was very pleasant to him, and
though he was a little too much inclined to be servile, yet he was
generally an upright man. The story is told of him, that once when in
the bosom of his little family, an attendant of the great duke came to
invite him to dinner at the Hotel de Conde.

He sent back the reply, "I cannot go; I have returned to my family
after an absence of eight days; they have got a fine carp for me, and
would be much disappointed if I did not share it with them."

Boileau and Racine were very intimate friends, and many anecdotes are
related of them. Boileau had wit--Racine humor, and a natural turn for
raillery. The contests of the two were often amusing. The king was much
pleased with the dramatist, and gave him a suit of apartments in the
palace, and the privilege of attending his parties. Madame de Maintenon
made a great favorite of him. He could recite poetry freely, and was
asked to declaim before a young princess. He found that she had been
learning some of his own plays. One of the best of his plays was
performed in the presence of Madame de Maintenon, who liked it so well
that she beseeched him to write a play which should contain no offensive
sentiments. Racine was in agony, for he feared to injure his reputation.
His vow prevented his return to his old employment, yet he feared to
refuse the request. He compromised the matter by dramatising the
touching bible history of Esther. At court the play had a wonderful
success, and the poet tried again upon the story of Atheliah of the
house of Judah; and in "_Athalie_" we have the best of all his dramas.
Singular as it may seem, this play was not well received at court, and
Racine felt mortified. Boileau told him, however, that posterity would
declare it the best of all his plays, and he was right.

It was about this time that the dramatist received the keenest blow
which he had experienced hi his lifetime, and which broke his heart.
Madame de Maintenon was his warm friend, and was extremely fond of his
society. The country was at that time in great distress, and she
conversed with the poet upon the subject. She was much pleased with his
observations, and asked him to commit them to paper, promising that what
he should write should be seen by no eye but her own. He complied with
her request, and while she was one day reading his essay, the king
suddenly entered, and casting his eye upon the paper, demanded the name
of the author. Madame de Maintenon br