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feeling man might shrink from profiting by the attackshe made on others. Another instance is given of hisscrupulousness in money matters. He enjoyed for someyears an income arising from a benefice. His veneratedfriend, M. de Lamoignon, represented to him that hecould not conscientiously, as a layman, enjoy the revenuesof the church ; and he not only gave up his benefice, but,calculating how much he had received during the yearsthat he enjoyed it, he distributed that sum among thepoor of the place. Another anecdote is told of his ge-nerosity. M. Patin was esteemed one of the cleverestmen of the times, as well as one the most excellent andvirtuous. His passion for literature was such, that heneglected his profession as advocate for its sake, and fellinto indigence. He was forced to sell his library: Boileaubought it, and then begged his friend to keep possessionof it as long as he lived. He was, indeed, generallykind-hearted and generous to authors, unchecked by anyill conduct on their part. Often he lent money to amiserable writer, Liniere, who would go and spend it atalehouses, and write a song against his creditor. Theeconomy that allowed him to be thus generous was in-deed praiseworthy, and did not arise from love of money,but a spirit of independence, and the power of self-denial in matters of luxury.

The only thing that seems to have unpleasantly dis- 1687.turhed his easy yet busy life was a delicate state of i ® tat ‘health, and he grew more ailing as he grew older. Atone time an affection of the chest caused him to losehis voice, and he was ordered to drink the waters of thebaths of Bourbon as a means of regaining it. Hiscorrespondence with Racine on this occasion is published.Boileau’s letters are the best, the most witty, easy, andamusing. Racine relates how each day the king inquiredafter his health, and was eager for his return to court;while Boileau laments over his continued indisposition.There was a dispute among the physicians, as to hisbathing in the waters as well as drinking them : someof the learned declaring such an act fatal, while others