La Fontaine was buried in the cemetery of St. Joseph, at Paris, by the side of Molière, who had died many years before. Boileau and Racine survived him. His best epitaph is the following, written by himself: it records his character with equal fidelity and humour. "Jean s'en alla comme il était venu, Mangant son fonds aprez son revenu, Croyant le bien chose peu nécessaire. Quant à son temps bien le sçut dépenser, Deux parts en fit dont il soluoit passer-- L'une à dormir, et l'autre à ne rien faire." [Footnote 47: Molière, says Cailhava, in his "Art de la Comédie," indignant at the false taste of the court and the public, puts into the mouth of a courtier, in his "Misanthrope," a sonnet of Cotin, the most fashionable poet of the day, and a member of the academy. Bad taste was so accredited with the public, that the audience, on the first night of performance, applauded this nonsense to the echo, in perfect good faith. Molière expected and only waited this effect to "pulverise" the sonnet and its admirers by the relentless and excellent criticism which he puts into the mouth of his misanthrope, Alceste.] [Footnote 48: Vie de La Fontaine, par Walknaer.] [Footnote 49: Champforf.--Éloge de La Fontaine.] [Footnote 50: The term "bête" as used here, and familiarly in French conversation is untranslatable into English.] [Footnote 51: Mr. Croker.] [Footnote 52: Un homme parait--grossier, lourd, stupide. Il ne sait pas parler, ni raconter ce qu'il vient de voir. S'il se met à écrire, c'est le modèle des beaux contes. Il fait parler les animaux, les arbres, les pierres,--tout ce qui ne parle pas. Ce n'est que légèreté, que élégance, que beau naturel, dans ses ouvrages.] PASCAL 1623-1662