1802.] 
engaged his attention. He would. fre- 
quently ramble over the fields in the neigh- 
bourhood of Florian, and joimin the pur- 
fuits or paftimes of the peafants of that 
fertile country, By thefe means young 
Florian early acquired that decided, tafte 
for rural pleafures, which has fince produ- 
ced thofe delightful paftorals, which may 
be clafled among the richeft arnaments of 
French literature, seipryit 
Defirous of beftowing upon his fon all 
the advantages of the moft finifhed educa- 
tion, Charls Claris dent him to his near 
kinfman the celebrated Voltaire. Upon 
his arrival at the Chateau de Ferney,.Vol- 
taire himfelf came out to welcome him, 
and called him his dear Floriqnois; by 
which furname he was ever after familiarly 
known. Florian remained fome time un- 
der the tuition and efpecial patronage of 
this great man; who not only formed the 
mind of his pupil, but opened tor him a 
road to fortune by placing him in the qua- 
lity of page to the Duke de Penthieévre, 
a prince pofleffed of an excellent under- 
‘flanding, and of an amiable difpofition, 
The Doke foon diftinguifhed the talents 
of Florian; he raifed him to the rank of 
Gentleman, that he might be nearer to” 
his perfon,.and beftowed on him nume- 
rous marks of favor and efteem.. Among 
other acts of generofity he prefented him 
with a captain’s commiffion in his own re- 
giment of dragoons. Though Florian re- 
ceived a difpenfation from fervice, he 
however conftantly attended’ his military 
duties for many fucceffive years with dif- 
tinguifhed honour; and devoted only his 
leiiure to purfuits of literature. Such 
however was the fuccefs of his firit literary 
work, that the Duke de Penthiévre deter- 
mined he fhould confine himfelf to letters, 
and, defirous of being himéfelf the founder 
of his fame, furnifhed him with a library. 
This may be termed the epoch of Florian’s 
entrance on his Jiterary career. 
To analyfe works fo univerfally known 
and admired would be an ufelefs undertak- 
ing, buta chronologicalarrangementof them 
may be acceptable. His firft production was 
Galathée, which appeared in the year 1782. 
‘Thiswas followed by the two firft volumes 
of his Theatre, containing, Les deux Bil- 
lets, Le bon Ménage, Le bon Pere, La bonne 
Mere, and Le bon Fils. Notwithftanding 
‘the great fuccefs of thefe feveral pieces 
with the public, they cccafianed Florian 
e difpleafure of his patron the Duke, 
who reproved him for writing on profane 
fabjects. As a fort of peace-offering to 
the prince, he chofe a fubjeét from the fa- 
cred writings, and foon afterwards pub- 
_ ,Montury Mac, No. 38. 
Anecdotes of DM. Florian. 
555 | 
lifhed his Ruth. The duke was flattered 
by this mark of condefcenfion, and redous 
bled his former kindneffes to his Gentle- 
man, who became neceflary to his happi- 
nefs, and for whom he cherifhed a more 
profound efteem and a more affectionate 
regard than ever. . Voltaire et le Serf du 
Mont-Fura followed Ruth; and for this 
piece Florian obtained the prize given by 
the French Academy. Lewis XII au lit 
de Mort, Le Cheval d’ Efpague, Le Tourte- 
reau, La Peule de Caux, Le Chien de Chaff, 
Leocadie, Inex de Caftro, and fome other 
fugitive pieces compofed a milcellancous 
voiume which was publifhed fhortly after 
the former work. To this volume fue- 
ceeded his fix novels of Blomberis, Pierre, 
Céleftine, Sophronime, Sanche, and Bath- 
mendi.—Feannet et Colin, les Fumeaux de 
Bergame, Hervet Leander le Baifer, and 
Blanche et Vermeil forra the third volume 
of his Theatre. His next work was H/ie/le, 
which he called the elder fifter of Galathée, 
and which divided the public favor with 
that celebrated production. Nama. was 
produced amidit the ftorms of the Reyolu- 
tion. 
reputation of Florian. Notwithftanding 
this work appeared at a period when the 
minds of the French nation were occupied ~ 
with fuch important events, Goxzalve was 
completely fucceisful. Two editions were 
bought up with an avidity which friking- 
ly demonttrated the flattering intereft with 
which the public received it. A volume 
entitled Nowvelles- Nouvelles, containing 
Selmour, Selico, Claudiné, Zulbar, Ca-= 
miré & Valérie, was publifhed nearly at 
the fame time as Numa. At length his 
Fables appeared, and ftamped his fame-as 
an author andaman. ‘The beautiful fim- 
plicity which charaéterizes thefe apologues, 
eftablifhed the honorable title, which he 
had fo jultly acquired, of the Man of Na- 
ture. It was in the retirement of the coun- 
try, far from cities, that Florian conftantly 
fought that tranquillity. of mind and felt- 
complacency fo indifpenfably neceflary to 
true ftudy and correct compofition. In 
the moft folitary and filent retreats his 
imagination became the moft lively. M. 
de Penthiévre, who knew his attachment 
to folitude, appropriated to his ufe a pa- 
villion fituated at the entrance of the Park 
de Sceaux, at a fhort diftance from the 
Chateau, in-which delightful retreat, he 
compofed many of thofe happy effufions 
which have evinced to the world the bril- 
liancy of his ‘genius, and the purity of his 
heart. ; 
Though Florian was reared in the very 
bofom ef nobility, he never faciificed to 
4C adulation 
Gonzalve de Cordoue crowned the . 
