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— 10 —
The actor turning to Molière’s bust
Molière !
From the old World to the new his great name flies ;
While thoroughly french, he is a greek, both by his race and destiny.
Whoever can read has read thee, o Master !… But, being ours,
Thou knowest what thy sons can say of thee.
To laugh and moralise was to thee the same thing ;
In Lucretius’page the ancient World conversed with thee ;
Alceste was thyself, o morose satirist,
O jester, who, under thy mask, didst weep like Hamlet.
With eye fixed on truth, thou didst go through life,
Surrounded with lies and vulgarity, —
Poor plaintive fool, by Envy harassed,
O King ! in spite of Kings insulted in thy grave !
