FONTANES, LOUIS DE

The impérial régime, so unfavourable to true genius, found its best literary représentative in M. de P'ontanes, who, after tlie events of the i8th Brumaire, attached himself to tlie fortunes of Napoléon, and became président of the Corps législatif. (i%o^), member of the Senate (1810) and grand-master of the University (1808). An important part of his duty consisted in panegyrizitig, and he did so witli better taste than might hâve been expected. His poetical compositions are not numerous, the best being his lyrics. M. Sainte-Beuve, who was a great but judicious admirer of M. de Fontanes, remarks {Portraits littéraires, vol. î), "Bien qu'on n'ait pas retrouvé les quatre livres d'odes dont il parlait à un ami un an avant sa mort, il en a laissé une suffisante quantité de belles, de sévères, et surtout de charmantes." We transcribe two of the bcbt.