Scène i. — Page 73. 11 pour vaincre un si fort ennemi. \Ve

see how great is Polyeucte*s love for Pauline, since to resist lier entreaties, he calls to his aid both hir. Lord and the spirit of his martyred friend.

SCENE 2. — Page 74. 1 1 Source délicieuse, en misères féconde. Ail commentators compare this line with Lucretius (iv. 1129): ..." Medio de fonte leporum Surgit amari aliquid, quod in ipsis floribus angat."

The lyric tone of this whole scène is very appropriate in a newly converted Christian who aspires to martyrdom. We ail remember Rodrigue's words, after he has learned that the father of Chimène has inflicted a mortal insuit upon his father ; he gives vent to his despair in beautiful lyric poetry [Le Cid, I. 6). "The Greeks,*" says Voltaire, *' had in their tragédies stanzas of about the same kind. It is in anapesls that Prometheus bewails his lot in yEschylus, Antigone in Sophocles."

Page 75. 5 Elle en a la fragilité. It is observed by Voltaire, that already in 1628 Bishop Godeau, in an ode to Louis XI IL, had said :

" Mais leur gloire tombe par terre.

Et comme elle a l'éclat du verre.

Elle en a la fragilité." We do not believe Corneille to havc been conscious of this apparent plagiarism, but we share Voltaire's opinion, who says, " It would bave been better had he not used thèse verses; he was rich enough with his own." M. Marty-Laveaux, in his turn, quotes from Publius Syrius a verse which Godeau himself may hâve imitated;

" Fortuna vitreaest; tum quum splendet, frangitur." 20 Encore un peu plus outre, yet a little longer ; an unusual meaning of outre.

Page 76. 8 adorables idées, adorable images.

23 coutumières, iisual. This word was rare in Corneille's time. i^ittré says of it, however : " It is again in favor, and is very good to-day."