[56] Henri François d'Aguesseau (1668-1751), thrice Chancellor of France.—T.
[57] Jean Francois Ducis (1733-1816), the tragic poet, author of Œdipe chez Admète, imitated from Sophocles and Euripides, and of imitations of many of Shakespeare's tragedies. His only original play was Abufar, ou La Famille arabe, which obtained a great success. He received Voltaire's seat in the Academy in 1778. Ducis refused the many advantages offered him by Bonaparte, preferring to live in poor and honourable retirement.—T.
[58] Gabriel Marie Jean Baptiste Legouvé (1764-1812), the poet, author of the Mort d'Abel, the Mort d'Henri IV and other tragedies, and of some didactic poetry which is better than the plays.—T.
[59] François Juste Marie Raynouard (1761-1836), author of the tragedy of the Templiers, entered the Academy in 1807 and became its perpetual secretary in 1817.—T.
[60] Pierre Laujon (1727-1811), author of some comic operas and of a collection of sportive verse entitled À-propos de société (1771). He had been secretary to the Prince de Condé.—T.
[61] Anacreon was born at Teos.—T.
[62] Cf. Camoëns, Luciad, where Adamastor is represented as the giant spirit of storms, warning Vasco de Gama off the Cape of Storms, now the Cape of Good Hope.—T.
[63] The Chevalier de Parny, author of Éléonore, was born in the Île Bourbon.—T.
[64] Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, author of Paul et Virginie, lived three years in the Mauritius.—T.
[65] Joseph Alphonse Esménard (1770-1811) accompanied General Leclerc to San Domingo, and on his return wrote his poem of the Navigation. Napoleon made him Theatrical Censor. In 1810, he entered the Institute. He was exiled, in 1811, for writing against the Emperor Alexander, returned to France after three months, and was immediately killed by a fall from his carriage.—T.