In spite of this imposing shield the Cyrano family failed to establish its claim to nobility at the visitations of 1668 and 1704. On the former occasion Abel de Cyrano (brother of our author) was fined 300 livres for claiming nobility unlawfully and on the latter occasion a cousin, J. D. de Cyrano, was fined the large sum of 3000 livres for the same offence.
[1] Le Bret, Préface, 1657.
[2] "Nothing could be clearer or better in style, and it is less archaic than Corneille." (Remy de Gourmont).
[3] Which means "Strike, there is the enemy", but might also mean "Strike, there is the sacrament."
[4] Tallemant des Réaux, Historiettes, 1858. Vol. 7: "Suite des Naifvetez, Bons Mots, etc."
[5] Menagiana, Amsterdam, 1693, page 199.
[6] Retrospective Review, 1820. Vol. I. Part 2. Art. viii. Satyrical Characters and Handsome Descriptions in Letters, written to several Persons of Quality, by Monsieur de Cyrano Bergerac. Translated from the French by a Person of Honour. London, 1658.
[7] The critic proceeds to sum up Cyrano's writing in the same Corinthian style. French commentators, quoting this passage, often make the mistake of dating it 1658 instead of 1820.
[8] Charles Nodier, Bibliographie des Fous. Quoted by F. Lachèvre.