introduced into France, used to congregate in this place of resort. The
fruits of this study may be easily discerned in those original draughts
of character from the middling and lower classes with which his pieces
everywhere abound.

Molière's celebrated farce of _Les Précieuses Ridicules_; a piece in only
one act, but which, by its inimitable satire, effected such a revolution
in the literary taste of his countrymen, as has been accomplished by few
works of a more imposing form--may be considered as the basis of the
dramatic glory of Molière, and the dawn of good comedy in France. The
satire aimed at a coterie of wits who set themselves up as arbiters of
taste and fashion, and was welcomed with enthusiastic applause, most of
them being present at the first exhibition, to behold the fine fabric,
which they had been so painfully constructing, brought to the ground by a
single blow. "And these follies," said Ménage to Chapelin, "which you and
I see so finely criticised here, are what we have been so long admiring.
We must go home and burn our idols." "Courage, Molière," cried an old man
from the pit; "this is genuine comedy." The price of the seats was
doubled from the time of the second representation. Nor were the effects
of the satire merely transitory. It converted an epithet of praise into
one of reproach; and a _femme precieuse_, a _style precieux_, a _ton
precieux_, once so much admired, have ever since been used only to
signify the most ridiculous affectation. There was, in truth, however,
quite as much luck as merit, in this success of Molière; whose production
exhibits no finer raillery, or better sustained dialogue, than are to be
found in many of his subsequent pieces. It assured him, however, of his
own strength, and disclosed to him the mode in which he should best hit
the popular taste. "I have no occasion to study Plautus or Terence any
longer," said he, "I must henceforth, study the world." The world
accordingly was his study; and the exquisite models of character which it