NOTES

ARABIAN NIGHTS. The origin of “The Arabian Nights” is lost in the mists of antiquity. It comes to us from the Persian, and the book is certainly 1500 years old. The stories have been told from a much earlier date. It was introduced into Europe by a translation into French by A. Galland (1704-8). The best English versions for scholars are those of Lane and Burton.

BEAUMONT, MDME DE. Born in Rouen, France, in 1711. Died in London — . Was very actively engaged in educational work, and wrote many books of manners and morals for the young, which are now forgotten.

D’AULNOY, CTSSE. Born in France, 1650; died, 1705. A beautiful and accomplished French woman who wrote much for children. Her Fairy Tales are, however, the only work of hers which has lived. She wrote for children of all ages, and her style is particularly graceful, simple, and pleasing in the original French.

PERRAULT, C. Born, in Paris, 1628; died, 1703; a French scholar and courtier. His collection of Fairy Tales was first published in French in 1696, under the title of “Tales of Mother Goose,” and is perhaps the most famous and most widely known of any.

VILLENEUVE, MDME DE, died in 1755. Wrote in French many romantic stories, but her fairy tales alone have come down to us; the rest of her works are forgotten.