That errors must occur where so many statements are made, I am aware from past experience; but I have taken no slight pains to attain accuracy. It must not be hastily assumed that dates here recorded are incorrect because they sometimes differ from those given in other books. For my errors I must myself bear the responsibility; but by the editorial care of Mr. Gosse, in reading the proof-sheets of this book, the number of such errors has been reduced. EDWARD DOWDEN. DUBLIN, _June_ 1897. CONTENTS _BOOK THE FIRST_--_THE MIDDLE AGES_ CHAPTER PAGE I. NARRATIVE RELIGIOUS POETRY--THE NATIONAL EPIC--THE EPIC OF ANTIQUITY--ROMANCES OF LOVE AND COURTESY . . . . . . . . 3 II. LYRICAL POETRY--FABLES, AND RENARD THE FOX--FABLIAUX--THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 III. DIDACTIC LITERATURE--SERMONS--HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . 40 IV. LATEST MEDIAEVAL POETS--THE DRAMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 _BOOK THE SECOND_--_THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY_ I. RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 II. FROM THE PLEIADE TO MONTAIGNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 _BOOK THE THIRD_--_THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY_ I. LITERARY FREEDOM AND LITERARY ORDER . . . . . . . . . . . 131 II. THE FRENCH ACADEMY--PHILOSOPHY (DESCARTES)--RELIGION (PASCAL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 III. THE DRAMA (MONTCHRESTIEN TO CORNEILLE) . . . . . . . . . . 160 IV. SOCIETY AND PUBLIC LIFE IN LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 V. BOILEAU AND LA FONTAINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 VI. COMEDY AND TRAGEDY--MOLIERE--RACINE . . . . . . . . . . . 196 VII. BOSSUET AND THE PREACHERS--FENELON . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 VIII. TRANSITION TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY . . . . . . . . . . . 235 _BOOK THE FOURTH_--_THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY_ I. MEMOIRS AND HISTORY--POETRY--THE THEATRE--THE NOVEL . . . 251 II. MONTESQUIEU--VAUVENARGUES--VOLTAIRE . . . . . . . . . . . 273 III. DIDEROT AND THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA--PHILOSOPHERS, ECONOMISTS, CRITICS--BUFFON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 IV. ROUSSEAU--BEAUMARCHAIS--BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE--ANDRE CHENIER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 _BOOK THE FIFTH_--1789-1850 I. THE REVOLUTION AND THE EMPIRE--MADAME DE STAEL-- CHATEAUBRIAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 II. THE CONFLICT OF IDEAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 III. POETRY OF THE ROMANTIC SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 IV. THE NOVEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 V. HISTORY--LITERARY CRITICISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437