But for M. Sommier it was not enough to preserve this historical monument. His artistic munificence was prepared for any sacrifice in order to restore those cascades and grottos at which La Fontaine had marvelled, and which had fallen into ruins, been overgrown with brushwood, in which vipers lurked and rabbits burrowed. In this noble task M. Sommier was fortunately aided by a learned architect, M. Destailleurs. M. Rodolphe Pfnor, my collaborator and friend, holds it an honour to associate himself with the praises which I here bestow upon the understanding liberality of M. Sommier. M. Pfnor, by reason of his skill in architecture and the arts of design, is competent to give these praises a real and absolute value. Be it understood that I speak for him as well as for myself. It is just that art and letters should unite in congratulating M. Sommier. The restorer of the Château de Vaux has deserved well of both. It was reserved for him to realize in all its splendour _Le Songe Vaux._ He has uttered the command in a voice which has been obeyed: Fontaines, jaillissez, Herbe tendre, croissez Le long de ces rivages. Venez, petits oiseaux, Accorder vos ramages Au doux bruit de leurs eaux. [1] Bonnaffé, op. cit., p. 27. [2] Guillet de Saint-Georges, in _Les Archives de l'Art_ _français,_ 1853, Vol. III. [3] Cf. Jal., Diet. [4] Occupied successively by the President of the Chambre des Comptes, Lambert Torigny; the Marquise du Chastelle; M. de La Haye; the Comte de Montalivet; the Administrator of Lits Militaires; and Prince Adam Czartoryski, the present owner (1888). [5] Ad. Lance, _Dictionnaire des Architectes français,_ Paris, 1872, 2 vols. Article on Levau (Louis). [6] _Archives de l'Art français,_ Vol. I, 1852. [7] Letter cited by M. Pierre Clement, _Histoire de Colbert,_ p. 30. [8] cite almost literally a phrase by M. Eugène Grésy. M. Grésy's valuable work on the Château de Vaux is contained in _Les Archives de l'Art français._ Vol. I, p. I _et seq._ [9] Cimber et Danjou, _Archives curieuses de l'Histoire de France,_ Second Series, Vol. VIII, p. 415 (Portraits de la Cour). [10] M. Eugène Grésy, loc. cit., p. 7. [11] It is well known that the Maincy factory, taken to Paris by order of the King after Foucquet's disgrace, became the Gobelins. (Lacordaire, article on the Gobelins, second ed., 1855, p. 65.) Cf. also _L'Histoire de la Tapisserie,_ by J. Guiffrey. [12] 9th June, 1660. [13] Cf. Loret, letter of the 24th July, 1660. [14] _Ibid.,_ letter of the 17th July, 1661. [15] Letter to Maucroix, 9th ed., cited Vol. Ill, p. 301. [16] Choisy, in his _Mémoires._ Ed. cited p. 587. [17] Cf. La Fontaine, letter previously cited. [18] Cf. Chéruel, loc. cit., who cites (Vol. II, p. 223) the portfolios of Valiant, Vol. Ill, in the Biblio. Nat. MSS. [19] La Fontaine, letter from Maucroix, Vol. Ill, p. 304.