séduisants, charming

6. ne se soutenait dans le monde que par des expédients, kept up his position in society only by means of devices.

Page a — I. l'hôtel de Paris, the Paris house,

2. Saint-Cyr. A military school about fourteen miles from Paris. In the reign of Louis XIV. there was a convent at Saint-Cyr, and, for the young ladies who were its inmates. Racine wrote his religious dramas " Esther '* and " Athalie," which were represented in the convent for the fîrst time.