F. 24-30] NOTES

the forms which Mascarille mentions. — The Sonnet had 2 stanzas of 4 verses each, containing the same 2 rhymes; followed by 2 stanzas of 3 verses each, containing 3 rhymes. — The épigramme was a short poem containing a clever hit, ingeniously expressed, often with a satirical turn. — The madrigal was a short poem, without fixed metrical form, expressing a graceful, delicate sentiment. — The making of énigmes (riddles) was one of the favorite amusements of the précieux ^Xià précieuses, — T\i^ portraits, elaborate descriptions of persons, were also very common. — The Cyrus contains a large collection. See Cousin : La Société Française au XVII* Siècle, passim ; Crane, La Société Française au XVII* Siècle, pp. 62-74.

4. mettre en madrigaiiz. It is not certain that this is a hit at any known metrical version.

Pagre 25« — i. je vous die, an old form of the subjunc. present. See Littré, Dire, Rem. i.

2. impromptu. This extempore poem usually took the shape of a madrigal or an épigramme,