INTRODUCTION

Henri Meilhac lived in Paris ail his life, from 1831 to 1897. He spent his youth, before he set about making books himself, as a bookseller's clerk ; and at an early âge he was writing humorous sketches for the " Journal pour rire." A little later he turned his attention to the stage, where, after a few failures, he achieved great success with a type of light and graceful comedy of which "Frou-frou," written in collaboration with Halévy, is the best-known example. He is said to hâve furnished the exubérant humor to the partnership, and Halévy the chastening and refining élément. He is little known except as a playwright.

The same is not true of Ludovic Halévy^ a brilliant French Jew, and the son of a well-known poet. Halévy was three years younger than his coUaborator, and began life as an officiai in the civil service, always taking a keen interest in political affairs, as witness his valuable "Notes et Souvenirs," published after his active literary life was over. In 1881 he left Meilhac and the field of dramatic composition, and delighted the reading public with a pure and wholesome little romance, " L'Abbé Constantin," which gained him admission to the French Academy three years later — four years before his excoUaborator reached that goal of every French littérateur,

The career of Eugène Marin Labiche (1815-1888), is unique and interesting. He studied law, afterwards became

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