172 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.

and La Fontaine was once more thrown helpless andhomeless upon the world.

The duchess of Bouillon was at this time in Eng-land with her sister, the duchess of Mazarin, who hadtaken up her residence there to avoid breathing thesame air with her husband, when tormenting him hadceased to bean amusement to her. ThepoetSt. Evremond,her friend, had, also, been long established in England.Learning the melancholy state in which La Fontainewas left by the death of madame de la Sabliere, thethree invited him over to England, with an assuranceof being well provided for. Some English persons ofdistinction, who had known La Fontaine at Paris , andadmired his genius, among them lords Godolphinand Danby, and lady Hervey, joined in the invitation.La Fontaine, now infirm and old, and at all times themost indolent of men, could not bring himself to makethe effort. Fie, however, rather hesitated than declined.An opportune present of fifty louis from the duke ofBurgundy, or rather in his name, for he was thenbut a child, decided his refusal.

Notwithstanding this temporary supply, he wouldsoon have been destitute, if he had not become indebtedonce more for a home and its comforts to the friend-ship of a woman. Madame d’Hervart, the wife of arich financier, who had known him at the house ofmadame de la Sabliere, offered him a similar asylum, inher own. Whilst on her way to make the proposalshe met him in the street, and said, without preface orform, “ La Fontaine, come and live in my house.”“ I was just going, madam,” said the poet, with asmuch indifference as if his doing so was the simplestthing in the world ; and this relation of kindness andconfidence subsisted without change to his death. Theprotection and proofs of friendship which La Fontainereceived from the sex reflect honour upon the memoryof his benefactresses. But his is by no means a singleinstance. An interesting volume might be written uponthe obligations which unprotected talents, literature, and