Part 2

1626. Birth of Marie de Rabutin-Chantal 214 Account of this noble Family 214 1627. Her Father, Baron de Chantal, slain at the Isle of Rhé 215 Account of the De Coulanges Family 215 The Breton Race described 216 1644. Ætat. 18. Mademoiselle de Rabutin-Chantal marries Henry Marquis de Sévigné 216 Cardinal de Retz and the Fronde 217 Count de Bussy-Rabutin, Cousin of Madame de Sévigné 217 Ninon de l'Enclos 217 Marquis de Sévigné falls in a Duel with the Chevalier d'Albret 218 The Prince de Conti 219 Hôtel de Rambouillet 220 Cardinal de Retz imprisoned, and escapes 220 Disgrace and Trial of Fouquet, Minister of Finance 222 Letters of Madame de Sévigné 224 1664. Fêtes at Versailles 225 Louis XIV. takes a Part in the Tournament and Jousts 225 His Affection for Mademoiselle de la Vallière 225 Benserade, the Court Poet 226 Mademoiselle de Sévigné appears in the Ballets at Court 226 1669. Her Marriage with the Count de Grignan 227 Correspondence of the Marchioness de Sévigné addressed to her Daughter, Madame de Grignan 227 Count and Countess de Grignan repair to Provence, of which he is Lieutenant-Governor 228 Ninon de l'Enclos again the Cause of Affliction 230 Countess de la Fayette 231 Monsieur and Madame de Coulanges, Cousins of Madame de Sévigné 232 Dialogue, Supposititious, of M. de Coulanges and M. de Bussy-Rabutin 232 Celebrity for Talent of Madame de Coulanges 234 Poetry of that Lady's Husband 235 M. Corbinelli 236 Madame de Maintenon 237 D'Argenson and Corbinelli, amusing Anecdote of 237 1675. Death of Turenne 238 1676. Madame de Sévigné attacked with Rheumatism 244 1677. Ætat 51. Visited by her Daughter, who falls ill also 245 Their Residence in Paris 246 Account of the Chevalier de Grignan 246 1680. Ætat. 54. Madame de Sévigné visits her Estate of Aux Rochers, in Britany 248, 252 Marriage of the Marquis de Sévigné, Son of Madame de Sévigné 249 Further Letters to Madame de Grignan 251 James II. established at St. Germain 251 Duke and Duchess de Chaulnes 252 1690. Ætat. 64. Marchioness of Sévigné resides with Madame de Grignan in Provence 254 The Family of de Grignan 254 1695. Pauline de Grignan married to the Marquis de Simiane 248, 254 1696. Ætat. 70. Death of Madame de Sévigné 248, 254 Count de Bussy-Rabutin's Character of his celebrated Cousin 248, 254 Countess de la Fayette's Portrait of her 255 Voltaire's opinion of her Taste 256 Her Character 253 Madame de Sévigné was a Jansenist 257 The Dragonnades against the Protestants of France 257 No Posterity existent of the Family of de Sévigné 258

BOILEAU.

1636-1711.

Celebrated Era of Louis Quatorze 259 1636. Birth of Nicholas Boileau, known also by the Name of M. Despréaux 259 He displays a turn for Poetry at the College of Beauvais 260 His first Ode 261 1656. Ætat. 20. Boileau studies the Law 261 He addicts himself to Letters 261 Rise of Literature in France 262 The Dramatic Poets 262 Jean Chapelain's Poem of "La Pucelle" 262 Colbert, Prime Minister 262 Satire of Boileau 263 French Poets 265 Prince de Condé's Society of Literary Men at Chantilly 266 Boileau's Learned Friends 267 1666. Ætat. 30. He publishes his Satires 269 1667. His Eighth Satire 270 "L'Art Poétique" 270 "Le Lutrin" 271-278 Parallel of Boileau and Pope by Mr. Leigh Hunt 271-278 1677. Ætat. 41. Is pensioned by Louis XIV. 279 Friendship of Boileau for Racine 279 They are appointed Historiographers 279 1678. They attend Louis XIV. to the Siege of Ghent 280 Campaign of these Poets 281 Boileau, leaves the military duties to Racine 281 Abbé Arnauld and the Jansenists 283 Boileau joins the Jansenists 283 He is elected of the French Academy 284 1687. Ætat. 51. Visits the Baths of Bourbon for Health 285 1692. Ætat. 56. His attack on Charles Perrault 287 Boileau's Satire on Women 288 Racine's explanations of his and Boileau's Pensions 289 Boileau's great Regard for Jean Racine 289 His House at Auteuil 290 1698. Ætat. 62. Is named sole Historiographer on the Death of Racine 291 Latter Years of the Satirist passed in Tranquillity and Happiness 291 Louis Racine, Son of the Dramatic Poet 291 Boileau sells his House at Auteuil 292 His Piety and strict Observances 293 Prepares a complete Edition of his Works 293 His "Dialogue on the Romances" 293 1711. Ætat. 75. His Death 293 His Character for Wit 294 The "Lutrin" his best Poem 295

RACINE.

1639-1699.

1639. Birth of Jean Racine 297 His Education at Beauvais 297 1655. Ætat. 16. Received as a Pupil at Port Royal 298 Rivalry of the Jesuits and Jansenists 298 His Enthusiasm for the Tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides 299 1660. Marriage of Louis XIV. 300 Racine on this Occasion writes the Ode "Nymphes de la Seine" 301 Chapelain recommends him to the Minister Colbert 301 Racine resides with his Uncle le Père Sconin at Uzès, in Provence 302 His Poem, "The Bath of Venus" 304 Returned to Paris, and employed by Molière in Dramatic Composition 304 1664. Ætat. 25. His "Alexandre" 305, 306 He teaches the celebrated Champmélé to recite 307 He replies to M. Nicole 307 His Tragedies of "Andromach" and "Britannicus" 308 He writes "Bérénice" in rivalry of Corneille on the same Subject 309 Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orléans 309 Partisans of Corneille 309 Racine's Comedy of "Les Plaideurs" 310 1673. He is admitted of the French Academy 312 Duke of Montauzier 312 Racine's "Iphigénie," "Bajazet," and "Mithridate" 312 "Phèdre," and Madame des Houlières' Sonnet on that Tragedy 312 Racine and Boileau, supposed to have written a Reply to Madame des Houlières, are threatened by the Duke of Nevers 313 Racine resolves on renouncing the Tragic Muse 313 1677. Ætat. 38. He meditates becoming Chartreux, but is counselled by his Confessor to marry 313 Character of Madame Racine 314 Their Sons, intended for monastic Life, are thrown into more active Pursuits 314 Their Daughters take the Veil 314 Racine reconciles himself with M. Nicole and the Abbé Arnauld of Port Royal 315 He is named Historiographer conjointly with Boileau 316 His Devotion 316 His Fondnesss for Home, and Paternal Benevolence 317 He attends Louis XIV. in his Campaigns 317 1684. Ætat. 45. His Eloge of Corneille before the French Academy 317 His "Idyl on Peace" 318 His Attendance at Court 319 His excellent Recitation 319 "Esther" 320 "Athalie," his best Tragedy 320 Madame de Maintenon and Racine 321-325 1699. Death of Racine 326 Criticism on the Tragedies of Jean Racine 327

FÉNÉLON.

1651-1715.

1651. Birth of François de Salignac de la Mothe Fénélon 329 His charitable and devout heart 329 His Father the Count de Fénélon 329 His Mother of an illustrious Family 329 His early Acquaintance with Greek and Latin Literature, and Powers of Composition 330 1669. Ætat. 18. The Abbé de Fénélon takes his Degree in the University of Cahors 331 Visits his Uncle, the Marquis de Fénélon, at Paris 331 1670. Ætat. 19. His Success in Preaching 331 1675. Ætat. 24. His Zeal in Ministerial Duties 332 Wishes to go as Missionary to Canada 332 His religious fervour 333 Louis XIV. commissions him to preach to the Huguenots in Poitou 332 Fame of Bossuet, then Bishop of Condom 334 Le Père Bourdaloue surpasses in eloquent Discourses his Master Bossuet 334 Bossuet, Governor of the Dauphin, writes his "Discours sur l'Histoire Universelle" 334 Fénélon "on Female Education" 335 1689. Ætat. 38. Duke de Beauvilliers appoints Fénélon a Preceptor to the Grandsons of Louis XIV. 336 Celebrated Men employed as Preceptors to the Princes 336 Fénélon appointed Archbishop of Cambrai 339 Controversial Spirit of the Age 339 Affair of Madame Guyon's Visions and Mysticism 340 Bossuet and other Divines commissioned to inquire into her Doctrines 343 Bossuet, now Bishop of Meaux, writes the "Instruction sur les États de l'Oraison," and desires Fénélon's Approval thereof 343 The Archbishop of Cambrai refuses, and writes his "Explication des Maximes des Saints sur la Vie Intérieure" 344 The Controversy of the Two celebrated Divines has an unfortunate Result in the Division of the Gallican Church on the Doctrines in question 345 Louis XIV. prejudiced against Fénélon 345 Madame de Maintenon's Coldness to him 345 1697. Ætat. 46. Fénélon exiled to his See 346 The Dispute between MM. de Meaux and Cambrai referred to Rome 347 Innocent XII. appoints a Commission, and calls upon those Prelates for a formal Statement of their Opinions 348 Louis XIV. erases the Name of Fénélon from the List of Preceptors to the Princes 349 Calmness and Charitable Sentiments of Fénélon under the indignities offered him 349 1699. Ætat. 48. The Pope's Brief condemning the "Maximes des Saints" of Fénélon 352 Exemplary Obedience of Fénélon, and his Pastoral Letter on the Occasion 353 The Brief against him is registered, and Bossuet draws up a Report 355 1714. Death of Bossuet, without any Reconciliation with Fénélon 356 "Télémaque" 337, 356 Admirable Deportment of Fénélon in the See of Cambrai 357 His Sermons 358 His Seminary for the Instruction of the younger Clergy 358, 360 His Doctrine 360 Fénélon an Opponent of Jansenism 362 He explains the Mistakes of Pascal in the "Provincial Letters" 362 The Campaigns in Flanders 362 The Duke of Burgundy obtains Louis's permission to visit the Archbishop of Cambrai 364 Famine the Result of War 365 1709. Ætat. 58. Fénélon's active Charity to the Soldiery and the People 365 1711. The Death of the Dauphin overwhelms Fénélon with grief as a national Misfortune 360 Death of Fénélon's chief Friends 366 1713. Louis XIV. relents as to this admirable Prelate 366 1715. Death of Fénélon 367 Demise of Louis XIV. 368 Person, Manners, and Talent of de la Mothe Fénélon 368 His Character given by Sir----Ramsay and other Writers 369 Eloge of Fénélon by d'Alembert 369 Criticism on "Télémaque" 372

TABLE,

ANALYTICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL,

TO THE SECOND VOLUME OF

LIVES OF

EMINENT LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN OF FRANCE.

VOLTAIRE.

1694-1778.

A. D.