D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO




COPYRIGHT, 1891,

By I. H. B. SPIERS.




PREFACE.

The tragedy of _Esther_ commends itself to moderately advanced students
of the French language by the fact that it is both the easiest and the
shortest masterpiece of French tragic literature. For such students
the present edition has been prepared. The text has been modified in
all minor points of spelling and grammar so as to conform with present
usage. The notes are intended either to make clear such matters of
history or grammar as offer any difficulty, or to emphasize that which