of the A

n ordained, and expected to make a big name in letters. But a woman upset my hopes. Her name was Nicole Pigoreau and she kept a bookseller's shop at the Golden Bible on the square near the college. I went there frequently to

nd Terence, the Diodorus of Sicily and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, St John Chrysostom and St Basil, St Jerome and St Augustine, Erasmus, Saumaise, Turnebe and Scaliger, St Thomas Aquinas, St Bonaventure, Bossuet dragging Ferri with him, Lenain, Godefroy, Mé

she said to me; 'don't co

d finding them suit me well she insisted on my accepting them. I did not want to. But on her becoming irritated by

fensive to the modesty of a young clerical. To say the truth, I had not to congratulate myself on this contrivance. Madame Pigoreau, becoming aware of my sayings, publicly accused me of having robbed her of a set of lace neck and wrist bands. Her false com

of starving, when, dressed in my clerical suit, I recommended myself to a Huguenot

t not to lend his hand to such abominations. And as far as I am concerned, altho

rry for. But my man was a Calvinist. He employed me to write against Lutherans and Socinians only; these he could

mbs graze together while wo

continued h

various callings, but all without success. I became a pedlar, a strolling player, a monk, a valet, and at last, by resuming my clerical garb, I became secretary to the Bishop of Séez and edited the catalogue of the pr

stage coach to travel to Paris in quest of luck. I followed her. But I did not succeed as well as she did. On her recommendation I entered the service of Mistress de Saint Ernest, an opera dancer, who, aware of my talents, ordered me to write after her dictation a lampoon on Mademoiselle Davilliers, against whom she

op petticoats, to the Intendant of the Privy Purse, who could not refuse her anything. She fell on her knees before him, sh

e author, and I was put into the Bastille, where I remained four year

h should rather have described the illustrious men of Rome and commented on the writings of the holy fathers. I earn two farthings for e

once looked out for a cook-shop. From outside in the street I perceived your illuminated sign and the fire of your chimney throwing joyful

her, "and with the exception of Colas' cow there is hardly anything

doctor of divinity