COMET= FRANCAISE, ktYma'de' sail (Fr., French comedy). The official name of the Thatre Francais, the national theatre of France, subsidized by the State for the advance ment of dramatic art. Its history dates officially from October 21, 1680, when a decree of Louis XIV. amalgamated the two rival companies of the Hotel de Bourgogne and the Hotel Guene gaud. the latter being a fusion, after Moliere's death in 1673. of the Theatre du :Marais and the Troupe de lloliere. It thus maintains a practically unbroken tradition from the time of the great master of comedy, and is still familiar ly known as the House of Aloliere. In 1682 the King granted to his comedians an annual pension of 1•.000 livres (about $2400). their first sub sidy. In 1689 they established themselves in a new house, in what is now called the 'Rue de l'Ancienne Comedie,' and took the name of `La Comedie Francaise;' under it they played until the Revolution with a succession of such artists as Baron, Adrienne Lecouvreur, Le Bain, and Mademoiselle Clairon. For a time (1770-S2) they were housed in the Palace of the Tuileries itself. Later, on the performance of Ch6nier's anti monarchical play of Charles IX. in 1789, violent politieal discussions arose among the performers, and ultimately they split into two sections: the Republican party, under the young tragedian Tatum, establishing a new theatre under the name 'Theatre de la Republique,' on the site of the present building in the Rue de Richelieu : while the Royalist section took the title `ThMtre de In Nation' In September. 1793, the latter was suddenly closed by order of the Committee of Public Safety, and the players imprisoned, though they were afterwards gradually released. For a few years the rivalry continued; then in 1799, for a short time, there was an absolute in terruption in the history of the Theatre Fran cais. In May of that year, however, the Comedie was once more reorganized and settled in the Rue de Richelieu. Napoleon, while at Aloscow. October 15, 1812, prescribed the regulations which, modi fied in 1850 and 1859, still govern the company.
There is an administrateur-general appointed by the Government. The sae-ie./Ores are members of the company, who, as shareholders, divide the profits according to certain rules. Before being elected as a societaire, an artist must have served in the theatre as a pensionnaire, upon a salary. A societaire, after twenty years of service, is allowed to retire with a pension of 4000 francs. The annual sum received from the State is 240, 000 francs; and the theatre, being removed from the fear of temporary pecuniary failure, is in no souse a mere business speculation, but serves as an educator of public taste and sets a standard of dramatic training. Here many of the greatest artists of the modern French stage have won their triumphs, including Mlles. Mars. Rachel, Brohan, and, for a part of her career, Sarah Bernhardt, and MM. Talma, Got, ..11ounet-Sully, and Coqueliu. Early in 1900 the historic build ing adjoining the Palais Royal was partly de stroyed by a disastrous fire, but was promptly rebuilt in improved fashion within the same lines. Consult: Matthews, The of Paris (New York, ISSO) Lucas, llistoire phi losophique of litteraire du Theatre-Francais (Paris, 1862-63) : Bonnassies, La Comedie Fran caise, histoire administrative (Paris. 1S74) : Jo annides, La Comedie Francaise de 16S0 a 1900, dictionnaire general des pieces et des auteurs, preface by Jules Claretie (Paris, 1901) : Coch rane, The Theatre Francais in the Reign of Louis AT'. (London, 1S79) ; and, for a discussion of many of the plays of its recent repertory, Weiss, dutour de la Conzedie Francaise (Paris, 1892).
COTaDIE HIIIVIAINE, u'intui' (Fr., human comedy). A series of novels by Honore de Balzac, the first volume of which was published in 1829, but the general title of which was not announced until 1842. Its plan was to present a panorama of the entire life of his country and time. This colossal attempt was left incomplete on his death in 1S50. But well nigh a hundred novels remain, dealing with innumerable types and situations characteristic of the France of the early nineteenth century.