Jean Baptiste Louis,** the author of *Ver-Vert,* and many other poems, was one of the most original French writers of the eighteenth century. He was born at Amiens in 1709, and was educated there in the college of the Jesuits. In his seventeenth year he entered their order; and was sent to Paris to complete his studies at the College de Louis-le-Grand. He had not completed his twenty-third year when he wrote his inimitable little poem of *Ver-Vert.* There is not in the French language any badinage more pleasant or more graceful than the adventures of the famous parrot of Nevers. He next published the *Carême Improptu* and the *Lutrin Vivant,* two brilliant trifles that display remarkable powers of narrative; and soon after, two charming epistles under the title of *La Chartreuse* and *Les Ombres.* Both of these epistles, but especially the first-named, are in their way as remarkable as the *Ver-Vert.* They are perhaps less correct; the copiousness of diction degenerates into luxuriance, and the abandon sometimes savours of carelessness. Yet the happy flow and pleasant cadences of the lines redeem the diffusion and the long sentences which have been often censured as the prevailing faults of almost all Gresset's compositions. An exception must be made in favour of his *Epître à ma sœur, sur ma conciliation,* which is in its way a perfect masterpiece, and far superior to many of the fugitive pieces of Voltaire in the same vein. Inferior in merit to these, yet still worthy of respectful mention, are the *Epître au père Bougeant,* *A ma muse,* *Epître d'un Chartreux,* &c. The fame of these works spread far and wide, and gained for their author the professorship of humanity at Tours. Here he had the misfortune to displease an influential and high-born religieux, who accused him of doing mischief by the light and frivolous character of his poetry; and Gresset by way of punishment was transferred to La Flèche. To divert his thoughts, he set himself to translate the Eclogues of Virgil, which he accomplished, however, with very indifferent success. Finding his banishment intolerable, he applied for a recall; and when his superiors refused, he left the order. He always preserved a kindly remembrance of his connexion with it, however, as is evidenced by his *Adieu aux Jésuites.* He now removed to Paris, where he endeavoured to gain a reputation as a tragic writer. In 1740 he produced his drama of *Edouard III.*, which La Harpe pronounced a "roman sans vraisemblance, sans intérêt et sans aucune entente du théâtre;" and his *Sidney,* played five years later, has no merits to save it from a like condemnation. Both were utter failures on the stage. Hardly more fortunate was his comedy of *Le Méchant,* which possesses very great merits, though these are more appreciable in the closet than on the stage. This comedy gives a most brilliant picture of the period which culminated in the Regency. Many of the lines are exquisitely finished, and many of them have become proverbs, but the plot is cold and commonplace. In 1748 Gresset obtained the much coveted honour of a seat in the French Academy; but a few years later he retired to his native town, where, with permission from the king, he founded an academy. The remainder of his life was spent in the neighbourhood of his beloved Amiens, which he never quitted unless business called him to the capital for a few days. One of these flying visits to Paris was made in 1774, to congratulate Louis XVI. on his accession, in the name of the French Academy. The new monarch enabled him, and the dauphin (afterwards Louis XVIII.) made him historiographer of the order of St Lazarus. In his latter days Gresset became religiously disposed, and published a letter of regret for the mischief which he believed his comedies to have done. This retraction excited the wrath of Voltaire, who wrote of him in 1759—"Et ce poisson de Gresset qu'en dirons-nous? quel fait orgueilleux! quel plat fatale!" This was at least ungrateful in the patriarch of Ferney; for Gresset had not only never joined in the outcry against him, but had even defended his Zadre against its many assailants. Though it is hard to see what Gresset had to retract, or what evil influence he had exerted over French literature, he took great blame to himself for having multiplied editions of his works; and in deference to his religious advisers, he burned some unpublished plays, and two new cantos of *Ver-Vert.* Gresset died at Amiens, June 16, 1777.

Gresset, more than any other French poet, seems to have felt the influences of time and circumstance; and his works reflect to a surprising degree the influences by which he was surrounded at the time when each was written. He was the most original poet of his century in France, and neither belonged to any school nor followed any model. Not a trace of the Voltairianism which was the ruling spirit of French literature in his day is to be found in his writings. His originality, refined humour, easy grace, and beautiful versification, will always secure for him an independent niche in the pantheon of French greatness. The best editions of his poems are those of Fayolle, Paris, 1803, 3 vols. 18mo.; and Renouard, Paris, 1811, 3 vols. 8vo. The *Ver-Vert* has been twice translated into English, first by T. G. Cooper, and afterwards by Alexander Geddes; into German by J. M. Goetz; into Italian by L. A. Vincenzi; and into several other modern tongues.

**GRETA,** a river of England, in Cumberland. It rises in the mountain cove of Wythburn, and at the western base of Helvellyn enters the lake of Thirlmere or Leathes Water, through which it flows, and whence it emerges under the name of St John's Beck, flowing thence along the narrow but extremely picturesque valley of St John's, which is bounded on the W. by Naddle Fell, and on the E. by Great Dodd, a hill at the extremity of the Helvellyn chain. The lower end of the dale is closed by Saddleback, which rises on the N., with its deep ravines and rocky projections. This beautiful vale is the scene of Scott's poem of the *Bridal of Triermain,* and at its entrance from Thirlmere rise "the castled rocks," so graphically described by the poet. At the foot of Saddleback, which rears its summit above "the ruined towers of Threlkeld Hall," the stream is joined by the Glenderamaken, and takes thence the name of Greta. In its further course it receives the Glenderaterra, which comes bounding down between the mountains of Saddleback and Skiddaw. Thence the Greta passes under the woody side of Latrigg ("Skiddaw's Cub"), where its scenery is of the finest and most remarkable kind. Little more than a mile from the foot of Skiddaw stands the town of Keswick, on the left bank of this river, in the most beautiful vale. Quitting the town, the Greta falls into the Derwent at the foot of the noble lake of Derwentwater. The bed of the Greta is stony and rocky, but the channel immediately above Keswick has been to a great extent cleared of the immense stones which, by their concussion in high floods, produced the loud noises described in Wordsworth's sonnet on the Greta. Black's *Guide to the Lakes;* Works of Scott, Wordsworth, and Southey.

**GRETA,** a romantic tributary of the Tees, in the N.W. part of the north-riding of Yorkshire. The valley of this stream was well known to the Roman conquerors; and in recent times its charms have been enhanced by the picturesque descriptions of Sir Walter Scott and other poets. The Greta rises by a few branches on the Stainmoor Forest and the northern slopes of Watercrag, the name first belonging to the branch that springs near Rere Cross on Stainmoor. These streams united flow past Bowes, a large village remarkable for its castle. Further down, the