[16] I have not thought it necessary to alter these initials,
signifying those of "La Belle."
[17] A South American tribe (genus _Erbus_), distinguished
from all other monkeys for their gentleness and intelligence. There are
many varieties,--the white-fronted, the horned, the large-headed, the
golden-footed, the weeper, &c., and their differences in colour are
very considerable.
[18] Perhaps an allusion to the New Theatre in the Rue des
Fosses, St. Germain. Vide page 272, note.
[19] At this period, the Grand Opera, or "Académie Royal de
Musique," under the direction of the celebrated Lulli, was located at
the Theatre du Palais Royal, which had been occupied by Molière from
1660 to his death in 1673. It was opened in 1674, with the opera of
_Alceste_, and destroyed by fire on the 6th of April, 1763.
[20] Of this celebrated Fair a notice will be found in the
notes to the Fairy Tales of Madame d'Aulnoy, page 65. It was visited by
the royal family, and may be said to have been the birthplace of the
opera comique and the vaudeville of France. It was suppressed in 1789.
[21] The most celebrated was that of Brioche, who is said to
have been the inventor of that species of entertainment.
[22] Le Sage and other equally celebrated authors wrote for
this theatre.
[23] The Italian company invited to France by Cardinal
Mazarin, from 1645 to 1680, performed at the Hôtel du Petit Bourbon,
the Théâtre du Palais Royal, and the Hôtel de Bourgogne, alternately
with the French comedians. On the removal of the latter company to the
Rue Quénégaud, the Italians remained in possession of the Hôtel de
Bourgogne until the performance of the _False Prude_, in 1697, gave
offence to Madame de Maintenon, and excited the anger of Louis XIV.,
who suppressed the Italian troop, and ordered seals to be placed on the
doors of their theatre. Having obtained an audience to remonstrate, the
King refused to listen to them, saying, "You have no reason to regret
that Cardinal Mazarin induced you to quit your country. You came to
France on foot, and have gained enough to return in a carriage."
They returned to Paris in 1716, at the invitation of the Duke of
Orleans, and took the title of Comédiens du Régent.
[24] After the death of Molière, in 1673, transferred to
the Rue Quénégaud. In 1680, the King gave the company the title of
"Comédiens du Roy," and granted them a pension of 12,000 livres; but
at the period at which this story was written, they had established
themselves, by an Order in Council, in a tennis-court in the Rue des
Fosses, St. Germain, where they erected a theatre after the designs of
D'Orbay, in which they remained till 1770.