[François Coppée, who was born in January, 1842, is known
chiefly as a poet, and is, indeed, considered by some critics as
the greatest poet now alive in France. For many years he acted
as librarian to the Senate, but since 1878 he has held the post
of Keeper of the Records at the Comédie-Française, at which
theatre several of his plays have been produced. His poems have
gained for him the glory of the Legion of Honour; but his short
prose tales are full of the same fine qualities which are
conspicuous in his verse.]