et he had written in his favour, and aimed at
him several satirical bullets. Scarron, however, consoled himself for
this kind of disgrace with those select friends who were not inconstant
in their visits to him. The Bishop of Mans also, solicited by a friend,
gave him a living in his diocese. When Scarron had taken possession of
it, he began his _Roman Comique_, ill translated into English by
_Comical Romance_. He made friends by his dedications. Such resources
were indeed necessary, for he not only lived well, but had made his
house an asylum for his two sisters, who there found refuge from an
unfeeling step-mother.

It was about this time that the beautiful and accomplished Mademoiselle
d'Aubigne, afterwards so well known by the name of Madame de Maintenon,
she who was to be one day the mistress, if not the queen of France,
formed with Scarron the most romantic connexion. She united herself in
marriage with one whom she well knew could only be a lover. It was
indeed amidst that literary society she formed her taste and embellished
with her presence his little residence, where assembled the most
polished courtiers and some of the finest geniuses of Paris of that
famous party, called _La Fronde_, formed against Mazarin. Such was the
influence this marriage had over Scarron, that after this period his
writings became more correct and more agreeable than those which he had
previously composed. Scarron, on his side, gave a proof of his
attachment to Madame de Maintenon; for by marrying her he lost his
living of Mans. But though without wealth, he was accustomed to say that
"his wife and he would not live uncomfortable by the produce of his
estate and the _Marquisate of Quinet_." Thus he called the revenue which
his compositions produced, and _Quinet_ was his bookseller.

Scarron addressed one of his dedications to his dog, to ridicule those
writers who dedicate their works indiscriminately, though no author has
been more liberal of dedications than himself; but, as he confessed, he
made dedication a kind of business. When he was low in cash he always
dedicated to some lord, whom he praised as warmly as his dog, but whom
probably he did not esteem as much.

When Scarron was visited, previous to general conversation his friends
were taxed with a perusal of what he had written since he saw them last.
Segrais and a friend calling on him, "Take a chair," said our author,
"and let me _try on you_ my 'Roman Comique.'" He took h