He, informed of the success of the speech, desired to hear it.

The author had the honor of reading it to him, after which the king said to him, "I am very pleased; I would praise you more if you had praised me less." It was on this occasion that the great Arnauld, still in disgrace and carefully concealed, wrote to Racine: "I have to thank you, sir, for the speech which was sent me from you.

There certainly was never anything so eloquent, and the hero whom you praise is so much the more worthy of your praises in that he considered them too great.

I have many things that I would say to you about that, if I had the pleasure of seeing you, but it would need the dispersal of a cloud which I dare to say is a spot upon this sun.

I assure you that the ideas I have thereupon are not interested, and that what may concern myself affects me very little.