The general histories, which make up a second class of historical writings, are, as a rule, of very much less value than these personal memoirs. Not till the extreme end of the period did the historical conception take a firm hold in De Thou, and the _Thuana_ was written in Latin, which excludes it and its author from detailed notice here. D'Aubigne's _Histoire Universelle_ of his own time has been mentioned for convenience' sake already. Lancelot de la Popeliniere attempted in the last quarter of the century a general history of France, and incidentally of Europe during his own day. He is said to have spent all his fortune on getting together the materials, but his literary powers were small. About the same time Bernard Girard, Seigneur du Haillan, published a history of France from the earliest times, which an extract of Thierry's, giving the speeches of Charamond and Quadrek, Merovingians of Du Haillan's own creation, who speak on the advantages of different forms of government at the election of Pharamond, has made known to many persons who never saw the original. The source of this grotesque imagination is of course obvious to readers of Herodotus, and similar imitation of classical models is frequent in Du Haillan's work. Francois de Belleforest also wrote a general history of France, which was long read, and the names of Du Tillet, Jean de Serres, Charron, Dupleix, etc. may be mentioned. But they represent writers of little importance, either from the point of view of history, or from that of literature. FOOTNOTES: [213] The standard edition until recently has been that of Le Clerc (4 vols. Paris, 1866). That of Louandre in the Bibliotheque Charpentier is handy and useful. MM. Courbet and Roger have begun a handsome edition. [214] The references are to the edition of Louandre. [215] _De la Sagesse._ 2 vols. Paris, 1789. [216] Ed. 1641. [217] Ed. 1578. [218] Ed. Feugere. Paris, 1846. [219] Ed. Buchon. 2 vols. Paris, 1839. The Societe de l'Histoire de France has a voluminous edition on hand. Merimee, who was a great admirer of Brantome, began an edition for the Bibliotheque Elzevirienne, but left it unfinished. [220] Montluc's _Memoirs_, as well as most of those mentioned below, will be found in the collection of Michaud and Poujoulat. [221] The earlier editions of this writer are not complete. In 1875 a full reprint was begun. CHAPTER VIII. THE _SATYRE MENIPPEE_. REGNIER. [Sidenote: Satyre Menippee.]