died a voluntary exile in Belgium, 1694. Boileau wrote his
epitaph.--Ed.
[7] _Escobar_.--A Spanish Jesuit, who flourished mostly in France,
and wrote against the Jansenists. Pascal, as well as La Fontaine,
ridiculed his convenient principles of morality, he "chemin de
velours," as La Fontaine puts it. His chief work in moral theology
was published in seven vols., folio, at Lyons, 1652-1663. He died in
1669.--Ed.

Thus does the _Bon-homme_ treat the subtle Escobar, the prince and
prototype of the moralists of _expediency_. To translate his artless
and delicate irony is hardly possible. The writer of this hasty Preface
offers the following only as an attempted imitation:--

BALLAD UPON ESCOBAR.

Good cause has Rome to reprobate
The bishop who disputes her so;
His followers reject and hate
All pleasures that we taste below.
To heaven an easy pace may go,
Whatever crazy ARNAULD saith,
Who aims at pleasure causeless wrath.
Seek we the better world afar?
We're fools to choose the rugged path:
A velvet road hath ESCOBAR.

Although he does not say you can,
Should one with you for nothing strive,
Or for a trifle, kill the man--