IV INTRODUCTION

the Stage of the Palais-Royal théâtre in Paris, was played the 2nd of July, 1838, and was well received. Henceforûi Labiche devoted himself entirely to the production of plays, writing many comédies-vaudeville — the whole number comprising môre than a hundred and fif ty pièces.

Among the best known of his plays we may mention Ae f ollowing :

Deux Papas irh bien (1845); Embrassons-nous^ Folleville (1850); Un Garçon de chez Véry {\%^o)\ le Chapeau de paille d'* Italie (185 1); Edgard et sa bonne (1852); Si jamais je te pince! (1855); V Affaire de la rue deLourcine (1857); le Voyage de M, Perrichon (1860); la Poudre aux yeux (1861); les Vivacités du capitaine 71^ (i 861); la Station Champbaudet {i%6i)\ Célimare le bien-aimé ( 1 863) ; Mot ( 1 864) ; Un Mari qui lance sa femme (1864); la Cagnotte (1864); le Papa du prix d^ honneur (1868); le Choix d'un gendre (1869); le Plus heureux des trois (1870); Doit-on le dire? (1873); Madame est trop belle (1874); les Trente Millions de Gladiator(iS7s); le Prix Martin (1876).

Nearly ail of Labiche's comédies were written in collaboration — Lji Grammaire in conjonction with a certain M. Jolly^ author of Le Théâtre de la Cour de Compiègne, In 1880, Labiche became a member of the French Academy — a matter of some surprise considering the greatness of achievement ordinarily required to obtain so signal an honor. Nevertheless his réception speech was brilliant and won universal applause. Labiche's life was uneventful. He died in Paris the 23"! of January, 1888.

The art of Labiche is an exceedingly popular one. His is the frank and gay laughter that springs direcUy from the heart We must not look for an^thing like depth of thought or the teaching of moral lessons — they are not to be found hère. It was not our author's intention to trouble himself about them. He wants to amuse — and he does not care a fig for the rest. But though he aimed chiefly at amusement, it would be a mistake to suppose that he was without genuine wit or the power of observation ; on the contrary there are certain of his comédies which abound in both, revealing exact and fine obser-