publick or in private, and the Company being not [Page 58] able to agree about it, they referred them­selves concerning it to the Lord Chancel­lor.

These Statutes conteine many things touching the employment of the Acade­mie, of which I shall have occasion to speak elsewhere: onely I observe there, that matters of Religion are forbid, and that if they examine any Theologicall writings, it must be onely for the termes and form of them. That for Politicall and morall matters, tis sayd that they shall not there be handled, but with conformity to the Authority of the Prince, and to the State of Goverment, and to the Lawes of the Realm. Those which are not of the Academie, may not be admitted into Assemblyes Ordinary or Extraordinary up­on any pretence whatsoever; and when any one desires to present a book to the Com­pany, or give it any other Complement, all the advantage he hath, is, to be brought into the place of the Assembly to be heard, and to receive the thanks which they re­turn him, without being present afterwards at that dayes Conference. The Academi­ciens, which cannot be present at the Assemblyes, are bound to send their ex­cuse, and this was exactly observed a while. Now if any one does absolutely neglect to be present there, it is the custome, that if in case, he want a Certificate that he is of the Academie, or any other the like act, it may be denyed him.

[Page 59]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 'tis 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 [Page 60] 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 'tis 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 [Page 61] 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 'tis of no Importance to observe, 'tis 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 'twas 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 [Page 62] 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 [Page 63] places are as 'twere 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 this Hero live for ever; So the Greek History positively calls him, though we do not find that he ever did any thing else that was remarkable.

All these things, which the Cardinall was not Ignorant of, would make one [Page 64] believe what divers have sayd, that having long intended to build in the Horse-Mar­ket, neer the gate of Saint Honorè, a great Piazzo, which he would have called Ducale or the Dukes place, in imitation of the Royall, which is at the other end of the City, he would there have set apart some conveni­ent lodgings for the Academy, an [...] that he would have endowed it with some reve­nues; but that this design and many others which he reserved for more calm and quiet times, was interrupted by his death.

AS for the form of the Academies meet­ings, tis thus. In winter they are in an upper, in summer in a lower roome of Se­guier Hostel: and without much ceremony, they sit round a table; the Director on that side next the Chimny: the Chancellor and Secretary at each hand of him, and all the rest as fortune, or Common civility rankes them. The Director presides. The Secretary keeps the Register. This Register is at other times kept very exactly from day to day; but at present, the busi­nesse of the Dictionary being the sole im­ployment of the Academie, tis kept on­ly in those meetings, where there happens any thing extraordinary and important. When the Protector is present, he sits in the place of the Director, who, with the other two officers, sit at his left hand. He gathers the votes and pronounces the re­solutions, as the Director uses to do. The [Page 65] Cardinall was never there; but the Lord Chancellor is often present, and does all what I told you but now. That which is most remarkable is, that he honoured this Company with his presence, not onely at his leisure and when free from businesse; as many others that never study but when they have nothing else to do: but even when he was most in favour, and had the greatest Imployments. I find particularly in the Registers that he was present there the 19th. of December 1643.Reg. Decem. 19. 1643. Reg. April 20. 1651. after he was made Protector, and the 20th. of Aprill 1651. a little after that the Seales were delivered to him, which had been given to Monsieur de Chasteauneuf. That even then he propounded to meet twice a week, to forward the businesse of the Dictionarie, as I told you, which they do even to this day. They give Him also this Testimony, that at these meetings tis not possible to use one with more civility then he does all the Academiciens; and that he presides with the same familiarity, that any one amongst them could do, even to the taking pleasure in being stopt, and interrupted, and for­bidding even those very Gentlemen that are his Domestiques, to call him My Lord.

THE THIRD PART, what the Academie has done since its Instituti­on.

I COME NOW to the Imployments of the Academie since its Institution: You saw in its project, that it intended to give not onely rules but also examples and to examine its own writings very strictly that [Page 66] it might first arrive at that perfection, to which it desired to direct others. There­fore after the design o [...] a Dictionary, Gram­mer, Rhetorique, and Poetique, on the second day of January 1635, even before the Let­ters of its Establishment were sealed,Reg. January 2. 1635. they made by lot with Balls, a Catalogue of the Academiciens, and made an order that each of them in his turne, should be bound to make a discourse upon what sub­ject and of what length he pleased; that there should be one of them every week, beginning at the first of February next, that those which distructed their memories, might read what they had made; that those which were absent shou [...]d be sent unto, to the end that if they could not come to pro­nounce their own discourses themselves, they should send them. But the fantastical­nesse of Fortune having cast the first places upon some that were absent, or were not in a condition to apply themselves to these exercises, they changed the order of the Catalogue and put into their places some other Academiciens that were present, and seemed to have most inc ination to it. Thus insteed of Monsieur Maynard, who was the fit upon the rolle they put Mon­sieur du Chastelet; in the place of Monsieur de l'Estoile, who was se [...]ond Monsieur de Bourzey; in the place of Monsieur Bardin, who was the third Monsieur Gode [...]u now Bp of Grasse; and in the place of Monsieur de Colomby, who was the sixth, Monsieur [Page 67] de Gombaud. There were twenty of these discourses pronounced one after ano­ther in the Academie.

The first was Monsieur du Chastelet's Concerning the French Eloquence. Feb. 5. 1635.

The second Monsieur de Bourzey's, Feb. 12. 1635. Con­cerning the design of the Academie and the d [...]fferent Genius of languages.

'Tis very this discourse, which our Com­mon friend Monsieur de Saint-Alby, who so long ago promised us a relation of what he has seen of the Academie della Crusca, has for so many years had a Copie of, with­out knowing the Author of it, who in my judgment is none of the least.

The third was Monsieur Godeau's against Eloquence. Feb. 22. 1635.

The fourth was Monsieur de Boisro­bert's, In defence of Stage-playes. Feb. 26. 1635.

The fifth Monsieur de Montmor's Master of Requests,March. 5, 1635 Of the usefulnesse of confer­ences.

The sixth Monsieur Gomband, March 12. 1635 March 19. 1635. upon I know not what.

The seventh was Monsieur de la Cham­bre. That the French are of all nations the most capable of perfect Eloquence.

The Eighth Monsieur Porcheres Laugiers Panegyre in praise of the Academie, April the last 1635. its Pro­tector and the members of it.

The ninth Monsieur de Gomberville's, May 7. 163 [...] That when ever any age hath produced an excellent Hero, there have been also found those that are able to commend him.

[Page 68] May 14. 1635.The tenth was, Monsieur de l'Estoill'es, Of the excellence of Poetry, and the scarcity of complete Poets. Where amongst other things he declaimes very handsomely against the ser­vilenesse of Ryme, and revenges himself of all the mischief he suffer'd by it.

May 21. 1635.The eleventh was, Monsieur Bardin's, Of a Philosophical Style where he endeavour'd to shew that Philosophy, according to its se­verall subjects, is capable of all sorts of Eloquence; and that especially there is no necessity of those barbarous termes, with which the Schoolemen have perplexed it; and to give an example of it, he explaines in very pure and natural language two of the subtlest Problems in metaphysicks: That there is something which is more then all, and something that is lesse then nothing. By the first he meanes God: and by the second, Sin. He pronounced this Discourse, which in­deed is a very fine one, eight dayes before his death.

July 9. 1635.The twelfth was, Monsieur de Racan's A­gainst the Sciences, which was printed a lit­tle while since, with some of his Poems. Be­ing absent, he sent it from his house to the Academie: It was read by Monsieur de Seri­zay.

July 23. 1635The thirteenth was, Monsieur de Porche­res Laugier's Of the differences and confor­mities which are betwixt Love and Friend­ship.

The fourteenth was, Monsieur Chape­lain's Against Love, where by ingenious [Page 69] reasons, whose grounds are not without so­lidity, he labours to take away from this passion, that Divinity which is attributed to it by the Poets.

The fifteenth, Monsieur Desmarests, Of the love of soules, where he undertakes to shew that if the love which Monsieur Cha­pelain spoke of, ought to be blamed and condemned, this is not onely to be esteem­ed, but besides, has something of Divinity in it.

The sixteenth was, Monsieur de Boissat Of the love of Bodies, were by naturall rea­sons taken from Sympathies and Antipa­thies, and the conduct of the world, he would shew that the love of Bodies is no lesse Divine then that of Soules.

The seventeenth, was sent by the late Monsieur de Meziriac and read in the Assembly by Monsieur de Vaugelas: The title of it is Of Translating. In this discourse the Author who was esteemed very learn­ed, and especially in the Greek, after he had extolled the wit, paines and Style of Amiot in his translation of Plutarch, and as it seems with a great deal of ingenuity, pretends to shew that in divers passages which he had taken notice of even to two thousand, this Grand Translator hath committed very grosse faults, of divers kinds, whereof he gives some examples. I have been told that all the rest of his Observations, together with his own new Translation of Plutarch, are in the hands [Page 70] of Madame de Meziriac his widow, and likely to be published very shortly. When they are, we shall be better able to judge whether his pretensions be true or no; but if it be so, I know not whether this example ought more to deter or encourage those that addict themselves to translate: for if on the one side, 'tis a sad case, that so ex­cellent a man as Amiot, after all the time and paines, which every one knows, he bestow'd upon this work, could not avoyd slipping in two thousands places, on the other side, 'tis a great Comfort, that mau­gre these 2000. faults, he has, by a grea­ter number of places in which he has hitt right, not fail'd of acquiring to himself an immortall reputation. But I return to the Discourses pronounced in the Aca­demie. The three last, to make up twenty, are, that of Monsieur Colletet; Of imita­ting the Ancients.

That of Monsieur the Abbot of Ceri­zy, Against the plurality of languages.

And that of Monsieur Porcheres d'Ar­baud, Of the love of the Sciences.

These discourses were pronounced every week, unlesse those that were to make them had a lawful excuse, or there inter­ven'd some other kind of businesse. They delivered them afterwards to two or three Academiciens appointed by the Assembly, who were to make an exact report of them. But because this examination took up too much time, and was the whole businesse [Page 71] of the Conferences: 'twas resolv'd that these Commissioners might proceed fur­ther to things in which they were agree'd, without reporting to the Company any but the mo [...]t important, and such wherein they disagreed.

I find that three Academiciens fail'd to make these kind of discourses in their turns, though they were very able to do it.

First Monsieur de Serizay, Reg. April ult. 1635. who desired the Company to con [...]ent that Monsieur Porcheres Laugier might make a speech in his steed and that's the reason you will find, in the Catalogue I gave you two discourses of this Academicien's: The first in the place of Monsieur de Serizay, and the second in his own.

Monsieur de Balzac, 'Tis at the of the second part, 4th. book and sixth Let­ter. as it appears by one of his printed Letters, did onely send to Monsieur du Chastelet some of his works, desiring him to read them in the Acade­mie, and to accompany them with some­what of his own which may serve ( [...]ud he) both for the thanks and speech which he owed it.

M. de S. Amant too de [...]red and had leave to be exempted,Reg. December 14. 1637. on condition he should collect, as he himself offered, the Comicall part of the Dictionary and the Grotesque terms, that is to say as we call them now a dayes Burlesque; but the word Burlesque which has been a long time in Italy had not yet past the mountaines, and Monsieur [Page 72] Menage observes very well in his Origines, that it was first used by Monsieur Sarrazin, a long while after. Then we may say that it not onely passed in France, but that it has overrun it, and made strange havock there. Is it not plain that for these last yeares we have played at this game, where he that wins, loses? and is it not the opi­nion of most men, that to write well in this kind, 'tis sufficient to speake things that have neither sense nor reason. Every one thinks himself able enough for it, of what sex soever, from the Ladies and Lords at Court to the Chambermaides and Pages. This madnesse of Burlesque, which at last we begin to be cured of, went so far, that the Stationers would meddle with no­thing that had not his name in the front; that whether out of ignorance, or the bet­ter to put off their wares, they fixt it upon things that were the most serious, provid­ed onely that they were short verses: whence it was that in the time of the war at Paris in 1639. they printed a piece, bad enough in deed, but yet serious, with this title, which strook with horror all those that read no more of it, The Passion of our Lord in Burlesque verses, and the learned Monsieur Maudaeus, who doubtlesse was of this number, reckons it amongst the Burlesque-books of our times.

I beg your pardon for this digression, which a just anger against this unsufferable [Page 73] abuse drew from me. To returne to my subject; The Academie spent all the time of its Conferences in hearing or examin­ing these Discourses. This employment was very well liked by some of the Acade­miciens, but most of themwere not well pleas'd with an exercise, which when all is done, wa too like the declamations of young boyes: and the Cardinall also exprest that he look'd for something greater and of more solidity from such a Society. They began to talk of the Dictionary and the Grammer, when Fortune threw another work upon the Academie, which they little expected.

AS many times one man that is of great Eminence, is able to lead the Dance to a whole Kingdom; that great love which the Cardinall bore to Dramatique Po­ems, had at this time raised them amongst the French, to the highest pitch that they ever were at. All, that found they had any Genius that way, failed not to labour for the Stage. 'Twas 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. 'Twill 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 [Page 74] 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 'twas 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. 'Tis true indeed that part of the [Page 75] plot and humors of Mirame were his own' and hence 'twas, 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, 'twas 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 [Page 76] 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.

And that after he had heard all the rest, he gave him with his own hand fifty pistoles, with these obliging words, That 'twas 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 [Page 77] 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 [Page 78] 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. 'Tis 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, Tis as brave as the Cid. It need not be asked, whether the glory of this Author raised jealousy in his Concurents: many would perswade us, that the Cardi­nall himself was not free from it, and that (though he esteemed M. Corneile very much, and gave him a pension) he was vex­ed, to see, that other pieces of this na­ture, and especially those wherein he had any hand, were quite discredited by this. For my part, without examining, whether this Soul as great as it was, were capable of this weaknesse, I shall faithfully report what passed in this businesse, leaving eve­ry one to believe what he pleases of it, and to follow his own conjectures.

[Page 79]Amongst those that could not endure the approbation that was given to The Cid and that believed it did not deserve it, Monsieur de Scudery appeared the first, in publishing his observations against it, whe­ther for his own satisfaction, or as some say, to please the Cardinall, or for both toge­ther. Whatsoever the reason were, most certain it is, that in this difference which divided the whole Court, the Cardinall seemed to incline to M. de Scudery's side, and was well pleased that he dedica­ted it, as he did, to the French Academie, to referr himself in it to their judgment. One may well enough perceive the Cardi­nalls desire, which was that it should de­clare in this businesse. But the most ju­dicious of this body exprest very much re­pugnance to this design. They said, That the Academie, which was but newly born, ought not by any meanes to ronder it self odi­ous, by a judgment, which would perhaps dis­please both parties, and could not choose but disoblige one of them at the least, that is to say, a great part of France. That It was hardly borne with, out of a meere imagina­tion which they had, that it pretended to a kind of Empire in the language; what would it be if it should manifest that it affect­ed it, and should go about to exercise it up­on a work which has given content to a great number, and gained the approbation of the people; That it would moreover retard its principall design, the execution whereof must [Page 80] needs of it self be but too slow. That last­ly Monsieur Corneille, did not desire this judg­ment, and that by the Statutes of the Acade­mie, and by the Patent of its foundation, it could not judge of any work without consent and approbation of the Author. But the Cardinall had this design in his head, and these reasons seemed to him very slight, saving the last, which might be taken away by the consent of M. Corneille. For the effecting thereof, M. de Boisrobert, who was one of the chief friends, writ to him divers Letters, acquainting him with M. de Scudery's proposall to the Academie. He, who saw well enough, that after the glory which he had acquired, there was in all probability more to be lost then gotten by him at this dispute, kept himself upon the complement, and answer'd. That this Imployment was too low for the Acade­mie. That a Libel, which deserv'd no an­swer at all, did not deserve its Judgment. That it would be of dangerous consequence, because it would authorize and encourage others to importune these Gentlemen, and that as soon as there should appear any thing hand­some upon the Stage, presently the lesser Po­ets would think they had ground to commence a suit against the Author of it, before their Society. But at last, being pressed by M. de Boisrobert, who gave him sufficiently to understand the desire of his master, after he had said in a Letter of the 13th. of June 1637. the words which I now related, he [Page 81] chance to add this, The Gentlemen of the Academie may do what they please, since you tell me that my Lord will be well pleased to see their judgment of it, and that it must serve for a diversion to his Eminence. I have no­thing to say against it. There wanted no­thing else, at least in the opinion of the Cardinall, to ground the Academies juri­diction, who yet did still excuse themselves from undertaking this businesse: but at last he declared himself openly, saying to one of his domestiques, Let those Gentlemen know that I desire it, and that I shall love them, according as they love me: Then they perceived there was no way to avoyd it; and the Academie being assembled on the 16. of June 1637.Reg. June 16. 1637. after that they had read M. de Scudery's Letter to the Compa­ny; those which he had written to Mon­sieur Chapelain upon the same subject, and those which M. de Boisrobert had received from M. Corneille; after too that the same M. de Boisrobert had assured the company that the Cardinall was well pleased with this design: it was ordered that three Commissioners should be nominated to examine the Cid, and the Observations against the Cid; that this nomination should be according to the major part of voices by Bals; which should be seen by the Secretary only; which was done accordingly▪ & the three Commissioners were Monsieur de Bourzey, M. Chapelain, and M. Desma­rests. The task of these three Gentlemen was one to examine the body of the work [Page 82] in grosse; for as for that of the verses, 'twas resolved that it should be done in the Company. Monsieur de Cerisy, de Gom­bauld, Reg. Janu. 30. 1637. Baro, and l'Estoile, were onely charged to look upon them in private, and to report their observations on which the Academie having deliberated in severall conferences, Ordinary and Extraordinary, Monsieur Desmarests had order to put thereto the last hand. But for the exami­nation of the work in grosse, the businesse was somewhat more difficult. M. Chapelain presented his notes first; 'twas ordered that M. Bourzy, and Desmarests should add theirs to them, and whether they were performed or no, whereof I find nothing in the Registers, so it is, that M. Chapelain made a Compleat body which was present­ed to the Cardinall in writing. I have with abundance of pl [...]asure seen this ma­nuscript, with Animadversions of the Car­dinall in seven places, in Monsieur Citois's hand his chief Physitian. Yet there's one of these notes, whereof the first word is with his own had, and there's another, which shews plainly, what his opinion was of the the Cid. 'Tis at a passage where tis said, that Poetry would have been now a great deal lesse perfect then it is, were it not for the contests that are made about the works of the most famous Authors of the latter times, The Jerusalem of Tasso and Pastor Fido. At this passage he puts in the mar­gin, The applause and the blaming of the [Page 83] Cid is onely betwixt the Learned and the Ig­norant; whereas the Contests about the other two pieces have been betwixt men of judg­ment. Which shews that he was perswad­ed of that which was reproched to M. Corneille, that his work was not according to rule. The rest of these animadversions are not considerable, for they are onely some petty notes, as this, whereof the first word is written with his own hand, Good, but it might have heen expressed better, and that other, This example should be somewhat smoother. Whence yet, we may gather, he examined this work with very much care and attention. His judgment in brief was, that the substance of it was good, But that there wanted, (for in these termes he exprest himself,) some handfuls of flowers to be sprinkled here and there. But this was onely as 'twere the first draught, which they were willing to present to him, to know whether in grosse, he ap­proved of their Sentiments. The work was then given to be polisht according to his intention, and by the delibe­ration of the Academie, to M. de Serizay, Reg. July 17. 1637. de Cerizy, de Gombauld, and Sirmond. Monsieur de Cerizy, as I am told, couch'd it in writting, and M. de Gombauld was no­minated by the three others, and confirm­ed by the Academie, to have the last re­veiwing of the Style. The whole was read and examined by the Company, in severall Assemblies Ordinary and Extraor­dinary, [Page 84] and given at last to the Printer. The Cardinall was then at Charonne, Reg. July the last 1637. whi­ther they sent the first sheets to him; but they did not satisfie him in the least; and whether 'twere that he judged rightly of it, or that they took him in an ill humour, or that he was prejudic'd against M. de Ce­risy, he found that they had past from one extream to the other, that they had gi­ven it too many ornaments and flowers, and sent away presently in all haste to tell them, that they should stop the printing of it. He sent then to have M. de Serizay, Chapelain and Sirmond come to him, that he might the better explain his meaning to them. M. de Serisay excused himself, for that he was ready to take ho [...]se to go into Poictou. The two others went. To hear them, he was pleased to be alone in his Chamber, except M. de Bautru whom he called for, as being of the Academie. He talked with them a long time, with all civility, standing, and uncover'd. M. de Cha­pelain as he told me himself, endeavour'd to excuse M. de Cerisy the best he could, but he soon found that this man would not be contradicted. For he saw him grow hot and active, in so much that coming to him he took him by the bandstrings and held him so, a good while, as a man will do, not thinking of it, when he would speak home to another, whom he would convince of something. The conclusion was, that af­ter [Page 85] he had explained to them in what man­ner he thought this work should have been written, he gave it in charge to M. Sir­mond, who had indeed a very good Style, and that far from all affection: But nei­ther did M. Sirmond satifie him at all. Mon. Chapelain was therefore to resume all that had been done both by himself and others, out of which he compos d the work such as now it is, which being approved by the company & the Cardinal, was publisht soon after, very little different from what it was at first, when 'twas p [...]esented to him in writing, saving that the matter here is a little more amplified, and some ornaments added.

Thus after about 5. moneths travaile, came forth THE SENTIMENTS OF THE FRENCH ACADEMIE UPON THE CID.Reg. Novem. 23. 1637. In all which time this Grand Minister that had all the affairs of the Kingdom in his hands, and all those of Europe in his head, was not weary of this Design, nor gave any respit to his care for this work. It was diversly received by Monsieur de Scudery, Mon ieur Corneille, and the Publick As for M. Scudery, though his Adversary were not condemned in all things and had received very great praises in many, he thought that he had gain'd the day, and writ a Letter of thanks to the Company with this title. To the Gentle­men of the I [...]lustrious Academie, where he returned them thanks with a great deal of [Page 86] submission, both for what they had ap­prov'd in his writings, and for what they had taught him in correcting him, and pro­fest in conclusion, that he was entirely satis­fied with the justice they had done him. The Secretary was commanded to write him an answer. The sense of it was, that he assur'd him, That the Academie had made it their Principal care to hold the ballance right, and not to make a matter of Comple­ment or Civility of a serious businesse. But that their greatest care after this was, to ex­presse themselves with moderation, and to tell their reasons, without wronging any one. That they were well pleased with the justice he had done them, in acknowledging them just, that they would hereafter requite his equity; and that on all occasions, where it would be permitted them to be obliging, he should not faile of it. As for M. Corneille, though he would hardly have summit­ted to this judgment, yet being resolved to comply with the Cardinall herein, he exprest at the beginning that he attended the event of it with a great deale of de­ference. To this purpose he writ to Mon­sieur de Boisrobert in a Letter of the 15th. of November 1637. I expect with a great deal of impatience the Sentiments of the Acade­mie, that I may learn from hence forward what I must follow; till then, I cannot write but with distrust, nor dare I confidently make use of any word. And in another, of the third of December; I prepare my self [Page 87] not to have any thing to answer to the Aca­demie, but thanks. But when the senti­ments upon the Cid, were almost quite printed, having understood by some meanes that this judgment would not be so favourable to him, as he hoped; he could not refrain from expressing some resentment of it, writing in another Letter of which I have seen onely a Copie without date or Subscription, I am resolved, since you will have it so, to suffer my self to be condemned by our Illustrious Academie, if it meddles onely with one half of the Cid, the other will remaine unto me whole and entire. But I beseech you to consider that it proceeds a­gainst me with so much violence, and that it makes use of so soveregin an Authority, to shut my mouth, that those who shall know its proceedings, will have reason to think that I should never have been found guilty if I might have been permitted to shew my Innocence.

He complaines afterwards as if they had denyed to hear the defence he would have made of his book vivâ voce and in the presence of his judges; whereof yet I have not found any footsteps, either in the Registers or in the memory of the Academiciens whom I have consulted.

He adds to this. After all, behold what is my satisfaction! I assure my self this famous work, which so many gal­lant witts have been these six months [...] travaile with, may well be esteemed, [Page 88] the Sentiments or opinion of the French Academie, but perhaps 'twill never be the opinion of the rest of Paris; at least I have my sentence before them, 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. 'Tis 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 [Page 89] 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 [Page 90] 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 [Page 91] 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) 'twas report­ed that they would make more observati­ons and a new judgment upon this piece. [Page 92] 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.

that is,

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, 'tis very [Page 93] 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 of his Authority as he betrays Passion. A­gain if you examine this book seriously you will find in it a very solid judgmemt, with which 'tis propable Posterity will rest satisfied, much learning and much wit without any affectation either of the one or the other; and from the beginning of it to the end, so much liberty and mode­ration both together, as can never be sufficiently commended. Moreover those that fancied to themselves that the Academie was a Company of strange Dis­positions, that would do nothing but quarrell about syllables, and bring-in some new words and banish others, and in plain termes, weaken and wound the French Tongue, under pretence of reforming and polishing it: Those I say, to disabuse themselves, need onely read this piece where they'll find a masculine & vigorous Style, the Elegance whereof hath nothing forced or strain'd; the terms choise, but without scruple and swelling; the word [Page 95] Car and many others which they accus'd the Academie of intending to banish, very frequently used. Nay they'll see that it is so far from bringing in new words, that it has retain'd some which seemed to be Antiquated, and which perhaps many men would have scrupled to use. Thus has it used the word dautant for parce que and aucunement insteed of en quelque sort, which are now a dayes very rarely used in that sence. p. 185. Dautant que les unes out esté fait es, devant les regles, &c. p. 14. speaking of the Academie, & s'est aucu­nement conso lee, &c. p. 89. nous serious aucunement satisfaits p. 113. Rodrique retourne chez Chimene non plus de nuict, que les tenebres favorisoient aucunement sa te­merité, &c.

AFTER that the Academie had done with the Cid they deliberated anew, what employment they should take. 'Twas resolved The Discourses should be continu­ed, and that Monsieur Sirmond who was the first in order should be desired to bring his, which yet he did not till 6. months af­ter,Reg. Decem. 7. 1637. Reg. May 3. 1638. Reg. Decem. 14. 1637. I never saw this discourse, nor could I learn the subject of it, which is not ex­prest in the Register. But the principal thoughts of the Academie at that time, were The design of the Dictionary, which was propounded to fall seriously upon. Monsieur de Vaugelas, who long agoe had made many rare and curious observations upon the Tongue, offered them to the [Page 94] Company,Reg. Decem. 14. 1637. which accepted them and or­dered that he should conferr about them with Monsieur Chapelain, and that they two together should bring in some notes for the platform,Reg. Janu. 18. 1638. and carrying on of this work. Monsieur de Vaugelas gave in his, which were very brief, and respected onely the body of the design, whereto he offer­ed farther to contribute his Remarques, and he divided these Remarques into three sorts. The first, which belonged properly to the Dictionary, regarding onely simple words. The second for Construction, which belonged to the Grammer. The third consisting in certain Rules which could not properly be referred either to Dictionary or Grammer, because they respected neither Barbarisme nor Sole­cisme, the matters upon which Grammer and Dictionary imploy the whole extent of their jurisdiction, which neverthe­lesse, said he, were most necessary for the purity, ornament, grace, elegance, and politenesse of Style, and by so much the more necessary, as there are fewer persons that know how to write without Barba­risms, and Solecisms from which a Style may be free, and yet be extreamly imper­fect.

[Page 96]As for Monsieur Chapelain; at the first establishment of the Academy, he had made a large project for a Dictionarie, which had been seen by the Company. He presented it to them again, and be­cause it descends much to particulars & for that 'tis upon this very platform that even to this day they proceed in this work, per­haps it will not be besides the purpose, to relate here briefly the contents of it, as I promised elsewhere. This Project then said,

This was the Project of the Dictionary, which Monsieur Chapelain made, and was approved of by the Academie. 'Tis true, that some time after, Monsieur Silhon, who was then Director, propounded whe­ther it would not be better, that they might make an end of it quickly, to follow the Common Dictionaries, only adding therto what they should judg meet. But I do not find, that this Proposition, which was then put off to the next Assembly, was either re­ceived or so much as taken into considera­tion again. 'Tis true too, they have not punctually observ'd whatever is in this Pro­ject, as may be seen in that which respects the quotations. Yet 'twas resolv'd at first to follow the Project in that, and they be­gan a Catalogue of the best reputed Books in our Tongue, to which they at several times added more according as they thought good. For Prose, Amiot, Montagne, du Vair, Desportes, Charron, Bertaud, Ma­rion, de la Guesle, Pibrac, d'Espeisses, Ar­nauld le Catholicon, d'Espagne, The memoi­res of Queen Margaret, Coiffeteau, du Per­ron de Sales Bishop of Geneva, d'Ʋrfé, de Molieres, Malherbe, du Plessis Mornay, what ever is extant of Monsieur Baudin's, and of Monsieur du Chastelet, two Acade­miciens that were lately dead, Cardinal d'Ossat de la Nouë, de Dammartin, de Refuge & Audiguier; to which doubtlesse they would have added others, as Bodin and Ste­ven [Page 101] Pasquier, which deserved not to be forgotten. For verse, they put into the Catalogue Marot S. Gelais, Ronsard, du Bellay Belleau du Bartas, Desportes, Bertaud, Cardinal Perron, Garnier, Regnier, Mal­herbe, Deslingendes, Motin, Touvant, Mon­furon, Theophile, Passerat, Rapin, Sainte Marthe. The Book-seller to the Academy, was charged to bring to the Director, a note of all the principal Authors of the Tongue, and of their several works. But a while after the Acadamie began to ap­prehend the pains and the length of the citations, and having consulted many times about it, 'twas resolved by the advice even of M. Chapelain, who was the first that put them upon these thoughts, not to set down the Authorities in the Dictionarie, unless in the making of it, they thought good for phrases that were dubious, to cite some approved Author that had used them. 'Twas also resolv'd for the furthering of this work, that the Cardinall should be given to understand, that it would be very fit to choose out of the Company, one or two persons, that should wholly apply them­selves to it, and have the principall charge of it; Monsieur de Boisrobert was desired to mention it, and to propose to him M. de Vaugelas, and M. Faret, as fittest for this employment and best able to discharge it worthily, if they were acquitted from the cares of their fortune, and could bestow their whole time upon it. The Cardinall, [Page 102] as I find by the answer that M. de Boisro­bert returned to the Academie, gave no answer to this propos tion, whether 'twere that he did not like it, or that his thoughts were taken up with something else. In the mean time, there was not any one in the Academie that offered himself voluntarily to take upon him the perfor­mance of this work, every one had his own affaires, and his own private thoughts, from which he was not willing to be taken off. Thus this design, for which they even now exprest so much zeal, began to cool; and for eight or ten months, there was no talk of the Dictionary, the Academy all this while amusing it self about other things, which I shall tell you o [...], by and by. At [...]ast, the Cardinal having often com­plained, that they did nothing that was profitable to the Publick, and being vexed at it, so far as to say, that he would aban­don them; these Gentlemen resolved to make once more, the same Proposition to him. M. de Boisrobert then, being there­to exhorted by all the Academiciens, and in particular by Monsieur Chapelain, and some others of his most familiar friends, acquainted the Cardinal, that the only means speedily to finish the Dictionary, was to give the principal charge of it to M. de Vaugelàs; and for this end, to get re­establisht upon him by the King, a Pen­sion of two thousand Livres, which was no longer paid him [...] extolling highly his abili­ties [Page 103] as to this business, his noble birth & his merit, which has a long time been known to the whole Court. The Cardinal at that time received favourably this overture, and answered, That he would, if need were, give the Pension out of his own purse. But he desir'd to see, after what manner, M. de Vaugelas would proceed in it. They presented him the two Projects, he liked well the larger, of which I related to you almost all.Reg. June ult. 1639. The Pension of 2000 Livres was re-establisht upon M. de Vau­gelas; who went to thank the Cardinal for it, and as he had a very ready wit, and very polite through long practice at Court, and in the choisest company; 'twas then that he made that happy reply which que­stionlesse you have heard of. For they say, that the Cardinal seeing him come in­to his chamber, arose with that sweet and pleasant Majesty, which almost alwaies ac­companied him, and coming towards him, Well, Monsieur, (saith he) you will not forget I hope in your Dictionary the word Pension. Whereupon Monsieur de Vaugelas making a low reverence to him, answered, No, my Lord, and lesse that of Gratitude. From that time,Reg. Febr. 7. 1639. began M. de Vaugelas to write some sheets of the Dictionary, which he brought afterwards to the Company; and 'twas Order'd,Reg. Feb. ult 1639. that at the end of every As­sembly, those words should be read, which were to be examined the next time to the end they might have time to consider of [Page 104] them. They propounded once more a di­stribution of the best Authors to all the Academiciens, to collect out of them the phrases & the elegancies of the Language, but 'twas never performed. They began to examine the letter A;Reg. Apr. 11 1639. where, to to take notice of it by the by, there happens a pleasant passage, 'tis that the word Aca­demie was omitted in its place, no body ob­serving it, till a while after. 'Twas resolv'd since,Reg. July 11. 1639. that besides the ordinary Assemblies, there should be extraordinary ones, for this very businesse, on Wednesdaies, at two boards, which should be at the same time; one at the Lord Chancellors, the other at Monsieur d'Ablancourt's, in whose ab­sence they removed it afterwards to M. Sirmonds. Notwithstanding all this, the work went on extream slow; For the let­ter A, that was begun Febr. 7. 1639. was not finisht till the 17th of October, about 9 moneths after. They thought then, that besides these two boardes, they must esta­blish two more;Reg. May. 19. 1642. one on Fridays at M. de Bourzey's, the other on Wednesdays at M. Conrart's, and allot certain Academiciens to sit at each of them. But this care has been almost uselesse; For as they travel'd not in these four places, neither with the same assiduity, nor with the like Genius, and force; they were necessitated to repasse many things, which these lesser boards had decided, in which they were then em­ployed when I wrote this Relation. The [Page 105] death of two persons hath happen'd since' which has much retarded the design of the Dictionary. First, that of Cardinal de Ri­chelieu, which, notwithstanding the care and diligence of the new Protector, hath taken off much of that zeal, with which they went on at first. The other is that of Mon­sieur de Vaugelas, who had, as I told you before, the management of this work; not but that they have given the same charge to Monsieur de Mezeray, who acquits him­self very worthily. But M. de Vaugelas, ha­ving a meaner fortune than he deserved; after his death, the papers of the Dictio­nary, with the rest of his writings were seized among other things by his creditors, who thought to get a considerable sum of mony for them of some Printer, so that the Academy could not recover what be­long'd unto it, but by a Suit at Law, and a Decree du Chastelet of the 17th of May 1651. Presently all were delivered into the hands of the Secretary of the Company, upon his demanding of them: but the Company Ordered there should be a Copy of them taken to remain alwaies at the Lord Chancellors. They met twice a week to go on with the Dictionary, but to omit that, they were forced to go over again part of that which had been done at those lesser boards, it has hitherto advanced no farther then the Letter I: and this slowness toge­ther with the uncertainty what fortune may befal the Academy hereafter, is enough [Page 106] to make it doubted whether it will ever be finished.

Many do very much wonder, that so many men, famous for their worth, and ca­pable of the greatest things, as their parti­cular worths do sufficiently manifest, should amuse themselves so long about a work, which seems to have nothing of Noble in it, and of which perhaps not one of them hopes to see an end. For my part I shall not defend the French Academy by the cōmon exsample of that other Della Crus­ca, which s [...]ent nigh 40 years in its Vocabu­larie, frō which at last it reaped very much glory, and the Italian Tongue very much profit. But I shall be bold to say, that, if we look a little neerer into things, this de­sign, and their constancy in the execution of it, deserve nothing lesse then high com­mendations. I know very well, that in this I exceed the bounds of History, which con­tenting it self to make a faithfull relation, ought to leave the judgment to the Rea­der, and alwaies continue Neuter between contrary parties; but if I faile herein, you will pardon this fault I am confident, for the desire which I have to let you know, what have been my thoughts many times concerning this businesse, and to clear a truth, which seems not to me to be suffici­ently known. First then, it will not be denyed me, I think, but that the Project of a Rhetorick and a Poëtick, which I former­ly told you of, was most worthy of this [Page 107] Company. 'Twill also be granted me, I conceive that to do this, a Dictionary and a Grammer, are two things, either necessary or at least very useful, according as I have above related. But, suppose these four works a Dictionary, a Grammer, a Rhetorick and a Poetick, should be finisht, I say not in 4 years, but even in 20 or 30, who is there that would not speak of it to the ad­vantage of the Academie? Now if you will commend this design, and blame the de­lay of its execution, you commend that w^ch properly belongs unto it, & blame that which does not, & so ought not to be impu­ted to it. For if the Cardinal that founded it, had had more care to put it forward, and had made this imployment the most im­portant and principal businesse of all, or most, of the Academiciens; I do not doubt but these four works would have been printed long ago, and followed also with many others. And if in other things, as I alwaies say, true glory consists in doing good service to the Publick, in what manner soever it be; Such a Dictionary, whether you look upon', as a means to attain to Rhetorick and Poetry, or consider it barely in it self, it cannot but make very much to the honour of its Authors. If any one that is big with high conceits shal here pretend, proudly to contemn this whole study of words and language, I shall not dispure the case, but willingly suffer him to follow his own inclinations, and imploy himself [Page 108] wholly, either to the affairs of the world, or to more sublime studies; but let him beware lest that pursuing, it may be, a false good, or entertaining Opinions for Verities, and Conjectures for Demonstrations, even when he thinks he applys himself wholy to solid matters, he embrace a cloud as well as others. I speak now to them, who to those knowledges that are indeed the most im­portant, do add also that of good literature, making it one of their greatest pleasures, who would be weary of the world, were it not for this delightful amusement, who find in it wherewith to comfort themselves in afflictions, and recreate themselves in prosperity, whereby to entertain themselves with their friends & content themselves in their privacies. In a word, wherewith to render themselves fit for what ever the Publick, or a private society can require of them. I make no question but these men would receive the Academies Dictionary with joy, and prize it highly, and receive by it a wonderful benefit. What comfort must it needs be to those that write, when in the heat of composing, they are perplext with some one of those tedious & irksome scruples in the language, of those petty remora's that on a sudden arrest the greatest Vessels in the main Sea, even when they go with full sail: what comfort, I say, must it needs be to be delivered from them, pre­sently to passe on to other things of more importance, and to have the Warrant of so famous a Company for what they shall [Page 109] write? I know well that the spirits of the French are not willing to be enslav'd; nor would I desire, to forbid such as find in themselves a certain particular Genius, from yeilding any thing to their own Pa­lates, when it is not absolutely extravagant, nor directly contrary to that of the Publick; but when all's done, in things of indiffe­rency, and which meerly depend upon institution, the testimony of forty persons the most understanding in such matters, has very much weight and authority, and all men that are any thing rational, would, were it only for quietnes sake, choose much rather to yield than to contend. The Re­marques of Monsieur de Vaugelas, may fur­nish us with an example hereof; they were encountred by many, scarce any one but found somewhat or other in them, contrary to his own judgment: And yet 'tis well known, they do by little and little take with the wits, and daily gain credit amongst them. This is but the work of one Academicien; if that of the Academie were publisht, it would not only resolve us an infinite number of doubts; but be­sides, 'tis very likely it would confirm and in some sort six the Body of the Language, and hinder it, not from changing at all, (for that can never be hoped in any of the living Languages) but at least from changing so often and so suddenly as it doth. All other Nations reproach ours with this inconstan­cy; Our elegantest and most polite Au­thors, in a few years become barbarous, [Page 110] 'twould make one sick to read the best and most solid of them, when they begin to grow old; and if ever we can be cured of the evil, in my opinion it must be only by this remedy. Nor must we passe by, as matter of no concernment, the advantage we shall reap by this Dictionary, to find at once the roots of all derivative words; a ju­dicious advice, whether they are low or high, proper for prose or for verse; in what kind of writing they may be used most apt­ly, an almost indubitable decision of the length or shortness of syllables, for pronun­ciation, and of é open or close, which are the rocks that not only all strangers, but even all that are not of the Isle of France, do so rudely dash against. Well, let the present age say what it please, Posterity, if it sees this Dictionary, either it will not stand to enquire how long it was making; or if it does, will so much the more extol the Authors of it, and account it so much the more indebted to the Academy. I shall go a little farther, and add, that though this Dictionary be never finisht, since that after all, they have incessantly labour'd in it, who can doubt, but that this exercise of exactly considering words in their Original, of observing their several accepti­ons, of remarquing all the phrases that may be made of them, was most proper for a Body, that propounded to it self the em­bellishment of the Language as its end; and most profitable to particular Academiciens [Page 111] for their instructions; and consequently advantageous to the publick, to whom they daily publish part of their Works?

I HAVE spoken of three principal employments of the Academy since its In­stitution: The Discourses or Harangves [...] the Sentinents on the Cid, and the Dictionary: But during all this time, and in divers in­tervals, they were often busied with exami­ning the Pieces that were presented them by those of the Company. I find that there were read at several times, The Poems of Monsieur de Gombauld, and de l'Estoile; Reg. Janu. 14. 1636. Reg. Apr. 14 & 15. 1636. Reg. Apr. 28 1636. the Preface of Monsieur de la Cambre's; Conjectures about digestion, part of Monsieur de Balzac's Prince, which he then called, The Minister of State; a Political discourse of M. Silhon's to justifie the administration of Cardinal de Richelieu, Reg. May 3. 1638. Reg. Jan. ult. 1639. Reg. May 15. 1652. another of Mon­sieur de Sirmond, in justification of the War against the Spaniards; The Prologue of M. Desmarest's Europa; the verses of M. de Racan, and many other things of lesse im­portance. Whatever was presented to them after this manner, was examined with so much care and rigour, that the Cardinal thought himself obliged many times, to exhort the Academy, to remit somewhat of it. Perhaps I shall do a plea­sure, to insert here what I find to this pur­pose in the Register of Munday the 12th of Nov. 1634.Reg. Nov. 12. 1634. which will also let you see the manner of these Registers.

In reading these works, the Academy very often gave decisions upon the Lan­guage, of which its Registers are full, it did the like also many times upon the mere proposal of some one Academicien; and if at Court, as it often happens, a word had been the subject of some long dispute, they seldome failed to speak of it in the Assem­bly. Such was, for instance, that merry contest, that arose at Rambouillet Hostel, whether one should say Muscardins, or Muscadins, which was decided by the Aca­demy in favour of the last, which I the ra­ther mention,Reg. Feb. 1. 1638. because it serves to explain a piece of raillerie, made by Monsieur de Voiture, against them that will have it to be Muscardins, which was never printed.

So in the year 1651. Monsieur Naud [...] consulted this Company about the word Rabougri which signifies properly a Plant that is not come to its perfection and just bignesse, in which sense we read in the old Statutes Des arbres rabougris. He made use of it in a trial, which he had in Parlement upon an answer made him by two of these Gentlemen, who had asked the opinion of the whole Body concerning it, and he printed their Letters at the end of a little Book, which he then publisht against his adversaries. Strangers also, amongst whom our Tongue is insensibly spread, have sometimes acknowledged the authority of the Academy in the like occa­sions. Thus in the year 1652, it was obli­ged to pronounce upon a wager of conse­quence, which had been laid in Holland, concerning the word Temperature; but as it gave these decisions only by the by, I think I ought not to stay any longer upon them.

[Page 115]SOMETIMES also, when the Aca­demy had nothing else to do,Reg. Jaly 16. 1638. they read and examined some French Book, and to this purpose 'twas ordered, that there should be alwaies some Book in the place of the As­sembly. I took delight to read in the Regi­sters the examination of Malherbe's Stanza's upon the Kings going to Limosin: for if there be any thing that makes appear, that which is so commonly said, that his verses were never finished, certainly 'tis this reading of them. There is scarce one Stanza, wherein, without being too severe a Critick, one meets not with one or more things which one could wish were chan­ged if 'twere possible, without destroying that rare sense, that marvellous elegance, and that inimitable smoothness of the ver­ses, which is found throughout those ex­cellent works. I said without being too severe a Critick; for to give you some Ex­amples of them, in that first Stanza;

These Gentlemen observ'd well,Reg. April 19. 1638. that La bontè touchée de nos larmes, was better then Les bontez; that the third verse Et rangé l'innocence aux pieds de la raison, was not [Page 116] good since; that in the fourth verse, Ta loüange n' aspire à rien d'imparfait, was not good French, but they did not observe, as a fault, what he sayes at the end. Et nom rend, embonpoint comme la guerison; though to look a little more narrowly into it, methinkes, and in our Ordinary discourse, a man may say well enough in our Language, rendre la santé, and rendre la vie, but not rendre la guerison. But as for that verse, Et range l'innocence aux pieds de la raison, The Academie was not at all satisfied with it, and tis true, there cannot be picked out of it any reasonable sense; but it proceeds from a fault in the printing, which has been committed in all the Editions that ever I saw of Mal­herbes workes, and which no man that I know of, has hitherto perceived; insteed of l'innocence, it should be l'insolence. I thought of it first by Conjecture, but I now make no question of it, since I saw the verse printed after this manner in three Collections of French Poems, which are those of 1615, 1621, & 1627. Ranger l'inso­lence aux pieds de la raison, is not onely good sense, but also very neat and very poeticall.

There is one Stanza which is the 16. upon which I do not find any thing in the Registers, unlesse that it was admired by every one, and that there was no fault found with it.

Yet in this Stanza certainly admirable, he has the word vergogne, which many now a dayes would be very loath to use, and which the meanest judges would not faile to condemn. I might add many other things like these, did not I fear to be too long. But there are two passages which I think it not amisse to mention, be­cause the Academie,Reg. April 26. 1638. observed that in them Malherbe himself fell short of his own rules. The first is, in the third Stanza.

Malherbe was of opinion that Stanza's of six ought to have a rest at the end of the third verse. And here yet he goes to the end of the fourth e're he rests; but you will not wonder at it when you know, what I believe the Academie it self at that [Page 118] time was ignorant of, and which I learn't very lately out of some notes that Monsie­ur de Racan gave me of the life of that excellent Poet. 'Tis that he made these Stanzas, and many other of his peices, before that he imposed this law upon himself. And hence it is that there are some of his workes where it is not exactly observed, as for example, in the Consola­tion to Caritée in this Stanza.

But I shall say more hereafter of this rule when I speak of Monsieur Maynard, who was the first Author of it.

I told you there was another passage, where, in the Judgment of the Academie, Malherbe transgrest his own Maximes.Reg. July. 16. 1638. 'Tis in the seventh Stanza, in these verses.

Here you see he sayes asseuré secours in­stead of secours asseuré, as I remember he does also in another place.

[Page 119]Yet he held it for a Maxime, that those adjectives, that have their termination, in é masculine, should never be placed before the Substantive, but after: whereas others that have the feminine termination, may be placed before or after, according as shall be thought fit. That one may say, for instance, ce redoutable Monarque, or ce Monarque redoutable; and on the contrary, that we may say ce Monarque re­donté but nót ce redout Monraque. I took not this example without reason, and at adven­tures, for I have often heard Monsieur de Gombauld say, that before ever any one had made this reflection, Monsieur de Malherbe and he walking together one day, & talking of certain verses of Mademoiselle Anne de Rohan's, where there was,

Quoy faut il-que Henry ce redouté Monarque. Monsieur de Malherbe assured him seve­rall times that this end displeased him, and yet he could not tell any reason why: that this made him himself consider of it atten­tively, and that having presently disco­vered the reason, he told it to M. de Mal­herbe, who was as much pleased with it, as if he had found a treasure, and after­wards made of it that generall rule.

The Academie spent almost three months in examining these Stanza's,From April 9. to July 6. 1638. and yet they made not an end of them, for they never touched the four last, because they had other thoughts, and that year's vaca­tion came very soon after.

[Page 120]Some of them, and amongst others Monsieur de Gombauld, and M. de Gom­berville, were very impatient that the Company did thus censure the works of a great personage after his death, which they thought somewhat cruell and inhu­mane. But the moderation which it used in this examination (which I have already remarkt) seems sufficiently to show, that its intention was altogether innocent. And if I may Judge of others by my self, I am fully perswaded of it; for, for my part, if being so farr from suppressing this whole Article, I have enlarged my self upon it somewhat beyond my custom, I am sure that neither a youthfull desire to find fault with every thing, nor any other unworthy inclination, has engaged me in this discourse: but on the contrary if I had had lesse esteem and respect for Mal­herbe, I should not have spoken of his faults; and that lastly I have reported them onely (if I may compare things sacred with profane) as the Scripture doth those of the Saints, to Comfort them that are too much troubled at their fail­ings, and to keep them from despaire.

Reg. Dec. 3. 1635. Reg. March 15. 1638.Such were the employments of the Academie. I find too, that 'twas pro­pounded severa [...]l times to make two Col­lections, one of the Verses and to'ther of the Letters of those of the Company, but it was never performed.

[Page 121] THE FOURTH PART: Of Some Re­marquables that past in the Acade­mie.

I WILL add now according to my pro­mise, some considerable passages that hap­pened in the Academie, which I could not handsomely bring in any where else.

That which offers its self first, accord­ing to the order of time, (which I observe as much as I can, in each Parti­cular) is the generositie which the Aca­demie exprest after the death of Camusat, its Stationer, having in favour of his wid­dow and Children, opposed, as I may so say, the will of the Cardinall, its Pro­tector. Presently after his death, Monsi­eur de Boisrobert, who was then with the Cardinall at Abbeville, wrote to the Aca­demie, That his Eminence having heard the news, though he thought there was not any man in Paris, more capable to fill this place then Cramoisy, his own Sta­tioner, whom he esteem'd and loved, ne­verthelesse would not make use of that Authority which he had, as their Head, to command them to receive him, but onely desired, that he should propound him to them, with this condition, that if they knew of any other, that would be fitter for them, they might take him, not desiring in the least manner, either in this or any thing else to violate their choice. By way of postscript 'twas [Page 122] added. Since the writing of my Letter, my Lord sent for me before much noble Company, to tell me, that you would do him a kindnesse to take the said Cra­moisy; I see plainely he is very earnest in this businesse, having done me the honour to speak to me thrice about it. For all this Camusat's Widdoe being desi­rous to continue her trade, and having with her for this purpose one du Chesne, a kinsman of her Husbands, and a Scholar, who now is a Dr. in Physick; the Acade­mie desired to continue that honour to her family, and answered M. de Boisrobert in such a manner, as not forgetting the re­spect which it owed the Cardinall, and submitting it self alwayes to obey his will, it let him plainely know, that it was but justice to do so. This Letter had the effect which was desired,Reg. July 15. 1639. and M. de Bosrobert wrote another presently after to the Secre­tary of the Academie, containing the Cardinal's approbation and consent that du Chesne should be admitted to excercise that charge in the name of the Widdoe. Thus after they had order'd an answer to M. de Boisrobert, to thank him, and to desire him also to present their most humble thanks to the Cardinall; du Chesne was brought into the Assembly took the Oath in the name of the Widdoe, and was ex­horted to imitate the discretion, care, and diligence of the deceased. And because at the [Page 123] death of Monsieur Bardin, 'twas resol­ved that at the death of all those of the Bo­dy, there should be performed a service in les Carmes Reformes called des Billettes. It was ordered there should be one also for Camusat, & this was the honour which this Company did to the memory of its Sta­tioner. But concerning M. de Boisrobert's Letter to the Academie, me thinks I ought not to forget this pretty Circumstance. It was signed Vostre tres-humble and tres-obeis­sant Serviteur. The Academie that thought good to answer from the whole Body, to the end that the Letter might be the more effectuall in favour of the Wid­doe, was somewhat at a stand what to sub­scribe. On the one side the whole body wri­ting to one of its Members, ought not in appearance to treat him as an equall, and on the other side meerly to say, de tres-affectioner serviteurs, according to the custom, seemed not civil enough, and to be used onely to persons very inferiour. At last they took this mean, Vos tros-passi­onnez servitevrs, CONRART, as being somewhat more civil then tres-affectionnez, and lesse then tres-humbles.

I AM now to speak of the death of another Person more considerable, which I know not how to passe by in silence, 'twas that of the Cardinal himself, the Pro­tector & Founder of this Body. Whether it were ill for the State, as I ever thought it was, this is no place to dispute. But most [Page 124] certain it is, that at least Schollars and the Academie in particular suffered therein an almost irreparable losse.Reg. Dec. 9. 1642. The ninth of the same month, the Company being mett, Monsieur de l'Estoille, who had been made Director eight dayes before, said; That he thought there was not any one in the whole Body, but was most sensibly touched with this dysaster, and was ready to expresse it, not onely in ordaining a Service, and in composing an Elogie for the Cardinall, as they were wont to do for the Academiciens that dyed; but besides in founding an Anni­versarie for him, with the greatest solemnity that was possible. That neverthelesse all this pomp respecting more the satisfaction of the living, then the glory of the dead, he thought that the Academie ought rather to give proof of its piety and gratitude, by some speedy and zealous actions, then by any great preparations, which must needs be retarded a long time. That he therefore desired the Compa­ny to deliberate, what was to be done in this businesse. Upon this proposition it was re­solved there should be performed a Service for the Cardinal in the Carmes des Billettes, at the charge of the Company, every one contributing thereto what he pleased, to the end that the action might be done the more honourably, and with the greater dig­nity: That Monsieur de la Chambre should make an Elogie, for him M. de Serisay an Epitaph, and Monsieur the Abbot of Cerisy a Funerall Oration, that each of the other Academiciens should compose something [Page 125] in Verse or Prose in praise of him, as ma­ny had already done, and Monsieur Baro amongst others; a Sonnet of whose upon the Church de Sorbonne (where the Car­dinall chose to be buryed) was then read: But as to the Funerall Oration; the votes were divided, in resolving whether it should be pronounced in publick, or no; and as I told you elsewhere, they referrd themselves to the Chancellor, who thought good to have it pronounced onely in the Academie; which was done a while after. As for the Service, they judged afterwards, that 'twas fittest it should be onely done decently and without pomp. Monsieur de l'Estiolle the Director, desired that he might have leave to defray, the charge of it alone, which was granted him, and the Service was celebrated on the twentieth of the same Month at ten of the clock in the Morning.

But the thing of most importance for the Academie was, to choose a Pro­tector in the place of him, whom they had lately lost: many inclined to Card. Mazarin, concerning whom envy & facti­on had not yet divided mens minds, every one rejoycing to see him succeed in the Mi­nistry of Card. de Richelieu. 'Twas thought that this election would be so much the more acceptable to him, as not being born a Frenchman, it would in some sort seeme to him to be the more glorious. Others thought of the Duke of Enguien [Page 126] now Prince of Conde; who had not won [...] any battels, nor done those things which have been since admired, in the first years of the Regency; but in whom being very young there did even then appear much spirit, and a great inclination to good literature. On the Contrary all those of the Academie that were dependants or ser­vants to the Chancellor, were passionately desirous to gain Him this title, and no man seemed to have more right to it then He. At the very beginning of the Aca­demie, when he desired to be admitted in­to it, they talked of making him Pro­tector with the Cardinall; but they went no farther for fear of displeasing that great Minister, who had already shown some tokens, of jealousy thereupon. So that all the honour they did him then, was to set his name first in the Catalogue, and at a distance from the rest, whom they ranked by lot. The Academie neverthelesse had him alwayes in a particular Veneration. They deputed some to go thank him for the honour he was pleased to do them to be one of them: and when from Lord Keeper of the Seales, he came to be Chancellor of France they wrote a Letter to him to Testi­fie their joy. They thought therefore they could not with reason cast their eyes upon any but him, since that they were alwayes very sensible, that in the birth of the Aca­demie, he exprest so much affection to it: and that besides being raised to the prime [Page 127] dignity of the Robe, he was a lover of those that make profession of learning, & favour'd them upon all occasions. These reasons out­weigh'd all the others in the minds of the Academiciens, and in the same Assembly of Dec. 9. 'twas resolv'd that the Officers with Monsieur de Priesac, Chapelain, and de Serisay, should go and beseech him to honour the Company with his Protection. The Officers who are ordinarily three, were then but two, for that Monsieur Conrart, perpetual Secretary, had been made Chancellor, these two charges being not inconsistent, as I told you. M. de l'Estoile, who was the Director spake for them all, the 17th of the same month. His Comple­ment was so short and so good that it may be here inserted.

They were received with great civility, and with many testimonies of joy. The Lord Chancellour began then to be Pro­tector, and they filled the place of Acade­micien, which he formerly held, as I shall tell you in the Article of the Academiciens in particular.

To make an end of this, I conceive I am obliged to relate what divers persons have dedicated, addressed, or written at several times to the Academy.

Monsieur de Espeisses Counsellor of Estate, was the first that I know which writ any thing in honour of it.Reg. June 19. 1634. For June 19. 1634. He presented to it by Messieurs de Cerisy & Desmarests, some French verses in its praise. These two Gentlemen had charge to thank him, and to answer his ver­ses with others.

'Twas about the same time that the el­dest of the Messieurs de St. Marthe, pre­sented to the Academy, by Monsieur Colle­tet [Page 129] some excellent Latin verses upon the same subject, which begin thus,

Salve perpetuis florens, Academia, Fastis: and were received with all the esteem and civi [...]ity, as they deserved, though I do not finde any thing of them in the Regi­sters.

Le Sieur de la Peyre in the year 1635.Reg. Dec. 3. 1635. de­dicated to this Company, his Book, De l'Esclaircissement des Temps, with this Title To the Eminent, which makes many believe that it was called the Eminent Academy. 'Twas order'd that Messieurs de Gomberville and de Malleville should go and thank him for it at his house. 'Twas in this book that this good man, who had many very plea­sant fancies, caused to be set before his book, the Portraicture of the Cardi­nall in Taille douce, with a Crown of rayes about him, in each of which was written the name of an Academicien. And which is best, amongst these Academiciens, he put M. de Bautru Cherelles, who was none of them; And he that made The state of France in the year 1652. being desirous to insert there the Catalogue of the Academiciens, taking it perhaps from hence, fell into the same errour.

Le Sieur Belot, Advocat, dedicated also to the Academy at the same time, if I be not deceived, a Book which I could never meet with, and whereof there is no men­tion in the Registers, intituled, An Apology for the Latin Tongue, and 'twas this which [Page 130] gave occasion to that handsome passage in the Request of the Dictionaries.

Reg. Feb. 1. 1638.Monsieur Frenicle having caused his Pa­raphrase on 4 Psalms to be printed by Ca­musat, commanded him by a Letter to present a Copy of his Book to each of the Academiciens; which was done the first of Febr. 1638. And the Company ordered, that thanks should be returned him in their names by the same Camusat.

Reg. June 28. 1638. Le Sieur de les Fargues, a Tolosain, now Advocate to the Councel, caused first to be presented to the Company, A Paraphrase upon the second Psalm, by Camusat, who printed it: and afterwards he was brought into the Company assembled together, to present to them his Translation of Sene­ca's Controversies, Jan. ult. 1639. which he dedicated to them. He caused a Copy thereof to be di­stributed to each of them. The Prefatory Epistle was read in his presence, and he was thanked for it by the mouth of the Director. 'Twas for this reason that in the same Request of the Dictionaries 'tis said,

Reg. Nov. 26. 1641.In the year 1641. Father du Bosc, a Fran­ciscan, [Page 131] Chapelain to the King, known to be the Author of The Honest Woman, and of many other works, having printed a Pa­negyrique on Cardinal de Richelieu, presen­ted himself at the beginning of one of the Conferences of the Academy, and gave a Copy of his book to each of them that were then present, for which he received com­mendations and thanks.

Le Sieur de Taneur, Anno 1650. having publisht in the year 1650. a Treatise of Incommensura­ble quantities, with a Translation of the tenth Book of Euclide, added thereto a very ex­cellent discourse to the Gentlemen of the French Academy, concerning a way to ex­plain the Sciences in French.

Those of the Body have often presented to the Academy their works, before or af­ter the printing of them. For example,Reg. Feb. 01. 1639. I find that Febr. 21. 1639. Monsieur Giry presented to them by Camusat, his Transla­tion of the Orations of Symmachus and S. Ambrose concerning the Altar of Victory, for which Camusat was charged to thank him.

Monsieur de Racan when he had compo­sed his Holy Odes, which were publisht last year 1651. sent them to the Academy, to desire their opinion of them, and writ to them that Letter which he has put before his Book. The Academy sent him that an­swer which he has there likewise printed, without asking their leave to do it, nor [Page 132] the Secretaries that writ it, which yet was not ill taken by either of them.

But of all that has been written or addres­sed to the Academy, there is nothing whose memory deserves better to be preserved, than the Letters of Monsieur de Boissat an Academicien, wherein he gives them an exact account, both of what happen'd to him at the house of the Duke de Lesdiguieres, who was then only Count de Sault & of the Agreement that was made between them by the mediation of the Nobility of Dauphi­ne, assembled in a Body.

I am not ignorant how delicate and ticklish things of this nature are amongst the French; and that there may be found, those that will blame me for mentioning this in a work where I have no design to di­minish the glory of the Academy, or the re­putation of any particular member thereof. But I do not se why I should suppress any remarkable occurrences, which I meet with in my subject, that may serve for instructi­on, and for a precedent in the like occasions, which may one day perhaps be published quite otherwise then indeed they are, and where, all things consideted, there is not now any thing that may be offensive either to this Illustrious Company, which had no part in this difference, or to Monsieur de Boissat, a Gentleman, as every one knows, very honourable and deserving. I will speak of it then, and which is more, knowing well, that on the one side, a matter so curi­ous [Page 133] cannot be unacceptable to you, [...]nd on the other, that in these points of honour, they weigh even the least Syllables, I will here insert at large, not only a Copy of the Agreement which was sent to the Acade­my by M. de Boissat, but also the Letter which came with it, and the answer w [...]ich they made. And if I suppresse the first Letter which he writ to this Company, wherein was a particular relation of his misfortune, and of the things which pre­ceded: It is because that I have been told that he himself endeavours to suppress it, out of a motion of true generosity, not to l [...]a [...]e any mark of resentment or bitterness a [...]a [...]nst those persons with whom he is wholly reconsiled, whose quality and birth I in my own particular, do as I ought very much honour.

[Page 147]This is all, if I be not decieved, that has been written hitherto to the French Academie, or done in its honour. But as I was in this part of my Relation, there happened one thing, which deserves to be added, and will shew you in what esteem this Company is at this day in for­rain Countryes. The Intronati of Sienna vaunt that a learned man, by name Thomas, of the Citty of Bergve in Norway, sent by his Prince to search out the greatest rarities of Italy; came on purpose into their Citty, with Letters of Recommen­dations from the famous Vicenzo Pinells of Padua, to see their Company, and to have a Copie of their Statutes. The French Academie received some few daies since an honour that may be accounted farr greater. The Baron Spar, a great Lord of Swedland, signified to them by Monsieur Tristan, that he desired to salute them, and being brought in, he made his Com­plement to them, (as I find it in the Re­gisters,) in termes not onely pure,Reg. May 15. 1652. and very good French; but also very elegant. He assured them, both of the extream de­sire that he had to see their Assembly, as one of the most remarkable things in Pa­ris, and the Kingdom; and of the parti­cular esteem which the Queen his Mis­tress had of their Body, concerning whom shee never failed to ask what news of all those that return from France into Swed­land. The Director answered for them all, as [Page 148] the Civility of this Baron deserved, and the rare qualities of that most Noble Princesse, whom we may justly Style the Ornament of our age, and the prin­cipall glory of learning. The Ba [...]on, whom they made to sit at the left hand of the Director, in the Secretaries place then ab [...]ent, was present also at the reading an Ode of Horace translated by Monsieur Tristan. After which he withdrew, and was reconducted by the Officers, together with the other Academiciens, to the gate, where were M. de Racan and de Boisrobert to receive him with Monsieur Tristan.

THE FIFTH PART. OF the Academiciens in Particular.

I am come at length to the last part of my work, which re pects the Academici­ens in particular. In it, I will observe this Order. First, I will tell you when and upon what occasion each Academicien was received into the Company, since its first Establishment: then I'le speak of those that are already dead: and lastly I will add something of those that are living.

I call them Academiciens, because they themselves chose this name in the Assem­bly of the 12th. of Feb. 1635;Reg. Feb. 12. 1635. that of Acade­mists, which was also propounded having bin rejected because of other Significati­ons which it o [...]dinarily has.

I told you in the beginning, that those [Page 149] which gave birth to the Academie by their private and familiar meetings, were M. Godeau, now Bishop of Grasse M. de Gom­bauld, M. Giry, M. Chapelain, Messeiurs Ha­bert, M. Conrart, M. de Serisay & M. de Male­ville. To these were joyned M. Faret, M. Des­marests, & M. de Bo [...]srobert. After that the Car­dinall would make a Body of them, there were added many persons at several times, as M. de Bautru, M. S [...]lhon, M. de Sirmond, Monsieur the Abbot de Bourzey, M. de Meziriac, M. Maynard, M. Colletet, M. de Gomberville, M. de S. Amant, M. de Colom­by, M. Baudoin, M. de l'Esto [...]le, and M. de Porcheres d'Arband, saving that the ab­sence of some of these Gent [...]emen hin­dred them from receiving this honour. Then began they to make orderly meetings, and to keep a Register, which shews at what time each of the other Academiciens were admitted.

The first was Monsieur Servien, M. Servien Reg. Mrrch 13. 1634. then Secretary of Estate, afterwards Plen [...]poten­tiarie and Embassadour for the peace at Munster, and Minister of Estate of whom 'tis said thus in the Register of March the 13. 1634. The Academie thinking it self honoured with the entreaty of M. Servien, Secretary of Estate, to be admitted into it, ordered that he should be thanked for it, and assured that he should be admitted when ever he pleases. He comes thither afterwards on the tenth of Aprill, Reg. April 10. 1634. excuses himself for not having bin present sooner, by reason [Page 150] of some important affaires in which he was imployed, makes his complement to the Academie, and receives an answer from the mouth of the Director; But I passe over in two words all these things, that I may not be excessive long.

M. de Bardin Reg. March 13. 634.The same day, March 13. 1634. in which M. Servien was propounded, M. de Bo [...]srobert shewed a Letter which he wrote of his own head to M. de Balzac. Wherein he advertised him of the Cardinal's design for the establishment of the Academie, adding, That if he desired to be admitted in­to it, he might signifie so much to the Compa­ny by his Letters, and that he doubted not but they would willingly grant it to him, in con­sideration of his worth. This was done to execute a resolution which was lately made, not to admit any one that did not desire it, which is still observed. What followed, appeares not in the Registers, but infallibly M. de Balzac upon his an­swer was received soon after into the Aca­demie, and I find that in the year 1636. he read there some part of his Prince; which he then called, the Minister of Estate.

M. Bardin. Reg. March 27. Apr [...]l 3. 1634.Monsieur Bardin, who was of the num­ber of those, which they cast their eyes upon at first, was received next; after that he had excused himself of some cold­nesse which he was said to have shown in the businesse, and assured the Company of [Page 157] the displeasure he took at that false report which had bin raised of him.

Those which were admited; next after him,M. de Vage­las, Vo ture, Porcheres Laugier. Reg. Nov. 6. 27. & Dec. 4. 1634. Reg. Ybid. Reg. Jau. 12. 1635. are M. de Boissat M. de Vagel is M. de Vo [...]ture & M. de Porcheres Laugier. But at the recepti­on of this last, who was propounded by M. de Malleville, there were two orders made, which I must not omit. The first, that for the future they should give their votes at Elections, by balls and not by word of mouth, as they had done hitherto. The second that they should not admit any Aca­demicien, that had not bin presented to the cardinall, and received his approbati­on. I have bin told since, that he did not love M. de Porcheces Laugier, looking up­on him as a man that had bin intimate with his greatest enemies, that therefore he was very much troubled at this election: that they offered him to revoke it, & that he had so much moderation as to be satisfied with an order for the future. This rule has bin observed hitherto, both for him, and for the Chancellour, since he was Protector, upon the propounding of it by Monsieur de la Chambre. Nov. 27. 1646. It was,Reg. Nov. 27, 1646. if I be not deceived to appease the Cardinall that M. de Porcheres Laugier made such haste to make his speech before his own turn came, in the place of M. de Serizay, and took for the subject of his discourse the praises of the Academie and its Protector, as you saw before.

[Page 152] M. de Mont­mor & M. de la Cham­bre. Reg. Jan. 2. 1635.Monsieur Habert de Montmor, Master of Requests, and M. de la Chambre were received a little whi [...]e after, and both at once. And I find that January 2. 1635. M. de la Chambre came thither first, and that M. de Cor [...]sy speaking for his Cosin M. de Montmor, gave thanks to the Compa­ny for the favour they di [...] him the last Sitting, and assured them he would come and take h s place there as soon as he returned from a voyage he was to make to S. Germain.

'Twas on the same day, Jan. 2. 1635. that they propounded the making of the Discourses, and that to this purpose they drew a Catalogue of the Academiciens, whi [...]h I told you of before. They would be ranked in it by lot without having any regard to the difference of their qualities. And for my part, I assure you also, that when I happen to name many of them together in this relation, I place them likewise by lot, that is, according as their names come into my mind by chance, so that from thence you must not make any consequence.

This Catalogue which was of thirty six persons being shown to the Lord Keeper of the Seales now Chancellor of France, M. the Chan­cellou [...]. Reg Jan. 8. 1635. he sent word to the Company by M. de Cerisy, that he desired to be comprised in it. 'Twas ordered that his name should be written in the front, as I told you else­where. And that M. de Montmor, du [Page 153] Chastelet, and the three Officers should go and give him most humble thanks for the honour he did the whole Company▪ In this occasion, M. de Serisay, who was the Director, was speaker, and they say, dis­charged it wonderfull well. His speech was read eight dayes after in the Assem­bly. 'Twas said he gave a Copie of it, to be kept amongst the works of the Aca­demie, but whatever were the cau [...]e of it, neither this peech, nor many others which he made upon severall occasions, during that long time he was Director, wherein he satisfi'd a [...]l men to the utmost, are to be sound nor saw I so much as one of them amongst the papers that were communicated to me.

They received next,M. The Ab­bot de Cham­bon. Reg. Feb. 26. 1635. M. Granier Reg. Sept. 3. 1635. Monsieur the Abbot de Chambon, Brother to M. du Chastelet: and six months after or thereabouts, M. Granier. He was elected by balls, which were all for him, except three. The event shewed that the three which would have excluded him were not to blame; for I find in the Registers that on the 14th. of May following, upon the Proposition that was made thereof by the Director, in the name of the Cardinall, he was depo [...]ed for some ill action by a Common consent, and without hope to be restored. It would have in it perhaps somewhat of inhumani­ty to dwell any longer upon this matter, he being still alive, and as they say, wholly given to devotion, although the book in­titled, [Page 154] The Estate of France in the year 1652, has put him amongst the Academi­ciens that are dead. It shall suffice me to tell you, not to return to him again, that he was an Ecclesiasticall person; a Native, as I am to d of the County of Bresse, a man of a handsome aspect, good wit & pleasant conversati n together with much know­ledge & good Learning. That he might settle Paris, he associated himself with a sta­tioner, named Chapelain, and afterwards with another named Boûillerot: and hav­ing been curious of good Manuscripts, he set forth some of them that were very rare; To him we owe The memoires of Queen Margaret, and those of Monsieur de Villeroy, the Letters of Cardinall d'Ossat, and of Monsieur de Foix. He caused these Books to be printed, and corrected, with the greatest care that was possi­ble, made many presents of them, was very neat in his house, very civill and of­ficious towards ingenious and learned per­sons, who for this reason were very will­ingly at his house, where he had as 'twere a kind of Academie. All these things brought him into repute, and made him known, first to the Chancellor, who gave him a pension & afterwards to the Cardinal, who was plea [...]ed that M. de Boisrobert should propound him to be of the Academie.

M. Giry. Reg. Jan. 14. 1636.The first that was received after him was Monsieur Giry. For though he were of those Assemblyes of friends at M. Con­rarts, [Page 155] he had retired himself, and was not called when they began to make a body of the Academie. I find in the Registers that he was propounded then by M. de Bo [...]sro­bert in the name of the Cardinall, who judged him worthy to be of it, upon the reading of his Translation of Tertulli­ans Apologetick. The number of forty was not not yet full. In the interim, Mon­sient Bardin and Monsieur Chastelet dyed almost at the same time, and left two new places voyd.

They repaired this double losse by re­ceiving M. Bourbon, and M. d'Ablancourt. M. Bourbon & M. d'Ab­lancourt. Reg. Sept. 23. 1637. Reg. March 25. 1638. M. Esprit & M. de la Mothe le Va­yer. Reg. Feb. 14. 1639. M. de Prie­zac. M. Patru. Reg. Sept. 3. 1640. M. de Besons. Reg. Jan. 26. 1643. There dyed besides, about the same time two other Academiciens, M. Habert Com­missarie of the wars and M. de Meziriac.

They received then and on the same day Monsieur Esprit and M. de la Mothe le Vayer; Fortune placed them as I name them. And at last to fill up the sole place that remainder of the number of forty, they propounded, in the same Assembly, M. de Priezac Coun [...]ellor of Estate, who was admitted eight days after.

Those which have been received since, are M. Patru in the place of M. de Por­cheres d Arbaud.

Mousieur de Besons, then chief Advo­cat Generall in the Grand Counsell, now Counsellor of Estate in Ordinary, in the place of the Chancellor, when he was made Protector after the Cardinal's death.

[Page 156] M. de Salo­mon. Reg. Aug. 12 1644.Monsieur de Salomon, then also advo­cat Generall in the Grand Coun [...]ell, in the place of M. Bourbon. He was preferred before M. Corneille who had desired the same place. The Protector [...]ent the Aca­demie word, that he eft them their Liber­ty of choi [...]e; and you'l judge by the sequel that they determined thus, because M. Corneille making his abode at Province, could scarce ever be present at Assemblyes, and discharge the function of an Acade­micien.

M. du Ryer Reg. Nov. 21. 1646.I say you'l judge by the sequel, for since, M. Faret being dead they propounded on the one side the same M. Corneille and on the other M. du Ryer, and the last was pre­ferr'd. Now the Register in this place mentions a resolution the Academie had taken; Of two persons, where both of them are sufficiently qualified, alwayes to preferr him that makes his residence at Paris.

M. Corneille.M. Corneille was neverthelesse received at last, in the place of M. Maynard for that he sent word to the Academie that he had so Ordered his affairs, that he might spend one part of the year at Paris. M. de Ba­lesdens was propounded also: and as he had the honour to belong to the Chancellor, the Academie had this respect for their Protector, to send five Academiciens to him, to know whether these two proposalls were equally acceptable to him. The Chancellor answered that he would leave [Page 157] the Company to their absolute Liberty. But when they began to deliberate about this businesse; M. the Abbot of Cerisy, pre­sented them a Letter of M. Balesdens full of very many, civilities to them & to M. Cor­neille whom he desired the Company would be pleased to preferr before him protesting that he gave him this honour as being his due in all respects.M. Balesdens The Letter was read and commended by the Assemb [...]y & afterwards he was received in the first vacant place, w^ch was that of M. de Malleville, but I find not on what day: or from that time the long & frequent indispositions of the Secretary to the Academie, have left a great vacuum in the Registers. So that I have not seen any thing of this reception,Messieurs de Mezeray, Montereul, Tristan, Scudery, Doujat. no more then of the five following, namely of Messieurs de Mezeray, de Monterul, de Tristan, de Scudery and Doujat: All that I could learn of them, is that they succeeded Messieurs de Voiture, de Sirmond, de Colomby, de Vau­gelus, and Baro.

Afterwards M. Charpentier was received in the place of M. Baudo [...]n, M. Charpen­tier. Reg. Jan. 7. 1651. after that they had read a Letter of the Chancellor's then absent, by which he signified to M. de Ba­lesdens that he approved this Election, upon the knowledge that was given him of the merit of him that was propounded, and upon reading the book which was sent him. 'Twas The life of Socrates, and the memorable passages of that Philosopher, translated out of Xenophon's Greek.

[Page 158] M. the Abbot Taleman.Monsieur the Abbot Taleman, Almoner to the King, succeeded also afterwards M. de Montereul.

Reg. May 10. 1651. M. the Mar­quess of Coastin. Reg. 18. & 21. May, & June 1. 1652.Lastly, as I was writing this Relation, Monsieur de l'Estoile being lately dead, the Chancellor sent to desire the vacant place for the Marquiss of Coaslin, his grandchild, thinking he could not better cultivate the inclination, & the great hopes w^ch this yong Lord gave for all excellencies befitting him. Yet he sent word to the Company with a great deale of civility, that he desired it as a favour, and that he did not intend this reception should be a precedent, nor that it should be done in any other manner then the former. And indeed the Company having gladly received this Proposition, the election was made eight dayes after by balls, which were all for him: and 'twas ordered, that the Academy should go in a Body to thank the Chancellor for the ho­nour he had done them, which was per­formed presently, and received by him with extream civility.

I have now told you all that have been re­ceived into the Academy since its Institu­tion. You observe doubtless that the num­ber of forty, whereof 'twas to be compo­sed, was not full till the reception of Mon­sieur de Priezac, in the year 1639. 5. or 6, years after its first establishment, M. Patru, who was the first received afterwards, at his entrance into the Company, made there a very excellent Oration of thanks, [Page 159] which gave so good satisfaction, that it ob­liged all that were received afterwards, to do the like. There are amongst the Papers of the Academy thirteen of these gratulatory Orations, namely those of Messieurs Pa­tru, de Bezons, de Salomon, Corneille, Bales­dens, de Mezeray, de Montereul, Tristan, Scudery, Doujat, Charpentier, the Abbot Taleman, and the Marquess of Coastin. But of this great number of Academiciens, not to speak of the Chancellour who of an Academicien, is become Protector of the Company, whose Elogies shall be seen in Histories more important, and more fa­mous then this; seventeen are dead: con­cerning each of whom I think it not amisse to speak somewhat in particular. And if I should follow mine own inclination, this part of my work would be excessive long; for I confess, I have an extream and insati­able curiosity for every thing that can let me know the manners, Genius, and for­tune of extraordinary persons; and that I am even guilty of so much weakness as to study many times in Books, the spirit of the Author far more then the matter which he treats of. But I will not forget that I write more for others, then for my self, and that this is the History of the Academy, and not of the Academiciens, of whom, to say the truth, I ought not to speak any more then is necessary for you to judge of the whole Body by some of its members. Monsieur Colletet, who is one of them himself, will [Page 160] one day supply this defect, and without question will not forget his friends and bre­thren in the Lives of the French Poets, in which he has already far advanced.

The seventeen that art dead, are;

• Bardin.
• Du Chastelet.
• Ha [...]ert, Commissary of the wars.
• De Meziriac.
• Porcheres d'Arbaud.
• Bourbon.
• Faret.
• Maynard.
• De Malleville.
• De Voiture.
• de Sirmond.
• De Colomby.
• De Ʋaugelas.
• Baro.
• Baudoin.
• Monte [...]eul.
• De l'Estoile.

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 [Page 227] 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 [Page 228] 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 [Page 229] 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 [Page 230] 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 into Stars. He has made many other verses not printed.

[Page 231]DES MARESTS. John Desmarests a Parasien, Counsellor to the King, Control­ler General in extraordinary in the wars, and Secretary General of the Levant Com­pany. His works printed for matter of Prose, are Ariana, a Romance in two parts. Rosane another Romance, not yet finished; whereof there is but one Volume. The Truth of Fables in two Volums. Erigone, a Comedy in Prose. The Games of Cards of the Kings of France, of famous Queens, of Geography, and of Fables, which he inven­ted, by Cardinal Richelieu's order, for in­struction of K. Lewis 14. in his childhood, and when he was Dauphin. An Answer to the Ladies of Rennes for his game of the fa­mous Queens. A book of prayers and Christi­an Meditations. And for Ʋerse, one Vo­lume of Poetical works, which among other things contain his Playes Aspasia, Roxana, Sc [...]pio, Les Visionnaires, Mirame and Europa. A book of prayers in verse. The Poem of the Christian vertues, in 8. Canto's. He had al­most done two other Playes which the death of the Cardinal made him leave off, intituled Annibal, and The Charmer char­med. There is another of his quite finished, which is altogether Comical in short ver­ses, called The Deaf man, he has not yet publisht it, The Insciption on the Kings Statue in brasse in the Place Royal is his, He is making an Heroick Poem of the Bap­tism of Clovis, whereof there are nine Can­to's finisht. He was also, by his Master, the [Page 232] Duke de Richelieu's order, about a conside­rable work in p [...]ose, which he calls The abridgment of universal Knowledge, which contains, in neer a thousand Chapters the summarie knowledge of most things that fall into ordinary discourse.

DE RACAN. Honorat de Beüil Knight Marquis of Racan, son of a Knight of the Orders du Roy, born at la Roche Racan in Touraine. His printed works are, The Shepherdesses a Pastoral, several copies of Verses, in the Collection of the year 1627. The 7. Penitential Psalms. His sacred Odes upon the Psalms, which he continues, having already made 65. of them. His Oration to the Academy, Against the Sci­ences.

DE BALZAC. John Lewis Guez, Sieur de Balzac, Counsellor to the King in his Counsels, born at Angoulesm. His works hitherto printed are, Six volums of Letters. One of several works. One of verses and Let­ters in Latine. The Prince. The Christian Socrates, with which are, many other small Tractat's or Dissertations in one volum in octavo. He hath made a Political work in­tituled Aristippus, which he is about to publish.

THE COUNT DE SERVIEN. Abel Servien, Minister of State, and Keeper of the Seals of the Order, having been here­tofore [Page 233] Procurator General in the Parle­ment of Grenoble, Master of Requests, chief President in the Parlement of Bourdeaux, Secretary of State, Embassador extraordi­nary in Savoy, Plenipotentiary and Embas­sador for the Peace at Munster. He was born at Grenoble. He has not printed any thing in his own name, but several of his works about important matters have been seen with general approbation.

CHAPELAIN. John Chapelain, a Parisien, Counsellor to the King in his Counsels. His Poetical works printed, are, Odes for the Cardinal de Richelieu. For the birth of the Count de Dunois. For Duke d'Anguien. For Cardinal de Mazarin. A Paraphrase on Miserere. D [...]vers Sonnets on several sub­jects particularly for Tombs: and some other Poems. He has made also, The last words of Cardinal Richelieu. An Ode for the Prince of Conde, upon the taking of Dunkerk: and another for the return of the Duke of Or­leans, which are not printed. He is ma­king an Heroick Poem, Of the Pucelle of Or­leans, which is to have 24 Canto's, 13 of which he has already done. In Prose, he has The Preface to Cavalier Marino's Adonis. He had also made A Dialogue of reading the ancient Romans, which is not printed.

DE BAUTRU. William de Bautru, na­tive of Angers, Count of Serran, Coun­sellor [Page 234] of State in ordinary, heretofore In­troductor of Embassadors to the King. Embassador to the Arch-duke in Flanders. The Kings Envoy into Spain, England, and Savoy.

COLLTET. William Colletet, a Pa­risien. Advocate to the Parlement and Counsel. His printed works are, Verses in the Collection, called The delights of the French Poesie. Amorous despair. The duty of a Christian Prince, translated out of Cardinal Bellarmin, printed under the name of Lanel. The adventures of Ismenes and Ismenia, translated out of the Greek of Eustathius. Divertisments, which is a Collection of Poems divided into six parts. The Blessed Virgin's lying in, translated in­to prose, out of Sannazarius his Latin. S. Augustin's Christian Doctrine, and Ma­nual to Laurentius. The translation of a Book, written in Latin by the Lord Peter Seguier, President in the Parlement, and intituled, Elements of the Knowledge of God and of our selves. Divers Homilies in French, amongst others, all those of Lent, taken out of the Latin Breviary. Several Odes, Stanza's, Sonnets, and other Poems made and published on several [Page 235] occasions, upon the affairs of the times. Many discourses in prose, upon the like occasions. A Collection of Po­ems in 1642. Cyminde, a Tragi-come­dy. Elogies on the famous Learned men, that flourished the last age in France, translated out of the Latin of Scevola Sammarthanus. The Translation of two Latin Letters of Mrs. Anne Marie Schurman, upon the Question, Whether it be fit for young maids to be bred Scho­lers. The Banquet of Poets, with divers other verses in Burlesque. The translati­on of a Treatise of Monsignior de la Casa, concerning the mutuall duty of great Lords, and those that serve them. The life of Raimond Lullie. That of Nicholas Vignier Historiographer of France. That of Fryar John de Housset a Hermit, at mount Valerien. He has translated four Books of Herodotus, and Polydore Virgil de inventoribus rerum. But these two are not printed. He is writing The lives of the French Poets and other Famous men.

BOISSAT. Peter de Boissat, of Dau­phiné. He has printed, A volume of Poems, & A Christian Ethicks.

SILHON: John Silhon, Counsel­lor of State, in ordinary; a native of [Page 236] Sos, in Gascogne. His printed works are, One volume in quarto, of the Immor­tality of the Soul, which is as 'twere a Natural Theologie. Two parts of the Minister of State. A small Book of the requisites of a History. Another whose Title is, A clearing of some difficulties concerning the administration of Cardi­nal Mazarin. The Preface to Monsieur de Rohan's Perfect Captain. There are also some of his Letters in the printed Collections.

CONRART. Valentine Conrart, Counsellor & Secretary to the King, House, and Crown of France, a Par­sien.

THE ABBOT OF CHAMBON. Daniel Hay Abbot of Chambon, born in Bretagne.

GIRY. Lewis Giry, a Parisien, Ad­vocate to the Parlement and Coun­sel. His printed works are, the Trans­lations following. The touchstone, out of the Italian of Boccalino. The Dialogue of the causes of the corruption of eloquence. Tertullians Apologetick. The fourth Ca­tilinarie, which is one of the 8. Ora­tions [Page 237] of Cicero, translated by several Authors, and printed in the same vo­lume. The Orations of Symmachus and S. Ambrose, concerning the Altar of Victory. Isocrates's Praise of Helen. Plato's Apology of Socrates, and Dialogue called Crito. Salpitius Severus's Holy History, Cicero's Dialogue called Brutus, or, of the famous Oratours. He has also translated Some select Epistles of S. Au­gustin, which are not yet printed.

D'ABLANCOURT. Nicholas Per­rot Si [...]ur d'A [...]lancourt, born in Cham­pagne, His works in print are, The Preface to the Honest woman, and the following Translations: Minuti­us Felix's Octavius. Four of the eight Orations of C [...]cero, which are those for Quintius, for the Manilian Law, for Marce [...]us, for Ligarius. Arrian of the wars of Alexander. The retreat of ten thousand Grecians, by Xenophon. All Tacitus's works. Caesars Commentaries. He now translates Lucian.

ESPRIT. James Esprit, born at Be­ziers, There is nothing of his printed, but The Paraphrase of some Psalms.

[Page 238]DE LA MOTHE LE VAYER. Francis de la Mothe le Vayer a Parsien Counsellor of State in ordinary. Tu­tor to M. the Duke of Anjou, as he was also to the King for the space of a year. His works in print are, A Discourse printed under the name of A Transla­tion of Fabricio Campolini a Veronois, of the contrariety of humors that are between certain Nations, and in particular be­tween the French and Spanish; with two Political Discourses. A brief Christian Discourse of the Immortality of the Soul, with a Corrollarie, and a Sceptical Dis­course of Musick. A Discourse of Histo­ry. Considerations on the French elo­quence of these times. Of the Instruction of my Sord the Dauphin. Of Liberty and Servitude. Of the vertues of Pagans with the proofs of the quotations. Four volumes in Octavo of small Treatises. Brief Scep­tical Discourses on that usual form of speech, He has not common sense. Judgment on the Ancient and principal Historians Greek and Latin, of whom there is any thing extant. Letters con­cerning the late Remarques on the French Tongue. One volume in quarto of small Treatises, by way of Letters written to di­verse learned persons. Another volume of [Page 239] the same not yet printed. A Princes Geographie, a Princes Ethicks, a Princes Rhetorick, for Monsieur the Duke of Anjou. A Princes Oeconomicks, Politicks, and Logick, for the King. These three last, are not yet printed.

PRIEZAC. Daniel de Priezac, Counsel­lor of State in ordinary, born at Priezac-Castle in Limosin. His printed works are, Observations against the Abbot of Melrose's book intïtled, Philip the Prudent. Vindiciae Gallicae. Three volums of the priviledges of the Virgin. D [...]sceptatio legitima, in contro­versia mota inter Apostolicae Camerae cogni­torem, Actorem: & Eminentissimos Cardi­nales Barberinos, excellentissimumque urbis Romae praefectum; Defensores. One volume in quarto of Politick Discourses. He is now composing a second.

PATRU. Oliver Patru, a Parisien, Ad­vocate in Parlement. There is of his, A Translation of the Oration pro Archia, which is one of the eight, translated by se­veral Authors. A Prefatory Epistle to Car­dinal de Richelieu, under the name of the Elzivirs before de Laets New world. Ano­ther to President la Mesme, for the widow and children of Camusat, before The Imi­tation of Jesus Christ, translated by Father Antonie Girard, Jesuite. He has Several Pleadings and other works to print. And 'tis [Page 240] from him that Monsieur de Vaugelas in the Preface to his Remarques, gives us some hopes of a French Rhetorick.

DE BEZONS. Claudius Basin, Seigneur de Bezons, a Parisien, Counsellor of State in ordinary, heretofore Advocate General to the Grand Counsel. There is of his, A Trans­lation of a Treatise of the Prague peace, to which he has not put his name.

SALOMON. Francis Salomon a Bordelois. Counsellor of State, formerly Advocate General to the Grand Counsel. There is of his, A Discourse of Estate to Monsieur Groti­us, and A Paraphrase of a Psalm in verse.

CORNEILLE. Peter Corneille, Advocate General to the Table de Marbre at Rouen, where he was born. He has composed al­ready two and twenty Playes, which are Melite, Clitander, The Widow, La Galerie du Palais, La Suivante, La Place Royale, Medea, The Comick Illusion, The Cid, Ho­race, Cinna, Polyeucte, The death of Pompey, The Lyar first and second parts. Rodogune, Theodore, Heraclius, Don Sancho of Arragon, Andromeda Nicomedes, Pertharite. He has also printed two Books of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, and intends two more.

DU RYER. Peter du Ryer, a Parasien. His works in print are: For prose, the following Translations. The Oration of Cicero [Page 241] for King Deiotarus, and that which is ascri­bed to him, For Peace; which are two of those eight I formerly mentioned. The three Catilinaries, all the Philippicks, and the rest of the Orations of Cicero. The Paradoxes, Offices, and Tusculanes of the same Author, the rest of whose works he intends to Translate. Isocrates's praise of Busiris, Two Tomes of the History of Flanders by Strada. Herodotus, All Se­neca, except that which Malherbe has Translated of him. Livie entire, with the Supplement of Freinshemius. The Supple­ment of the same Author to joyn to the Quintus Curtius of Monsieur de Vaugelas. The life of S. Martyn, by Sulpitius Severus. The King of Portugal's Psalms. Berenice a Tragi-comedy in prose. And for verse he made eighteen Playes, namely, Lisander and Caliste, Argenis the first and second parts, The revenge of Surene, Alcimedon, Cleomedon, Lucrece, Clarigene, Alcinoée, Saul, Esther, Scevola, Themistocles, Nito­cris, Dinamis, Amaryllis, which was for­merly printed without his consent. Two others which are not printed, Aretaphile, and Clitophon and Leucippe. He is finishing the 19th. which he calls Anaxander.

BALLESDENS. John Balesdens, a Pa­risien, Advocate in Parlement and Counsel. He has translated the book called, The Mir­ror of a penitent sinner, and has published the following Manuscripts, out of many more [Page 242] which he has collected, Cartiludium Logi­cae, seu Logica Memorativa, vel Poetica, R. Patris Thomae Murner, cum notis et conjectu­ris, Rudimenta cognitionis Dei & Sui. Pe­tri Seguierii Praesidis infulati. Elogia claro­rum virorum Joannis Popyrii Massonii, in volumes. The Deeds of Conveyance of Dau­phiné to the Crown of France. A Treatise of Aqua-vitae, by M. John Bronant, Physici­an to the King. He also reprinted Aesopes Fables in French of his own correction, for the instruction of the King, with Political and Moral Maximes.

MEZERAY. Francis de Mezeray, a native of the Vicounty of Argentan, in the Diocesse of Sees. He has set forth A Conti­nuation of the Turkish History from the year 1612. to the year 1648. And 3. volums in folio, of the History of France, from the be­ginning of the Monarchy to the Peace of Ver­vins, and intends to continue it to our times.

TRISTAN. Francis Tristan l'Hermite, Gentleman in ordinary to the Duke of Or­leans, born at Souliers Castle in the Pro­vince of la Marche. His works in print are, divers Playes, Mariana, Panthea, The death of Seneca, of Crispus, of the Great Osmar, the folly of the wise. Three Volums of Poems, in­tituled, Les Amours, La Lire, & les vers He­rioques. In prose, one Volume of Letters, and some other small Treatises. He is making a Romance of many volums which he calls, [Page 243] Coromene, an Oriental History. He has also made The Office of the Virgin, in French, which contains divers spiritual pieces, in verse and prose.

DE SCUDERY. George de Scudery, Go­vernor of Nostre-Dame de la Garde, born at Havre de Grace. He has made 16. Dramatick Poems. L [...]gdamon. The Deceiver punished. The generous Slave. The Comedy of Comedians in verse and in prose. Orante. The Bastard. The disguised Prince. The death of Caesar. D [...]d [...]. The liberal Lover. Tyrannical Love. Eudoxa. The illustrious Bassa a Tragicome­dy. Andromira, Axiana, Arminius▪ Many miscellaneous Poems, printed at the end of his Prayes, to the number of ten or twelve thousand verses. The Cabinet which is a Collection of Poems upon Pictures. One volume of several Poems, in quarto. He made The Cardinal de Richelieu's Epitaph, which was printed and afterwards cut in brasse, to set upon his Tomb. He is making an Heroick Poem, which he calls, Rome vanquisht. His works in prose are; An Apo­logy for the Stage [...] Observations on the Cid. Two Letters to the Academy, and one to Mon­sieur de Balzac, upon the same subiect. The Translation of Manzini's works. The illustri­ous Bassa, a Romance in four parts. Two Volumes of Orations of Illustrious women. Politick Discourses of Kings. The Grand Cyrus, a Romance, which will be ten vo­lums.

[Page 244]DOUIAT. John Doujat, a Tolosain, Advocate in Parlement, the Kings sole Reader and Professor of the Canon Law in the Colledge Royal of France. He has divers large works, and in a good forwardnesse, in several Sciences; and particularly two upon the Law, which he calls Praenotiones Cano­nicae & Civiles. He has publisht upon occa­sions several pieces in Latine or French ver­ses. There is a little Spanish Grammer of his, to which he has not put his name, nor to his Dictionary of Gascon words on Gou­delin. He is Author of the Preface to Come­nius's Vestibulum the Copy of which was given him, and of one of the Epitaphs upon Thuanus, which was printed without his knowledge very faulty, in Vittorio Siri, it begins thus, Lege Viator &c.

CHARPENTIER. Francis Charpentier, a Parisien. He has printed The life of Socrates, and the Translation of the memorable things of that Philosopher out of Xenophon's Greek. He has translated likewise all the Cyropaedia; and some pieces of the Emperor Julian; but this is not yet printed. For verse, he has made A Paraphrase of the Psalm, Confi­temini Domino, which is in print; and ma­ny other Poems, which are not.

THE ABBOT TALEMANT. Francis Talemant, born at Rochelle, Almoner to the King. He has Translated some Treatises [Page 245] and some Lives of Plutarch, which he has not printed.

THE MARQUIS OF COASLIN. Ar­mand du Cambout Marquis of Coaslin, Baron of Pontchasteau, and of Roche-Bernard, Lievtenant for the King, in Low Bretagne, born at Paris.