Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Molière

P. II, 1. 10, The queen Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin had detected in the character of Don Sanche a supposed similarity to that of

Oliver Cromwell, and were displeased at the grandeur with which Corneille had invested the CavcUùr inconnu, who tums out at last to be the king of Aragon. We should add that this anecdote is considered as apocryphal both by Voltaire (Comnuntaire sur Corneille) and M. Guizot {Corneille et son temps).

P. i«» 1. 33« à quoi= auquel.

1. 36. Nicolas Fouquet (161 5 — 1680), a statesman of great ability, but thoroughly unprincipled in every respect Was condenmed, after a long trial, to imprisonment for life.

P. 13, l. 8. mariage du roi, with the princess Maria Theresa of Spain (1638 — 1683) in 1659.

L 9. piice à mac Aines, i.e. opéras, plays in which machinery is required.

L 12. à ta (mode) moderne,

1. «3. joui de cet aveu, enjoyed the privilège of having that acknow ledgment. Jean Mairet (1604 — 1686). His best tragédies are .Si?/A^ nisbe (1639), and CUopûlre (1630).

P. 14, L 3. un jeune auteur. Racine is hère alluded to.

1. 6. quelques femmes. Madame de Sévigné is the most celebrated amongst them. She said in one of her letters : '' Vive donc notre vieil ami Corneille I Pardonnons-lui de méchants vers en faveur des divines et sublimes beautés qui nous transportent. Ce sont des traits de maître qui sont inimitables " (Letter dated March 16, 1672).