LA CALPRENÈDE. See COSTES.
LA FAYETTE, DE. Marie Jean Paul Roch Yves Gilbert Motier. b. 1634, d. 1693. French authoress.
PRINCESS OF CLEVES.... Written ... by the greatest wits of France, 1688.
PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER, 1666.
ZAYDE [1670]; a Spanish History. Written by Monsieur Segrais [and the Countess de La Fayette], 1678.
Her 'Zayde' and the 'Princess of Cleves' were the first French works of fiction that truly represented the manners of the upper classes. Her style was very closely followed by Richardson in 'Clarissa Harlowe'.
LA FONTAINE, JEAN DE. b. 1621, d. 1695. French fabulist and writer of 'Contes'.
FABLES AND TALES IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH, now first translated, with the Author's life (1668). 1734.
'It was primarily along the Greek channel that the fables were derived, if not all the matter, at least the inspiration; for the fables of La Fontaine, and the English fables of Gay, together with all the collection which have been printed, were all taken from the Greek'.
Dryden, Gay and Prior were all greatly influenced by the works of La Fontaine.