The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-21
MOIIERE.

With the establishment of a French theatre among us---in New York City the brilliant comedies of Moliere take on an added interest
 In 1S44, on Jan Is, the 'Fontaine- Mohere'' Cfoliere Fountain) was hed- fcated in Paris, a monument to the great French Drarnatist. It contains g. public fountain with a. monument and stands opposite the house in which MoHere died.
 Moliere, who is to French comedy what Recine is to French tragedy, was born at Paris in 1922 He was the son of g. Jean Poquelin, purveyor of furniture to the Court of Louis XIV. Mohere's real name was Jean Batiste Poquelin. He took the name of Mo dere"---nom de theatre---on becom- ing an actor. Wise Inani---there is a great deal in a name, Shakespeare to the contrary. Henry Irvings real name was John BrodrDdb.'' He knew that he would make no success with that name. Kpling could never have signed Joseph R. Kiphng.''
 Moliere adopted the career of an ac- tor in 1S43. Financial embarrassme ents [ compelled him to leave Paris for 12 years, and to tour the provinces. But this strolling life was of strange and remarkable benefit to his art. He saw 1 how miserable most of the plays pre- scented were. And how the public craved something fresh and original. At first he he-gilded old pieces with the alchemy of his genius. And then he began to write short farces. He 1 was most successful. He became manager as we'll as actor.
 In 1853 at Lyons he wrote '"The Blunderer'' GEtourd) almost at a sitting, and It's success was instanta-
 neous.
 In 1858 MoHere returned to Paris. He obtained the patronage of the kings Louis xIV.) only brother, the Duke of Anjou, and his theatrical
 company began its existence a
 Paris troupe in the Petit Bourbon near the old Louvre. One comedy success after another followed, and Paris was taken by storm.
 And now Moliere was invited by
 Louis XIV. to occupy the great hal
 of the Palais Royal. It was at this
 time that the king conferred on him
 the honor of his fathers position ot
 valet taptssier de chambre du roi.
 It had been Moliere's confidence
 in himself that had won out in Paris
 For, his first piece, presented before
 the Grand Monarque failed, and Mo Here had pleaded, '-Sdre, let me onl! , present to you one more!' And tha;
 one more had won! Alas the nex
 step changed all Moliere's subsequen life; his marriage. In the 6esperatel.
 mysterious lottery of wedlock he dreV the wrong card. As will be seen il
 Famous Women," he married tn sister, of his leading lady, Armand Bejart And he led a cat and parro life with his leading lady. But, tri umph of genius!---buflt upon aldaman
 tine will, amidst the pecking processe
 at home Moliere went on pouring ou his great comedies that only are ex celled by Shakespeare.
 tMoliere's insight---it was akin t
 intuition---into the foibles of humal
 nature was absolutely amazing. H l. knew how to turn his knowledge int what would be called copy today His wit was keen, his hunor alway genial. His men and women embrac
 every social class.
 When we look back at the momen : he re-entered Paris, we see how in finitely the bragged-of civilization o l today 1ags behind. The Hove of tn : arts was so great in 1858 when Mo 3 Hers obtained the patronage of tn kings brother-hfs help, the help o I his name, and doubtless of his larg = purse. If he had not had that stron; Il Scaffoldtng on Wh1cn 10 pu1ld, n g might have failed utterly. What mil = lfonaire today, what deci-nillionairt n will have faith in struggling genius
 NOT ONE! To their shame be
 said.
 = When the writer, or the painte h succeeds abroad, oh, the nillionair
 of America pours invitations an 7, compliments. But, that writer c 3 painter-a WhistIeT-a Sargent 0 Henry James g. Henry Irving If would have perished in a broken gal
 ret in the United Staetes