IV PREFACE

grammatical, historical, and critical. As an introduction to the play I hâve added Fontenelle's Life of Corneille: it is justly popular as a masterpiece in its way, and is, besides, extremely accurate. I should feel happy if the perusal of the présent volume led my readers to study for themselves the whole works of Corneille in the only trustworthy édition which exists of them — that of M. Marty-Laveaux ^.

With respect to Cinna, I need only say hère that it was performed for the first time in 1640. Boileau remarks in his Épitre à Racine:

"... Par les envieux un génie excité Au comble de son art est mille fois monté; Plus on veut l'affaiblir» plus il croît et s'élance: Au Cid persécuté Cinna doit sa naissance."

Some persons hâve likewise supposed that the tragedy we are now examining was.intended by Corneille as a kind of éloquent appeal to the clemency of Cardinal Richelieu on behalf of the inhabitants of Rouen who were rigorously punished for their rébellion in 1639 against the officers of the excise. The story does not seem probable, and whether or no it is founded upon fact, the resuit at any rate did not answer Comeille*s expectations : Richelieu persisted in carrying out his measures of repression 6.

The first édition of Cinna was published in 1643 (4to. pp. iio^); a duodecimo reprint appeared in the course of the same year. Besides thèse two éditions of the separate play, the following impressions of Corneille*s entire works hâve been collated: — 1648, j2mo. ; 1652, i2mo.; 1654, i2mo. ; 1655, i2mo.; 1656, i2mo.; 1660, 8vo.; 1663, fol. ; 1664, 8vo.; 1668, i2mo. ; 1682, i2mo. It would be useless to quota hère the notices which Mr. Hallam, Lord Jeflferey, Sir Walter

^ The édition of Corneille in M. Hachette's collection will form twelve octavo volumes.

• Sce M. Marty-Laveaux's Préface.

' The exact title is as foUows : " Cinna ov la Clémence d'Avgvste, tragédie. Imprimé à Paris aux despens de l'Autheur, et se vendent à Paris chez. Toussainct Quinet. M.D.C.XLITI. avec priuilege du Roy."