aintenon. His famous tragedies of Esther and Athalie were
written at Madame de Maintenon's request for her special institution of
St. Cyr, and the performances were honoured by the presence of the King.
Racine himself directed the rehearsals and the music was composed by
Jean Baptiste Moreau, organist of St. Cyr. The youthful actresses showed
wonderful aptitude in interpreting the passionate, tender verses of the
poet. Young imaginations worked and jealousies and rivalries ran high.
After a certain number of representations Mme. de Maintenon was obliged
to suspend the performances in public, with costumes and music. The
plays were only given in private at the Maison de St. Cyr; the young
scholars playing in the dress of the establishment. He made his peace
with Port Royal before he died. He submitted Phedre to his former
masters and had the satisfaction of being received again by the "Grand
Arnauld,"[10] who had been deeply offended by his ingratitude and his
criticisms and ridicule of many of his early friends and protectors. He
asked to be buried there, and his body remained until the destruction
and devastation of Port Royal, when it was removed to Paris and placed
in the Church of St. Etienne des Monts.

[10] "Le Grand Arnauld" (Antoine), one of the first and most
influential of the celebrated "Solitaires" who established themselves
at Port Royal, and one of the founders of the famous sect of
Jansenists whose controversies with the Jesuits convulsed the whole
religious world in France during the years 1662-1668. He was followed
in his retreat by his mother (after the husband's death), his brother
and four sisters, one of whom became the "Mere Angelique," Abbesse of
Port Royal.

He returned many times to La Ferte-Milon, and the great poet and
private historian of the Roi Soleil must often have climbed the steep
little street that leads to the ruins, and thought of the changes, since
the little boy lay on the grass at the foot of the great walls, dreaming
golden dreams of the future, which for him were so brilliantly realised.

In a small country town one is slow to adopt new ideas, slower still to
carry them out, but the Mayor and cure were both most anxious to do
something in the birthplace of the poet, and that was the general
feeling in the Department. After many discussions we finally arrived at
a solution, or at least we decided what we wanted: a special service in
the fine old church of Notre Dame, which stan