We have lately had fome effays in this fpecies of poetry, published under the

title

her, and arriving at the town, enquired at his houfe for her. The fervant not knowing him, faid, fhe was gone to church: upon which he immediately returned to Paris, and when his friends enquired about his reconciliation, answered, that he had been to fee his wife, but was told that fhe was at church."

In the year 1692 he was feized with a dangerous illness and when the priest came to talk to him about religion, concerning which he had lived in an extreme careleffness, though he had never been either an infidel, or a libertine, Fontaine told him, that "he had lately bestowed fome hours in reading the New Teftament, which he thought a very good book."

Fontaine's life had as little affectation in it as his writings he was all nature, without a grain of art He had a fon, it feems, whom, after keeping a fhort time at home, he recommended to the patronage of the prefident Harlay. Fontaine being VOL. II. C

one

title of Oriental Eclogues, that have very great merit. The language is neither

def

one day at a houfe, where his fon was come, did not know him again; but obferved to the company, that he thought him a boy of parts and fpirit. He was told, that this promifing youth was no other than his own fon; he answered very unconcernedly," Ha! truly I am glad on't." This apathy, which fo many philosophers have vainly affected, was perfectly natural to Fontaine : it went thro' every part of his behaviour, and feemed to render him infenfible to every thing without. As he had a wonderful facility in compofing, fo he had no particular apartment for that purpose, but fell to work, whenever the humour came upon him. One morning, Madame Bouillon going to Verfailles, fpied him in deep thought under a tree; and, when the returned in the evening, there was Fontaine in the fame place and attitude, tho' the day had been cold, and much rain. fallen.

It has been obferved, that the finest writers have ufually been but indifferent companions. This

was

defpicably plain, nor too elegant for pafAnd several of the eclogues

torals.

con

was Fontaine's cafe: for having once been invited to dine at the house of a perfon of distinction, for the more elegant entertainment of the guests, though he eat very heartily, yet not a word could be got from him, and when, rifing foon after from the table, on pretence of going to the academy, he was told he would be too foon, "Oh then, faid he, I'll take the longest way."

Racine once carried Fontaine to the Tenebræ, which is a fervice in the church of Rome, in reprefentation of our Saviour's glory in the garden; and perceiving it too long for him put a Bible into his hands. Fontaine, happening to open it at the prayer of the Jews in Baruch, read it over and over with fuch admiration, that he could not forbear whispering to Racine," This Baruch is a fine writer; do you know any thing of him?" and for fome days after, if he chanced to meet with any person of letters, when the ufual compliments were over, his question was, "Have you ever read C 2

Baruch ?

contain fome very beautiful descriptive lines. How expreffive is the following account of a fultry defart?

In

Baruch? There's a first rate genius:" and this fo loud, that every body might hear him.

Being one day with Boileau, Racine, and other men of note, among whom were ecclefiaflics, St. Aufin was talked of for a long time, and with the highest commendations. Fontaine liftened with his natural air, and at last, after a profound filence, afked one of the ecclefiaftics with the most unaffected ferioufnefs, "Whether he thought St. Auflin1 more wit than Rabelais ?" The doctor, eying F ine from head to foot, anfwered only by obferv that he had put on one of his ftockings the wrong fide outward;" which happened to be the cafe.

The nurfe, who attended Fontaine in his illness, obferving the fervor of the priest in his exhortations, faid to him, "Ah, good Sir, don't disturb him fo; he is rather ftupid than wicked :" and at another time, "God won't have the heart to damn him." Thefe, and many other ftories, are

told

In filent horror o'er the boundless waste,
The driver Haffan with his camels paft:
One crufe of water on his back he bore,
And his light fcrip contain'd a fcanty store;
A fan of painted feathers in his hand,

To guard his shaded face from fcorching fand.
The fultry fun had gain'd the middle sky,
And not a tree, and not an herd was nigh;
The beafts, with pain, their dufky way purfue,
Shrill roar'd the winds, and dreary was the view.
With defp'rate forrow wild, th' affrighted man
Thrice figh'd, thrice ftrook his breast; and thus
began:

"Sad was the hour, and lucklefs was the day,
"When firft for Schiraz walls I bent my way

told of Fontaine, which either are, or, as we suppose, might have been true. One thing, however, must be mentioned to his honour: it is, that his widow being molefted about the payment of fome public money, the intendant gave orders, that no tax or impoft fhould be levied upon his family; nor has this diftinguishing favour ever been revoked by any fucceeding intendants.

* Oriental Eclogues, p. 7.

C 3

This