BOURSAULT, Edmund, a French dramatist and satirist, was born at Muci-l’Eveque, Burgundy, in 1638. On his first arrival in Paris in 1651 his power of language was limited to Burgundian patois, but he soon gained such reputation as an author, that Louis XIV. directed him to draw up a book for the education of the Dauphin. In compliance with this order Boursault 1 produced his Veritable étude des souverains, which pleased so greatly the king that he offered to appoint the author tutor to his son, an office which Boursault’s ignorance of Latin compelled him to decline. He obtained a considerable pension as editor of a rhyming gazette, which was, however, suppressed for ridiculing a capuchin, and Boursault was only saved from the Bastille by the influence of Condé. Two of his dramas, Esope à la Ville and Esope à la Cour were highly popular, and Corneille declared his tragedy Germanicus to be worthy of Racine. His best comedy was Mercure Galant, or Comedie sans Titre, as it was afterwards, named. He accused Molière of impiety, and assailed L'Ecole des Femmes in Le Portrait du Peintre. Molière retaliated by contemptuously referring to him in L'Impromptu du Versailles. His Satyre des Satyres was directed against Boileau, whom, however, he afterwards generously offered to assist. In return for this kindness Boileau erased Boursault’s name from his satires. Boursault died at Montluçon, where he held the office of collector of taxes, September 15, 1701.