Books and Bookmen [45]
of Moliere, yet Anne of Austria had not only seen
his comedy, but possessed this beautiful example of the first
edition. M. Paul Lacroix supposes that this copy was offered to the
Queen-Mother by Moliere himself. The frontispiece (Arnolphe
preaching to Agnes) is thought to be a portrait of Moliere, but in
the reproduction in M. Louis Lacour's edition it is not easy to see
any resemblance. Apparently Anne did not share the views, even in
her later years, of the converted Prince de Conty, for several
comedies and novels remain stamped with her arms and device.
The learned Marquise de Rambouillet, the parent of all the
'Precieuses,' must have owned a good library, but nothing is
chronicled save her celebrated book of prayers and meditations,
written out and decorated by Jarry. It is bound in red morocco,
double with green, and covered with V's in gold. The Marquise
composed the prayers for her own use, and Jarry was so much struck
with their beauty that he asked leave to introduce them into the
Book of Hours which he had to copy, "for the prayers are often so
silly," said he, "that I am ashamed to write them out."
Here is an example of the devotions which Jarry admired, a prayer to
Saint Louis. It was published in 'Miscellanies Bibliographiques' by
M. Prosper Blanchemain.
PRIERE A SAINT-LOUIS,
ROY DE FRANCE.
Grand Roy, bien que votre couronne ayt este des plus esclatantes de
la Terre, celle que vous portez dans le ciel est incomparablement
plus precieuse. L'une estoit perissable l'autre est immortelle et
ces lys dont la blancheur se pouvoit ternir, sont maintenant
incorruptibles. Vostre obeissance envers vostre mere; vostre
justice envers vos sujets; et vos guerres contre les infideles, vous
ont acquis la veneration de tous les peuples; et la France doit a
vos travaux et a vostre piete l'inestimable tresor de la sanglante
et glorieuse couronne du Sauveur du monde. Priez-le incomparable
Saint qu'il donne une paix perpetuelle au Royaume dont vous avez
porte le sceptre; qu'il le preserve d'heresie; qu'il y face toujours
regner saintement vostre illustre Sang; et que tous ceux qui ont
l'honneur d'en descendre soient pour jamais fideles a son Eglise.
The daughter of the Marquise, the fair Julie, heroine of that "long
courting" by M. de Montausier, survives in those records as the
possessor of 'La Guirlande de Julie,' the manuscript book of poems
by eminent hands. But this manuscript seems to have been all the
library of Julie; therein she could constantly read of her own
perfections. To be sure she had also 'L'Histoire de Gustave
Adolphe,' a hero for whom, like Major Dugald Dalgetty, she cherished
a supreme devotion. In the 'Guirlande' Chapelain's verses turn on
the pleasing fancy that the Protestant Lion of the North, changed
into a flower (like Paul Limayrac in M. Banville's ode), requests
Julie to take pity on his altered estate:
Sois pitoyable a ma langueur;
Et si je n'ay place en ton coeur
Que je l'aye au moins sur ta teste.
These verses were reckoned consummate.
The 'Guirlande' is still, with happier fate than attends most books,
in the hands of the successors of the Duc and Duchesse de
Montausier.
Like Julie, Madame de Maintenon was a precieuse, but she never had
time to form a regular library. Her books, however, were bound by
Duseuil, a binder immortal in the verse of Pope; or it might be more
correct to say that Madame de Maintenon's own books are seldom
distinguishable from those of her favourite foundation, St. Cyr.
The most interesting is a copy of the first edition of 'Esther,' in
quarto (1689), bound in red morocco, and bearing, in Racine's hand,
'A Madame la Marquise de Maintenon, offert avec respect,--RACINE."
Doubtless Racine had the book bound before he presented it. "People
are discontented," writes his son Louis, "if you offer them a book
in a simple marbled paper cover." I could wish that this worthy
custom were restored, for the sake of the art of binding, and also
because amateur poets would be more
his comedy, but possessed this beautiful example of the first
edition. M. Paul Lacroix supposes that this copy was offered to the
Queen-Mother by Moliere himself. The frontispiece (Arnolphe
preaching to Agnes) is thought to be a portrait of Moliere, but in
the reproduction in M. Louis Lacour's edition it is not easy to see
any resemblance. Apparently Anne did not share the views, even in
her later years, of the converted Prince de Conty, for several
comedies and novels remain stamped with her arms and device.
The learned Marquise de Rambouillet, the parent of all the
'Precieuses,' must have owned a good library, but nothing is
chronicled save her celebrated book of prayers and meditations,
written out and decorated by Jarry. It is bound in red morocco,
double with green, and covered with V's in gold. The Marquise
composed the prayers for her own use, and Jarry was so much struck
with their beauty that he asked leave to introduce them into the
Book of Hours which he had to copy, "for the prayers are often so
silly," said he, "that I am ashamed to write them out."
Here is an example of the devotions which Jarry admired, a prayer to
Saint Louis. It was published in 'Miscellanies Bibliographiques' by
M. Prosper Blanchemain.
PRIERE A SAINT-LOUIS,
ROY DE FRANCE.
Grand Roy, bien que votre couronne ayt este des plus esclatantes de
la Terre, celle que vous portez dans le ciel est incomparablement
plus precieuse. L'une estoit perissable l'autre est immortelle et
ces lys dont la blancheur se pouvoit ternir, sont maintenant
incorruptibles. Vostre obeissance envers vostre mere; vostre
justice envers vos sujets; et vos guerres contre les infideles, vous
ont acquis la veneration de tous les peuples; et la France doit a
vos travaux et a vostre piete l'inestimable tresor de la sanglante
et glorieuse couronne du Sauveur du monde. Priez-le incomparable
Saint qu'il donne une paix perpetuelle au Royaume dont vous avez
porte le sceptre; qu'il le preserve d'heresie; qu'il y face toujours
regner saintement vostre illustre Sang; et que tous ceux qui ont
l'honneur d'en descendre soient pour jamais fideles a son Eglise.
The daughter of the Marquise, the fair Julie, heroine of that "long
courting" by M. de Montausier, survives in those records as the
possessor of 'La Guirlande de Julie,' the manuscript book of poems
by eminent hands. But this manuscript seems to have been all the
library of Julie; therein she could constantly read of her own
perfections. To be sure she had also 'L'Histoire de Gustave
Adolphe,' a hero for whom, like Major Dugald Dalgetty, she cherished
a supreme devotion. In the 'Guirlande' Chapelain's verses turn on
the pleasing fancy that the Protestant Lion of the North, changed
into a flower (like Paul Limayrac in M. Banville's ode), requests
Julie to take pity on his altered estate:
Sois pitoyable a ma langueur;
Et si je n'ay place en ton coeur
Que je l'aye au moins sur ta teste.
These verses were reckoned consummate.
The 'Guirlande' is still, with happier fate than attends most books,
in the hands of the successors of the Duc and Duchesse de
Montausier.
Like Julie, Madame de Maintenon was a precieuse, but she never had
time to form a regular library. Her books, however, were bound by
Duseuil, a binder immortal in the verse of Pope; or it might be more
correct to say that Madame de Maintenon's own books are seldom
distinguishable from those of her favourite foundation, St. Cyr.
The most interesting is a copy of the first edition of 'Esther,' in
quarto (1689), bound in red morocco, and bearing, in Racine's hand,
'A Madame la Marquise de Maintenon, offert avec respect,--RACINE."
Doubtless Racine had the book bound before he presented it. "People
are discontented," writes his son Louis, "if you offer them a book
in a simple marbled paper cover." I could wish that this worthy
custom were restored, for the sake of the art of binding, and also
because amateur poets would be more