DANCOURT, FLORENT CARTON, a popular French dramatist and actor of the times of Louis XIV., was born in 1661, and studied at Paris under the Jesuit Lamle. His preceptor, observing that his talents were far from ordinary, wished him to devote himself to the religious profession, but Dancourt preferred the law, and acquired some reputation as an advocate. He shortly however fell in love with the daughter of the comedian La Thoriliere, an attachment which induced him to quit his legal studies and appear on the stage. Having married Mademoiselle La Thorilibre, he became one of the king's comedians, and even one of his greatest favourites. An anecdote is told of his being saved from falling by Louis, who caught his shoulder ; and in the days when this story was current, a king who under any circumstances put forth his hand towards a subject was reckoned full as condescending as one of the gods of antiquity who came down to aid some favourite hero. After remaining thirty-eight years in tho service of the king, he retired to his estate at Berri, where he passed the remainder of his life in devotional exercises, and wrote some psalms and a sacred tragedy, which is not extant He died in 1726, having superintended the erection of his own tomb, leaving two daughters, who were both actresses, and both married into families of distinction, The works of this author occupy six volumes : they were most of them successful at the.time they were written. The greater number of them
are farces, the scene of which lies mostly in low life. There is a drollery about them and a smartness in the dialogue which will always render them amusing, but the interest they possessed at the time of their appearance is now lost Daucourt, being an unlearned man, sought for subjects among incidents which he himself witnessed, and which were often well known to the public. An author whose chief excellence lies in happily delineating events of a local interest may be sure of popularity, but equally sure that his popularity will be but transient. Dancourt is believed to have had many assistants in the composition of his plays,