time. He died in 1727, aged 85. John Locke had died in 1704. His
Essay on the Human Understanding
was first published in 1690. Sir William Temple had died in 1699, aged 71.
The
Grand Cyrus
, by Magdeleine de Scudéri, was the most famous of the French Romances of its day. The authoress, who died in 1701, aged 94, was called the Sappho of her time. Cardinal Mazarin left her a pension by his will, and she had a pension of two thousand livres from the king. Her
Grand Cyrus
, published in 10 volumes in 1650, was translated (in one volume, folio) in 1653.
Clelia
, presently afterwards included in the list of Leonora's books, was another very popular romance by the same authoress, published in 10 volumes, a few years later, immediately translated into English by John Davies, and printed in the usual folio form.