called the Ape of Scarron, was born at Paris in 1604, the son of an
called the Ape
of Scarron, was born at Paris in 1604, the son of an avocat of parleinent. At eight years old he ran away from his
father’s house, stopped at Calais, where he gave himself
out for the son of Csesar Nostradamus and having set up
for a quack, he succeeded in restoring to health a patient
who fancied himself sick. The people of Calais, thinking
that he derived his medical skill from magic, were upon
the point of throwing him into the sea, and it was with difficulty that he saved himself from their fury by flight.
After many more adventures at London, at Turin, and in
various other places, he came to Montpellier, where some
irregular amours drew upon him the notice of the magistrate.
He then strolled about from one country to another, and
at length arrived at Rome, where his satires upon the court
procured him to be imprisoned in the inquisition. Being
returned to France, he was sent to the Bastille and afterwards was conducted to the Chatelet for the same crime
for which he had been arrested at Montpellier. But, finding protectors, he was liberated at the end of six months.
He died in 1679. His poetry was collected into three vols.
12mo, 1678. Among these pieces is a part of the Metamorphoses of Ovid translated, under the title of “Ovid in
good humour.
” It is a burlesque version, in which, as in
all works of that nature, there are a thousand instances of
dullness, and a thousand ruore of indecency, for one lively
and ingenious turn of wit. We find also the rape of Proserpine, from Claudian, whom he makes harangue in the
manner of declaimers. Assouci published also his adventures in a style of buffoonery, 3 vols. 12 mo, 1678. Upon
the whole he appears to have been one of those writers
that may be passed over with very slight notice, a man,
with some talent for humour, but destitute of principle.