IiA FONTAINE.

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time, what it was to feel personal resentment, andwrote the satire entitled “ Le Florentin.” It is merelya narrative of the affair between him and Lulli, inthe manner of his tales. But he was soon and easilyreconciled ; and he complained afterwards that the littlegall in him was stirred by others on the occasion.

The only symptom of literary ambition ever shownby La Fontaine was his desire to become a member ofthe French academy. A vacancy having occurred in1683, he became a candidate. The devotees at courtopposed and denounced him as a mere writer of frivolousand licentious tales, fit only to rank with Clement Ma-rot and Rabelais , and unworthy of a place in thatgrave and learned body. Yet was he elected the suc-cessor of the great Colbert, whose death had caused thevacancy, and in opposition to Boileau, by a majorityof sixteen to seven. Louis XIV . never interfered inthe elections ; but his sanction was necessary beforethe elected candidate could he received. He withheldhis approbation for several months, from his dislike ofLa Fontaine, and his pique at the rejection of Boileau,then his chief eulogist and historiographer. So anxiouswas La Fontaine during the interval, that he solicitedthe interest of the royal mistress, madame de Monte-span, through her sister, madame de Thiars, and ad-dressed a supplicatory ballad to Louis XIV . Anothervacancy soon occurred; Boileau was elected; and adeputation of the academy waited on Louis to acquainthim. His reply was, “ Your choice of M. Boileau willhe universally approved, and you may now receive LaFontaine. He has promised to he good — (il a pro-mise d’etre sage'").

He certainly wrote fewer tales henceforth ; but itis doubtful whether this did not proceed more fromindolence than the promise of reformation. The pri-vate sittings of the academy, also, “diverted” him, as heexpressed it, during those hours which he beforeconsumed in diverting himself with writing verse. Hisbecoming a member of the academy led to his secondm 4