obable that, notwithstanding the laurel chaplet worn by Moliere, he
had little faith in the _sic evitabile fulmen_.

This was in 1654. He continued to perambulate the provinces with his
company for several years longer; in 1658 he returned to Paris, and at
last, through the influence of his patron the Prince of Conti, was
introduced to Monsieur, the king's brother, and by him presented to
the king and queen. On October 24th, his company performed in presence
of the royal family, and he obtained the royal license to open a
theatre under the title of "Troupe de Monsieur," in opposition to, or
in emulation of, the comedians of the Hotel de Bourgogne. The pieces
which Moliere had already composed were received with great favor, but
it was not until 1659, that he commenced the honorable satirical war
upon folly and affectation which he waged for so many years. It was
then that he produced "Les Precieuses Ridicules."

The piece was acted for the first time November 18, 1659, and received
with unanimous applause. The public, like children admitted behind the
scenes, saw, with wonder and mirth, the trumpery which they had
admired as crowns, sceptres, and royal robes, when beheld at a
distance--thus learning to estimate at their real value the affected
airs of super-excellence and transcendental elegance assumed by the
frequenters of the Hotel de Rambouillet.

On the other hand, the party which was consequently made the
laughing-stock of the theatre were much hurt and offended, nor was the
injury at all the lighter that some of them had sense enough to feel
that the chastisement was deserved. They had no remedy, however, but
to swallow their chagrin and call themselves by their own names in
future. Menage expressed his own recantation in the words of Clovis,
when he became a convert to Christianity, and told his assembled
Franks they must now burn the idols which they had hitherto adored.
The affectation of the period, such as we have described it, received
a blow no less effectual than that which Ben Jonson, by his satire
called "Cynthia's Revels," inflicted on the kindred folly of euphuism,
or as the author of "The Baviad and Maeviad" dealt to similar
affectations of our own day. But Moliere made a body of formidable
enemies among the powerful and learned, whose false pretensions to wit
and elegance he had so rudely exposed.

Two things were remarkable as attending the representation of this
excellent satire: first, that a