LE MARIAGE DE MME. PE MAINTENON

38. Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, (1685- 1719,) was the granddaughter of Agrippa d'Aubigné, well known for bis writings, liis attacliment to Protestantism, and liis energetic cbaracter. After the death of lier parents slie was placed in a convent, wbere slie became a Catholic at the âge of about 14 years. At 16 sbe married tbe poet Scarron, wbo was lame, deformed, and mucb older tban berself , bat wbose bouse was frequented bj a refined and intellectual societj. Her beauty and ber intelligence soon made ber promisent even in tbat circle. After tbe deatb of ber busband sbe was reduced to great poverty, but in 1664 sbe was iutrusted witb tbe éducation of two sons of Louis XIV., and soon gained a great ascendency over bim. In 1684, about 18 montbs after tbe deatb of tLe queen, Marie-Tbérèse, tbe king privately married ber. Wben Le died in 1715, sbe retired to St.Cyr, wbere sbe died.

1. J'ai fait une étonnante fortune: I bave been marvellously blessed, I bave liad a wonderful slroke of fortune.

39.-6. Lamartine (1792-1869), a celebrated Frencb poet and a great statesuian. His principal works are Méditations poétiques t Jocelyn, V Histoire des Girondins,

25. Arnauld, Antoine, (1612-1694,) sumamed Le Grand Arnauld, a celebrated tbeologian wbo took tbe défense of Port- Royal and tbe Jansenists against tbe Jesuits.

4:0« — 13. j'en ai bien tâté : I bave experienced, bave bad a great deal of it.

4el • — 5. a force de: by dint of ; from continually.

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