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Updated: June 3, 2025
Corneille, while vainly endeavoring to win success at the bar, was incited to write a comedy, and produced one under the title of "Melite." The plot was suggested by an incident in his own life. A friend of his was very much in love with a lady, and introduced him to her, that he might, after beholding her charms, indite a sonnet to her in the name of his friend.
Whereupon Melite, twisting her fingers idly and evincing a sudden interest in her own feet, demanded if this Venus were more beautiful than the Lady Ermengarde of Arnaye or the Lady Ysabeau of Brieuc.
He would sell France, you observe, chaffered, they tell me, like a pedlar over the price of Normandy. Heh, the huckster, the triple-damned Jew!" "And Melite?" asked Adhelmar, after a little. Again Reinault shrugged. "In the White Turret," he said; then, with a short laugh: "Oy Dieus, yes! The girl has been caterwauling for this shabby rogue all day.
And Dionysius of Melite added: Sir, you have a great many that will side with you in the accusation; for we farmers think Thalia to be ours, assigning her the care of springing and budding seeds and plants.
This befell at Bretigny when, in 1360, the Great Peace was signed between France and England, and Hugues, as one of the English embassy, came face to face with Reinault and Melite. History does not detail the meeting; but, inasmuch as the Sieur d'Arques and Melite de Puysange were married at Rouen the following October, doubtless it passed off pleasantly enough.
This Melite, on account of the arrogance of its citizens, was destroyed by the other cities in a war declared by general agreement, and in its place, through the kindness of King Attalus and Arsinoe, the city of the Smyrnaeans was admitted among the Ionians.
But by this time the dawn had come completely, flooding the room with its first thin radiance, and Melite saw the pallor of his face and so knew that he was wounded. "Indeed, yes," said Adhelmar, when she had questioned him, "for my breast is quite cloven through."
I have but a brief while to live, and I wish to forget that there is aught else in the world save you, and that I love you. Do not weep, Melite! In a little time you will forget me and be happy with this Hugues whom you love; and I? ah, my sweet, I think that even in my grave I shall dream of you and of your great beauty and of the exceeding love that I bore you in the old days."
The first comedy of Corneille, "Melite," was followed by many others, which, though now considered unreadable, were better than anything then known. The appearance of the "Cid," in 1635, a drama constructed on the foundation of the old Spanish romances, constituted an era in the dramatic history of France.
In like manner the earlier works of a man of genius are always preferred to the newer ones, in order to prove that he is going down instead of up Melite and La Galerie du Palais placed above Le Cid. These tactics, as will be seen, are well-worn; but they must be effective as they are still in use. However, the poor devil of a great man still breathed.
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