[165] _De_ Belges, though the less usual, is the more accurate form. We are at length promised a complete edition of him in the admirable series of the Belgian Academy, one of the best in appearance and editing, and by far the cheapest of all such series. He was born in 1475, held posts in the household of the Governors of the Netherlands, was historiographer to Louis XII., and died either in 1524 or in 1548. [166] See _Poetes Francais_, i. 532. It is perhaps well to say that M. C. d'Hericault, though a very agreeable as well as a very learned writer, is particularly open to the charge that his geese are swans. [167] Ed. C. d'Hericault. Paris, 1855. [168] See _Poetes Francais_, vol. i. _ad fin._, for the poets mentioned in this paragraph and others of their kind. [169] He was in his old age conspicuous among the enemies of Etienne Dolet. See _Etienne Dolet_, by R. C. Christie. London, 1880. [170] Ed Jannet et C. d'Hericault. 4 vols. Paris, 2nd ed. 1873. M. d'Hericault has prefixed a much larger study of Marot than is to be found here to his edition of the 'beauties' of the poet, published by Messrs. Garnier. The late M. Guiffrey published two volumes of a costly and splendid edition, which his death interrupted. [171] The _blason_ (description) was a child of the mediaeval _dit_. Marot's examples, _Le beau Tetin_ and _Le laid Tetin_, were copied _ad infinitum_. The first is panegyric, the second abuse. [172] Ed. Frank. 4 vols. Paris, 1873-4. [173] i. 651. [174] Ed. Tross. Paris, 1871. [175] Ed. Blanchemain, 3 vols. Paris, 1873. [176] This great collection, which awaits its completion of glossary, etc., was published between 1855 and 1878, and is invaluable to any one desiring to appreciate the general characteristics of the poetical literature of the time. [177] Much help has been received in the writing of this chapter, and indeed of this book, from the excellent work of MM. Hatzfeld and Darmesteter, _Le Seizieme Siecle en France_ (Paris, 1878), one of the best histories extant in a small compass of a brief but important period of literature. We may hope for a still more elaborate study of the same subject in English from Mr. Arthur Tilley, of King's College, Cambridge. An introductory volume to this study appeared in 1885. CHAPTER III. RABELAIS AND HIS FOLLOWERS. [Sidenote: Fiction at the beginning of the Sixteenth Century.]