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../Gracieuse and Percinet.—This story bears to me internal evidence of being a coup d'essai. It is slighter in plot, and the repetition of incident weakens the interest of what there is of it. Several English versions of it have been published under the title of "Graciosa and Percinet." In this very first story the effects of Madame d'Aulnoy's residence at the court of Madrid is to be seen. She tells us that Grognon "determined to make her entrée on horseback, because she had heard it was the custom of the Queens of Spain." Madame d'Aulnoy was present at the entrée of Marie d'Orleans, queen of Charles II. of Spain, into Madrid, January 13th, 1680. The Queen, she tells us, rode on a fine Andalusian horse, which the Marquis de Villa Mayna, her first gentleman-usher, led by the reins. Her clothes were so richly embroidered that you could not see the stuff they were made of. She wore a hat trimmed with white and scarlet feathers, and the pearl called the Peregrina, which is as big as a small pear, and of inestimable value, hanging from the agraffe of diamonds which looped up her hat. Her hair hung loose upon her shoulders and forehead: her neck was a little bare, and she wore a farthingale. She had upon her finger the king's large diamond, which it is pretended is the finest in Europe.—"Travels in Spain," and "Memoirs of the Court of Spain."

../The Fair with Golden Hair.—The Fair with Golden Hair is one of the most popular tales in the collection, and