Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-28
THE FRENCH ESOP.
Ia FONTAlNE, THE FABULlST, WAS A
VERY PECULIAR MAN.
observation-disclosures, Inattention and Indo-
lence the Chief characteristics Of This
Man of Remarkable Gentus-Some In
teresting Anecdotes.

most piquant personalities in the history
of literature
La Harpe has said that ''La Eontaine
invented nothing except his style, and the
secret of that died with him." but that is
saying good deal For himself La Fon-
taine counted it nothing to have produced
set of fables which rival and perhaps
eclipse these of 1Esop and Phrdrus He
wrote merely, as he declared, to divert HIM
self. His diversion assumed many forms.
sometimes 1t consisted in long spells of
profound and unadultcratad idlenesS At
others it took the shape of protracted and
concentrated effort upon some object of ac-
tivity-it might be the fighting of duel.
the composition of fable or the observa-
ton and study of animal habit. Whatever
it was that occupied his mind, whether a
vacuum or Il 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
to passing events which nature had built
around Jean La Fontaine.
A volume could DO filled with illustra-
tive anecdotes-as authentic as such anec-
dotes can be. His father held the position
VI COlliiHiSSlUlitr VI IurtstS W INC rtllCn
government at Chateau Thierry. The
young La Fontaine, dispatched one day to
Paris on urgent business, happened to fall
in with a friend ON his arrival in the cap
ital. They dined together and went to the
play. La Fontainc went home next day
"Well, said his father, have you arranged
everything Satisfactorily The youth
opened his eyes with establishment and
had to confess thit he had forgotten all
about the business till that moment. In
time La Fontainc succeeded to his fathers
government post-almost sinccure-and
continued to divert himself by country
life. This meant the total neglect of his
family and his estate and tho omission of
what few official duties he had. He versi-
fed little, read much and loungcd and
dreamed great deal He did not care for
French writers, 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 Fontainc. She
constituted herself his patron, brought
him to Paris and introduced him to the
court society of Louis XIV He became
fast friends with Molere, Boileau and Ra-
cine, and assumed the rGgular-or irregu-
lar-life Of a court poet in the gay and
frivolous capital. But through it all he re-
manned the simple. docile, absentmindcd
dreamer, utterly careless and oblivious Of
the serious side of things. Racuc's relig-
ious scruplcs caused him to demonstrate
with his friend on his prolonged absence
from Nine. La Fontaine who all this
timo had remained at Chateau Thicrry.
La Fontaine readily admitted the justice
of the rcproof, pleaded that the seliishncss
of his conduct had never occurred to him,
and to make amends at once started on q
visit to his wife. He returned from Cha
teau THEORY the next day. Racine in
quired after Mime. La Fontaine. Il did
not see her." said her husband. "How,"
asked Racine, mot sec her? Was she from
homer" Eyes, sine was gone to prayers,
and the servant, not knowing me, would
not let mo stay in the house till she re-
turned.'' He was honestly satisfied that
he had done his duty, and doubtless
straightway forgot both tho incident ard
Mmc. Ia Fontaine.
The extremeness of his apathy is sug
gestcd rather than recorded by the story
that he fell asleep in the thcatcr 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
young man whose conversation Overheard
at table, had pleased him. ''Why," said
his hostess, THAT is your own son."
"Ah," replied La Fontainc, II thought l
had seen him before And, contontcd, 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 ne might present the king with
book of his poems, La Fontaine searched
his pockets in vain, and then trcmblingly
confessed that he had forgotten to bring
the volume with him. The king laughed
at the misadventure and chcarcd the crest
fallen poet with purse 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
Fontainc soon lost his patrimony and be-
came dependent on the pockets of his
friends ard patrons. 1t was his good for
tune to find home ready to his hand al
ways at tfc critical moment. When the
Duchess Of RouillCn was cxiled he was re-
cclNtu lDtt ltT iiDu Dtti-
stoned by Henrietta, daughter of Charles
/ of England and wife OF the Duke of Or
leans. Her death threw La Fontainc on
his beam ends for a monent-if indeed tho
metaphor be applicable to one fated to sail
in smooth waters. But Immediately he
was rescued from distress by Mrnc. dc In
Sabliere, and he enjoyed free rooms. She
had occasion once to discharge her whole
establishment, except" she added as an
aftcrthoaght in narrating the circun-
stance, "my three pets-my cat, my dog
and La Fontainc." The husband of Nine
de Ia Sahiore was cheated in love affair
with an actress and committed suicide mt
the romantic age of SIS. His wife died bro
ken hearted soon afterward.
La Fontaine was once more destitute.
Again q great lady came to his rescue.
Nine. 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 Fontainc. come and live in my
house" she said, without preamble. 81
was just going, madam" he answered
with equal directness. Pail Mall Gazette
The Fisherman and the Bullfrog.
"The bullfrcc'' said a fisherman