_Plus Belle que Fée_ was published, with the usual abridgments and
alterations, about twenty years ago, in a collection of nursery tales.
The story bears a strong resemblance to the _Gracieuse and Percinet_ of
the Countess d'Aulnoy; and though the plot is rendered more intricate
by the addition of another pair of lovers, it does not gain in interest
as much as it loses in coherence and simplicity. The fair author has,
however, appended a note to her story called _L'Enchanteur_, which
forbids us to suppose that she was indebted to any previous writer for
the plot of her story. She says--"This story (_L'Enchanteur_) is taken
from an ancient romance ('ancien livre Gothique') named _Perséval_,
several things being omitted which were not in accordance with our
modern tastes, and several others added. Some names are changed. It
is the only story that is not entirely the composition of the author.
_All the others are purely of her invention._" After this positive
declaration, which we have no right to question, why should we refuse
to give credit to the Countess d'Aulnoy for the possession of equal
powers of imagination?
I am by no means impugning the originality of _Plus Belle que Fée_,
in pointing out that the notion of the _Fair of Time_ seems to have
been suggested by an old fairy legend of Normandy. "Near the village
of Puys, half a league to the north-east of Dieppe, there is a high
plateau, surrounded on all sides by high entrenchments, except that
over the sea, where the cliffs render it inaccessible. It is named
'La Cité de Limes,' or 'Le Camp de Cæsar,' or simply 'Le Catel' or
'Castel.' Tradition tells that _the Fées used to hold a fair there,
at which all sorts of magic articles from their secret stores were
offered for sale_, and the most courteous entreaties and blandishments
were employed to induce those who frequented it to become purchasers;
but the moment any one did so, and stretched forth his hand to take
the article he had selected, the perfidious Fées seized him, and
hurled him down the cliffs."[58] I cannot say that Mademoiselle de la
Force has made the most of this tradition, supposing her to have been
acquainted with it. Her allusion to the entertainments at Marly, to
which alone she says this fair was to be compared, has reference, I
think, to a "Fancy Fair," as we should now call it, in which the stalls
were attended, as in our days, by the principal personages of the
Court. I feel satisfied that I have somewhere seen an account of that
entertainment, but unfortunately have no note which would enable me to
turn to the authority.