Cathos, pronounced Catauj diminutive of Catherine

Catherine and Madeleine are the names of Mme de Rambouillet and Mlle de Scudéry. It is possible that a direct allusion is intended.

54 NOTES [P- ^-ÏO

4. Précieuses ridicules. Précieux, used in both genders as noun or adjective, was at first an honorable title adopted by the men and women who, because of their refinement and elegance of manner, held themselves to be superior to ordinary people. When later attention to refinement became a social fad, précieux received the meaning affected. So Molière characterizes his two young précieuses as ridiculous. L'Esprit précieux is the guiding principle of the Précieux and Précieuses.

5. Mascarille, the most important rôle, taken by Molière himself.

6. Jodelet, also the stage name of one of the members of Molière's troupe.

Pa^e 5.— I. Seigneur, monsieur,

Pa^e 6. — I. pecques provinciales, silly country-girls,