To be "rebels against Love" was quite unpardonable with La Fontaine; and to bring about a "_hymen forcé_" was a crime, of which he probably spoke with some personal feeling. The great popularity of "Psyché" encouraged the author to publish two volumes of poems and tales in 1671, in which were contained several new fables. The celebrated Madame de Sévigné thus speaks of these fables, in one of her letters to her daughter:--"But have you not admired the beauty of the five or six fables of La Fontaine contained in one of the volumes which I sent you? We were charmed with them the other day at M. de la Rochefoucauld's: we got by art that of the Monkey and the Cat." Then, quoting some lines, she adds,--"This is painting! And the Pumpkin--and the Nightingale--they are worthy of the first volume!" It was in his stories that La Fontaine excelled; and Madame de Sévigné expresses a wish to invent a fable which would impress upon him the folly of leaving his peculiar province. He seemed himself not insensible where his strength lay, and seldom ventured upon any other ground, except at the instance of his friends. With all his lightness, he felt a deep veneration for religion--the most spiritual and rigid which came within the circle of his immediate acquaintance. He admired Jansenius and the Port Royalists, and heartily loved Racine, who was of their faith. Count Henri-Louis de Loménie, of Brienne,--who, after being secretary of state, had retired to the Oratoire,--was engaged in bringing out a better collection of Christian lyrics. To this work he pressed La Fontaine, whom he called his particular friend, to lend his name and contributions. Thus the author of "Psyché," "Adonis," and "Joconde," was led to the composition of pious hymns, and versifications of the Psalms of David. Gifted by nature with the utmost frankness of disposition, he sympathized fully with Arnauld and Pascal in the war against the Jesuits; and it would seem, from his _Ballade sur Escobar_, that he had read and relished the "Provincial Letters." This ballad, as it may be a curiosity to many, shall be given entire:-- BALLADE SUR ESCOBAR. C'est à bon droit que l'on condamne à Rome L'évêque d'Ypré [5], auteur de vains débats; Ses sectateurs nous défendent en somme Tous les plaisirs que l'on goûte ici-bas. En paradis allant au petit pas, On y parvient, quoi qu'ARNAULD [6] nous en die: La volupté sans cause il a bannie. Veut-on monter sur les célestes tours, Chemin pierreux est grande rêverie, ESCOBAR [7] sait un chemin de velours. Il ne dit pas qu'on peut tuer un homme Qui sans raison nous tient en altercas Pour un fêtu ou bien pour une pomme; Mais qu'on le peut pour quatre ou cinq ducats. Même il soutient qu'on peut en certains cas Faire un serment plein de supercherie, S'abandonner aux douceurs de la vie, S'il est besoin conserver ses amours. Ne faut-il pas après cela qu'on crie: ESCOBAR sait un chemin de velours?