successful.
This so much disgusted our veteran bard, that, like Ben Jonson, he could
not conceal his chagrin in the preface. There the poet tells us that he
renounces the theatre for ever! and indeed this _eternity_ lasted for
_several years_!

Disgusted by the fate of his unfortunate tragedy, he directed his
poetical pursuits to a different species of composition. He now finished
his translation in verse, of the "Imitation of Jesus Christ," by Thomas
a Kempis. This work, perhaps from the singularity of its dramatic author
becoming a religious writer, was attended with astonishing success. Yet
Fontenelle did not find in this translation the prevailing charm of the
original, which consists in that simplicity and _naivete_ which are lost
in the pomp of versification so natural to Corneille. "This book," he
continues, "the finest that ever proceeded from the hand of man (since
the gospel does not come from man) would not go so direct to the heart,
and would not seize on it with such force, if it had not a natural and
tender air, to which even that negligence which prevails in the style
greatly contributes." Voltaire appears to confirm the opinion of our
critic, in respect to the translation: "It is reported that Corneille's
translation of the Imitation of Jesus Christ has been printed thirty-two
times; it is as difficult to believe this as it is to _read the book
once_!"

Corneille seems not to have been ignorant of the truth of this
criticism. In his dedication to the Pope, he says, "The translation
which I have chosen, by the simplicity of its style, precludes all the
rich ornaments of poetry, and far from increasing my reputation, must be
considered rather as a sacrifice made to the glory of the Sovereign
Author of all, which I may have acquired by my poetical productions."
This is an excellent elucidation of the truth of that precept of Johnson
which respects religious poetry; but of which the author of "Calvary"
seemed not to have been sensible. The merit of religious compositions
appears, like this "Imitation of Jesus Christ," to consist in a
simplicity inimical to the higher poetical embellishments; these are too
human!

When Racine, the son, published a long poem on "Grace," taken in its
holy sense, a most unhappy subject at least for poetry; it was said that
he had written on _Grace_ without _grace_.

During the space of six years Corneille rigorously kept his promise of
not writing for the theatre. At length