678 
this cireumstance proved for some time 
unfavourable to his reputation, and it 
was long before it became entirely for- 
gotten. . 
__ Notwithstanding this, M. de la Harpe 
already began to be distinguished by men 
of letters, and the first to whom he be- 
came known, was the celebrated Dide- 
rot. ‘The interview between them, how- 
ever, was not calculated to produce 
friendship ; for this stripling, then only 
Seventeen years of age, had the hardi- 
hood, and, it may be added, the ill inan- 
hers, to attack this celebrated man rela- 
tive to his productions, which he appears 
to have ridiculed to his face, with more 
humour than wisdom. 
By this time his verses, as well as his 
college-exercises, had obtained for him a 
certain degree of reputation in the world; 
so that, at this period, he was invited to 
compose the tragedy of “ Warwick:” 
this circumstance prevented him from ex- 
periencing many of those vexations which 
authors generally complain of at their 
outset in life. ‘The actors, in particular, 
were prodigal of their applause; and, 
-Rotwithstanding its premature reputation, 
a circumstance generally dangerous, his 
first dramatic effort obtained a degree of 
success which may be considered as 
nearly unexampled, for the hke had not 
occurred since the time that Voltaire 
composed his tragedies for the Parisian 
stage. It was tu this famous man that 
he dedicated his first performance; and 
_on receiving a flattering answer from this 
patriarch of literature, he thought pro- 
per to prefix it to the work. 
But the emoluments derived from the 
representation of ‘ Warwick,” did not 
prove suthicient to defray the expences of 
a young man, who had been admitted 
into the first circles, and was, at the same 
time, tar from being an economist. It 
therefore became necessary to occupy his 
time in such a manner as to be able:'to 
derive further advantages from his lite- 
rary labours. His reputation, which was 
by this time considerable, accordingly 
obtained admission for him as one of the 
editors of the “* Gazette Littéraire,” a 
journal in which all the philosophers, as 
they were called, of that day wrote, and 
whence it undoubtedly derived no small 
portion of its reputation. Marmontel, 
Saurin, Dami Saville, furnished certain 
articles; even Voltaire himself some- 
times transmitted his lucubrations. 
As the periodical work in question was 
principally directed against “ l’Année 
Littéraire,” conducted by Freron, the 
i 
Retrospect of French Literature—Biographiy. 
latter immediately began to libel both 
“Warwick” and its.author. This, hke 
many of the unjust and petulant eriti- 
-cisms of the present day, did not produce 
the effect that had been expected; for 
although it occasioned much chagrin to 
this young man of talents, who possessed 
no other resources but those derived from 
his abilities, yet the public did not be- 
come prejudiced against him; on the 
contrary, his tragedy was performed, as 
usual, to crowded houses. 
It is with pain we are now obliged to 
mention a circumstance that confers but 
little credit on the ingenuousness of the 
subject of this memoir. Afier some able, 
but bitter, criticisms on ‘ Le Siége de 
Calais,” which happened to be perform- 
ed, at this period, with a degree of suc- 
cess equal to that formerly experienced 
by the ‘* Cid,” he was induced, by the 
popularity of the play, to attempt one 
himselt, after the same manner. He 
accordingly recurred to the history of 
France, and selected Pharamond as his 
hero. 
Having been invited to spend some 
time with Voltaire, at this period he con- 
fided his intentions to his friend, who in 
vain endeavoured to dissuade him. The 
poet would not listen to the fate antici- 
pated by the critic, whose opinions were, 
however, but too soon realized, for the 
piece was damned! On this the, author, 
judging of his own labours with an equal 
degree of severity as the public, threw 
the manuscript into the fire, and thus 
destroyed a work, of which certain por- 
tions were perhaps worthy of a better 
fate. 
Soon after this, at the express recom- 
mendation of his patron, be was per- 
suaded to alter the “ Gustave” of Piron. 
—But the critics appear to have been 
alarmed, and almost disgusted, at the 
presumption of so young a man, and 
many epigrams were published against 
him on this very account. The Parterre, 
too, was of the same opinion at the first 
representation, and every part of it 
seemed determined to exclaim, “ Ren- 
dez nous Piron !”——“ Restore us Piron !”” 
This, like his “ Pharamond,” was ae- 
cordingly played but once, and the tra- . 
gedy of “ ‘Timcleon” did notprove much 
more fortunate, as, after a few represen- 
tations, it also was laid aside. 
The author who, subsequently to the 
flattering reception given to his “ War- 
wick,” had considered himself as the le- 
gitimate successor of the great masters 
of his art, and had flattered himself ee 
R the 
