Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1895-07-11

Man of Remarkable Genius-some In
teresting Anecdotes.
la Fontaine the inimitable French
fabulist, died on April 10, 1896. The bi
centenary of this event recalls one OF the
most piquant personalities In the history
of literature.
La Harpe has said that LA Fontaine
invented nothing except his STYLE and the
secret of that died with him., but that is
saying n good deal. For himself La Fon-
tame counted il nothing TO have produced
a set of fables which rival and perhaps
eclipse those of Esop and Phedrus He
wrote merely, as he declared, to divert him
self His diversion assumed many forms
Sometimes 1t consisted in long spells OF
profound and unauthorized idleness. At
others it took the shape of protracted and
concentrated effort upon some object of ao-
tivity-it might be the fighting OF duel
the composition of n fable or the observa-
tion and study of animal habit Whatever
IL was that occupied his mind, whether a
vacuum or a verse, it engrossed the mans
whole being, SO that to the outside world
he seemed like one living in series of
hypnotic frances. 1t needed a strong shock
to break through the wall of inattention
~ DdSSlnR tNtnlS NIlIll lau Duhl
around Jean la Fontaine.
A volume could be filled with illustra-
tive anecdotes-as authentic as such anec-
dotes can be. His father held the position
of commissioner of forests TO the French
government at Chateau Thierry. The
young La Fontaine, dispatched one day to
Paris on urgent business, happened to fall
in with friend on his arrival in the cap
ital They dined together and went to the
play La Fontaine went home next day.
"Well said his father, have you arranged
everything satisfactorily" The youth
opened his eyes with establishment and
had TO confess that he had forgotten all
about the business till that moment. In
time La Fontaine succeeded to his fathers
government post-almost "a sineoure-and
continued to divert himself by country
life. This meant the total neglect of his
family and his estate and the omission of
what few official duties he had He versi.
fed a little, read much and lounged and
dreamed great deal. He did not care for
French writer's, preferring Latin, Greek
and Italian, because they diverted him
more. -
CHANGING TO see some of his fugitive
lines the Duchess of Bouillon perceived
the incipient genius of La Fontaine. She
constituted herself his patron, brought
him to Paris and introduced him to the
court society of Louis XIV. He became
fast friends with Moliere Boileau and RAJ
cine, and assumed the regulator irregu-
lar-life of court poet in the gay and
frivolous capital. But through it all he re-
manned the simple docile, absentminded
dreamer, utterly careless and oblivious OF
the serious side of things. Racine's relig
ious scruples caused him to demonstrate
with his friend on his prolonged absence
from Nine. La Fontaine who all this
time had remained at Chateau Thierry.
La Fontaine readily admitted the justice
of the reproof, pleaded that the selfishness
of his conduct had never occurred ~ him,
and to make amends at once started ON a
visit to his wife. He returned from Cha
teau Thicrry the next day. Racine in
quired after Mime. La Fontaine. Il did
not see her, said her husband. "How, "
asked Racine mot see herr Was she from
homer" Eyes, she was gone to prayers,
and the servant, not knowing me, would
not let me stay in the house till she re-
turned" He was honestly satisfied that
he had done his duty, and doubtless
straightway forgot both the incident and
Nine La Fontaine.
The extremeness OF his apathy is sug-
gested rather than recorded by the story
that he fell asleep in the theater during
the first performance of an opera he had
written. 1t is seriously narrated by most
of his biographers that once when dining
| out he requested to be introduced TO q
| young man whose conversation overheard
at table, had pleased him. why said
his hostess, THAT is your own son. F"
| "Ah, " replied La Fontaine, Il thought /
had seen him before" And, contented, he
passed on to talk to some one else. There
is greater probability of authenticity in
the story that when introduced TO Louis
| XIV, that he might present the king with
book Of his poems, La Fontaine searched
his pockets in vain, and then tremblingly
confessed that he had forgotten To bring
the volume with him The king laughed
| at the misadventure and cheered the crest
fallen poet with apurse of gold. The event
| failed to stimulate his dormant faculties
he left his purse of gold behind In the
carriage
Good natured, improvidcnt, easy going
and entirely devoid of business capacity. La
Fontaine soon lost his patrimony and be-
came dependent on the pockets of his
| friends and patrons 1t was his good for
tune to find home ready to his hand al
ways at the critical moment When the
Duchess of Bouillon was exiled he was re-
ceived into her establishment and pen.
stoned by Henrietta, daughter Of Charles
Of England and wife of the Duke Of Or
leans Her death threw La Fontaine on
his beam ends for moment--if indeed the
metaphor be applicable to one fated to sail
I'm smooth waters. But Immediately he
was rescued from distress by Nine. dc In
Sabliere, and he enjoyed free rooms. She
had occasion once 10 discharge her whole
establishments except she added rs an
afterthought in narrating the circum-
stance my three pets-my cat, my dog
and La Fontaine." The husband OF Nine.
de la Sabliere was cheated in love affair
with an actress and committed suicide at
the romantic age OF So. His wife died bro
ken hearted soon afterward
La Fontaine was once more destitute.
Again great lady came to his rescue.
Mine d Hervart, having heard of his dis
tress, proceeded to offer him an asylum in
her house Setting out on that very err
rand. she met the poor poet in the street.
La Fontane. come and live in my
house, " she said, without preamble. 81