Hardi, Alexander

, a French dramatist of the seventeenth century, remarkable for the fertility of his pen, wrote an incredible number of pieces for the theatre, som say six hundred, and some even more. Of these, however, no more remain than thirty-four, which were published by himself in six volumes, 8vo, Paris, 1625 1628. Among these the only tolerable piece is “Marianne,” so good, indeed, that his readers will wonder how it came there. All his boast was a remarkable facility in writing; it was said that he would write two thousand lines in twenty-four hours: in three days his play was composed, and acted. He certainly had considerable talents, but, as he was very necessitous, and compelled to write against time, his abilities had not fair scope. He was the first French dramatist who introduced the custom of being paid for his pieces. He died at Paris in 1630. ³