weep for me so
much as I have made you laugh." A few moments before he died, he said,
that "he never thought that it was so easy a matter to laugh at the
approach of death."

The burlesque compositions of Scarron are now neglected by the French.
This species of writing was much in vogue till attacked by the critical
Boileau, who annihilated such puny writers as D'Assoucy and Dulot, with
their stupid admirers. It is said he spared Scarron because his merit,
though it appeared but at intervals, was uncommon. Yet so much were
burlesque verses the fashion after Scarron's works, that the booksellers
would not publish poems, but with the word "Burlesque" in the
title-page. In 1649 appeared a poem, which shocked the pious, entitled,
"The Passion of our Lord, in _burlesque Verses_."

Swift, in his dotage, appears to have been gratified by such puerilities
as Scarron frequently wrote. An ode which Swift calls "A Lilliputian
Ode," consisting of verses of three syllables, probably originated in a
long epistle in verses of three syllables, which Scarron addressed to
Sarrazin. It is pleasant, and the following lines will serve as a
specimen:--

_Epitre a M. Sarrazin._

Sarrazin
Mon voisin,
Cher ami,
Qu'a demi,
Je ne voi,
Dont ma foi
J'ai depit
Un petit.
N'es-tu pas
Barrabas,
Busiris,
Phalaris,
Ganelon,
Le Felon?

He describes himself--

Un pauvret,
Tres maigret;
Au col tors,
Dont le corps
Tout tortu,
Tout bossu,
Suranne,
Decharne,
Est reduit,
Jour et nuit,
A souffrir
Sans guerir
Des tourmens
Vehemens.

He complains of Sarrazin's not visiting him, threatens to reduce him
into powder if he comes not quickly; and concludes,

Mais pourtant,
Repentant
Si tu viens
Et tu tiens
Settlement
Un moment
Avec nous,
Mon courroux
Finira,
ET CAETERA.

The Roman Comique of our author abounds with pleasantry, with wit and
character. His "Virgile Travestie" it is impossible to read long: this
we likewise feel in "Cotton's Virgil travestied," which has
notwithstanding considerable merit. Buffoonery after a certain time
exhausts our patience. It is the chaste actor only who can keep the
attention awake for a length of time. It is said that Scarron intended
to write a tragedy; this perhaps would not have been the