"The choice you have made of M.Despreaux is very gratifying to me," he said to the board of the Academy: "it will be approved of by everybody.

You can admit La Fontaine at once; he has promised to be good." It was a rash promise, which the poet did not always keep.
The friends, of La Fontaine had but lately wanted to reconcile him to his wife.

They had with that view sent him to Chateau-Thierry; he returned without having seen her whom he went to visit.

"My wife was not at home," said he; "she had gone to the sacrament (_au salut_)." He was becoming old.

Those same faithful friends--Racine, Boileau, and Maucroix -- were trying to bring him home to God.