conformity with the moral codes of the period, plays should not show evil being rewarded or nobility being degraded. The history of the public and critical reaction to Corneille's "Le Cid" can be found in other articles (he was criticized for his use of sources, for his violation of good taste, and for other irregularities that did not conform to Aristotian or Horacian rules), but its impact was stunning. Cardinal Richelieu asked the newly formed Académie française to investigate and pronounce on the criticisms (it was the Academy's first official judgement), and the controversy reveals a growing attempt to control and regulate theatre and theatrical forms. This would be the beginning of seventeenth century "classicism". Corneille continued to write plays through 1674 (mainly tragedies, but also something he called "heroic comedies") and many continued to be successes, although the "irregularities" of his theatrical methods were increasingly criticized (notably by François Hédelin, abbé d'Aubignac) and the success of Jean Racine from the late 1660s signaled the end of his preeminence. Select list of dramatists and plays, with indication of genre (dates are often approximate, as date of publication was usually long after the date of first performance): Antoine de Montchrestien (c.1575-1621) Sophonisbe a/k/a La Cathaginoise a/k/a La Liberté (tragedy) - 1596 La Reine d'Ecosse a/k/a L'Ecossaise (tragedy) - 1601 Aman (tragedy) - 1601 La Bergerie (pastoral) - 1601 Hector (tragedy) - 1604 Jean de Schelandre (c. 1585-1635) Tyr et Sidon, ou les funestes amours de Belcar et Méliane (1608) Alexandre Hardy (1572-c.1632) - Hardy reputedly wrote 600 plays; only 34 have come down to us. Scédase, ou l'hospitalité violée (tragedy) - 1624 La Force du sang (tragicomedy) - 1625 (the plot is taken from a Cervantes short story) Lucrèce, ou l'Adultère puni (tragedy) - 1628 Honorat de Bueil, seigneur de Racan (1589–1670) Les Bergeries (pastoral) - 1625 Théophile de Viau (1590–1626) Les Amours tragiques de Pyrame et Thisbé (tragedy) - 1621 François le Métel de Boisrobert (1592–1662) Didon la chaste ou Les Amours de Hiarbas (tragedy) - 1642 Jean Mairet (1604–1686) La Sylve (pastoral tragicomedy) - c.1626 La Silvanire, ou La Morte vive (pastoral tragicomedy) - 1630 Les Galanteries du Duc d'Ossonne Vice-Roi de Naples (comedy) - 1632 La Sophonisbe (tragedy) - 1634 La Virginie (tragicomedy) - 1636 Tristan L'Hermite (1601–1655) Mariamne (tragedy) - 1636 Penthée (tragedy) - 1637 La Mort de Seneque (tragedy) - 1644 La Mort de Crispe (tragedy)