CXXXI. POVERTY OF AUTHORS. Rarely does good fortune accompany merit. Homer, poor and blind, recited his verses in squares and highways, to gain his bread. Plautus, the comic poet, lived by turning a mill-wheel. Xelander sold, for a little broth, his Commentary upon Dion Cassius. Aldus Manutius was so poor that he was rendered insolvent merely by the small sum he borrowed to enable him to transport his library from Venice to Rome. Sigismond Galenius, John Bodinus, Lelio Giraldo, Ludovico Castelvetro, Archbishop Usher, and a multitude of other learned men, died in poverty. Agrippa died in the hospital; Cervantes is believed to have died of hunger.* Paolo Borghese, who had written a Jerusalem Delivered on the plan of Tasso, was acquainted with 14 trades, and could not make a living by them all. Tasso was reduced to such extremity, that he was obliged to borrow a crown from a friend for his week's subsistence, and to beg his cat, in a pretty sonnet, to lend him the use of her eyes during the night, "Non avendo candele per scriver suoi versi." And how melancholy is it to see Cardinal Bentivoglio, the ornament of Italy and the belles lettres, and the benefactor of the poor, after so many important services rendered to the public, by his embassies and his writings, languishing in poverty in his old age, selling his palace to pay his debts, and dying without leaving wherewithal to bury him!

In France, André Duchesni, the learned historian; Vaugelas, one of the most polished of writers, and amiable of men; Baudoin, of the Academie

* Probably a mistake for Camoens. Though Cervantes died in indigence, there is no reason to think he actually died of hunger.

Françoise, and De l'Etoile, have lived in misery, and died in poverty.

CXXXII. JEAN DE LAUNOI.

Jean de Launoi, Doctor of Paris, died in 1678, after a life spent in continual labour. Few have written more; for he left 70 volumes of his own composition, almost all written in Latin. He was a critic, terrible both in heaven and earth. He has dethroned more saints than any ten Popes have ever canonized. He investigated the claims of all of them to authenticity, one after the other: and the Curate of St Eustache used to say, "When I meet M. de Launoi, I always bow to the ground, lest he should deprive me of my St Eustache."

CXXXIII. THE FRENCH ACADEMY.

Some learned men used to meet in 1629, to discuss different points of science and literature together. These were, M. Godeau, afterwards Bishop of Grâce, De Gombaut, Geri, Chapelain, Habert, L Abbe Cerisy, Conrart, and Malleville. Some time afterwards they were joined by Faret, Desmarets, and Boisrobert. This last person, who was attached to the household of Cardinal Richelieu, used to report to him the result of these conferences; and the minister, who saw their importance, resolved to give to these assemblies a more regular form. Such was the origin of the Academie Françoise, the number of whose members was fixed at 40, by a royal edict in 1635. At first under the patronage of Richelieu, it passed subsequently under that of the Chancellor Seguier, and Louis the XIV. finally declared himself its patron. The first sittings were held in turn at the house of each Academician; the Chancellor Seguier transferred them to his hotel; and when the King became patron of

the Academy, he provided them with an apartment in the Louvre.

CXXXIV. BIBLIOMANIA.

The Bibliomania has been on the increase among men of letters for a century past: and some wishing to form vast libraries, have searched not only the whole of Europe, but also the East, to discover ancient books and rare manuscripts; which has been the source of many impostures and ridiculous mistakes. Towards the close of last century, some cheats or ignorant persons sent over from India to Paris, a number of Arabian manuscripts, in excellent condition, and written in a very beautiful character. They were received with profound respect by those who knew nothing of the matter; but as soon as those acquainted with the language cast their eyes upon them, they discovered that these rare volumes were common registers and accountbooks of Arabian merchants! Risum teneatis,

amici.

CXXXV. CHANCE.

Chance has frequently assisted the progress of the arts and sciences. Father Malebranche is an instance of this. Having finished the usual course of philosophy and theology, without any other view than that of devoting himself to piety, he never dreamt of the reputation he subsequently acquired: but one day turning over some books by chance in a bookseller's shop, Descartes' " Man" fell into his hands. He read part of it, and felt irresistibly impelled to read the rest. From this circumstance, he was led to embark in those profound meditations which have given birth to so many noble works in physics, metaphysics, and morals, and procured for him the title of the Plato of his age.

CXXXVI. DYING VERSES.

We have several instances of persons who have evinced their strength of mind, by composing verses when on the point of death. The Emperor Adrian, before expiring, as everybody knows, composed the celebrated epigram, " Animula Vagula Blandula." Salmasius, attacked by a mortal disease, while still young, and while in momentary expectation of death, composed his epitaph in verse. Patris, a celebrated Poet of Caen, seeing himself dying, wrote those beautiful verses, so worthy of our attention, "Je songeois cette nuit." Desbarreaux, who had led the life of an Epicurean, composed, before his death, the well-known sonnet, "Grand Dieu, tes Jugemens." Margaret of Austria, about to perish in a tempest at sea, composed her epitaph in verse. And Mademoiselle de Serment, a learned lady of Grenoble, died while finishing these verses, addressed to Death :

-Nectare clausa suo,

Dignum tantorum pretium tulit illa laborum.

CXXXVII. ORIGINES.

Paulus Jovius is the first who has introduced Mottoes: Dorat the first who brought Anagrams into fashion. Rabelais is the first who has written Satires in French prose: Etienne Jodelle the first who introduced Tragedies into France. The Cardinal of Ferrara, Archbishop of Lyons, is the first person who had a Tragi-Comedy performed on our stage, by Italian Comedians. The first Sonnet which appeared in our language, is attributed to Jodelle.

CXXXVIII. VOITURE.

Chavaroche, a Limousin and Intendant of the House of Rambouillet, having a quarrel with Voi

ture, who continually tormented him, compelled him one day to draw his sword, and wounded him slightly in the thigh. The quarrel was made up for a time; but no sooner had Voiture recovered, than he resumed his old habits, by sending a letter "Knowto Chavaroche, which began in this way, ing your great attachment to law-suits, as well as to myself," &c. assuring him, in conclusion, that he would not call him Hog any longer; and that he would bestow upon him the first situation he had in his gift. This was said from his knowledge that Chavaroche was continually hunting after situations of all kinds, and had already contrived to secure several.

CXXXIX. CARDINAL RICHELIEU.

Cardinal Richelieu had composed a comedy, entitled, Europe; of which France, Spain, and the other European states composed the characters. This piece, which was entirely of a political nature, and ill adapted for the stage, was played at the Hotel de Bourgogne, at the same time with the Cid. At the end of the piece, one of the actors came forward to pronounce a magnificent eulogium upon the piece, and to announce it for representation the next day; but a murmur was immediately heard through the house, and a general call for the Cid. The Cardinal withdrew his piece, and was so much annoyed by this incident, that he immediately determined to procure the fall of the Cid, and united all the French Academy in the composition of the celebrated Critique which is known to every one. Before the performance of his Europe, the Cardinal had sent the piece to the Academy, in order that any errors against the rules of the stage or of poetry might be corrected. The Aca