i:jg-Z. afjcciiotes of Fontaine. - ^^ 



Some time before, one of his friends, who undoubtedly 

 had his conversion very much at heart, had lent him his 

 St Paul. Fontaine read it with avidity f but fliocked at ■ 

 the apparent harftinefs of the writings •«£ the apostle, he 

 fhut the book, sent it back to his friend, and said to him, 

 * I send, you back your book ; . this same St Paul is not 

 my man.' 



One of his coniefsors seeing him taken dangerously ill, 

 exhorted him at least to make amends for the scandal of 

 •his life by giving, alms. ' I cannot, said the poet. I have 

 "nothing J but they are making a new edition of my "^orks, 

 ■and the bookseller is to make me a present of an hundred 

 copies, I give them to you ; you will cause them to be 

 sold for the benefit of the poor.' Don Jerome, who told 

 ■this anecdote, fieclared that the confefsor, almost as 

 simple as the penitent, came to alk If he could receu e 

 such an alms ? 



Still one other trait which proves the simplicity of manners 

 ; of this illustrious man, and the idea which thos^'who ser- 

 > ved him had of him. The sick-nurse who was beside him, 

 seeing with v.hat zeal they exhorted him to penitence, said 

 one day t^ Mr Poujet, Don''t torment him so much ; he is 

 morcfoolijh than ivlcked. God will never have, said (lie ano- 

 ther time, the heart to damn him. 



In spite of the apparent apathy of la Fontaine, when he 



■ was wakened out of his dreams, and when he was interes- 

 ted in the conversation, he fliewed as much heat and spi- 

 rit, as those who used to make him the object of thtir 



:railkj:y. 



After his death, his wife having been troubled for the 



■ payment of some public charges, M. d'Armenonville then 

 intendant dc Soifsons, wrote to his deputy, that the fami- 



vol.. \. E ' f 



