Its best tragedy is an “essai pâle et noble,” and its comedy a rough experiment, too often the very reverse of noble. In order to show how the writers of the great time, and of the eighteenth century classic school, while working on the same fund of principles, and with similar aims, differed from their predecessors, it would be necessary to go beyond the scope of this book. FOOTNOTES: [89] Sainte-Beuve, _Tableau historique et critique de la Poesie Française et du Théâtre Français au XVI^{me.} Siècle. Le Seizième Siècle en France._ Par MM. Darmsteter et Hatzfeld. [90] _Œuvres complètes de P. de Ronsard_, edited by M. Prosper Blanchemain. Bibliothèque Elzévirienne, 1858. [91] Ed. Marty-Laveaux. 2 vols. [92] A Selection of Baïf’s verse has been made by M. Becq de Fonquières, 1874, and his _Mimes_ have been reprinted by M. Blanchemain. [93] Ed. M. Alfred Michiels. 1858. [94] There is still no modern edition of Du Bartas. The standard edition is that of 1610-1611, in 2 vols. folio. [95] An edition of the works of D’Aubigné, complete with the exception of _L’Histoire Universelle_, was published in Paris, 1873-1892, by MM. Réaume et de Caussade. Partial reprints are numerous. [96] Ed. M. Prosper Poitévin. [97] Ed. Marty Laveaux, 1868-1870; and _Ancien Théâtre François_ in the “Bibliothèque Elzévirienne,” vol. iv. [98] Ed. 1562, but _Les Esbahis_ is in the _Ancien Théâtre Français_. [99] Ed. M. René de Maulde. 4 vols., 1878-1882. [100] Ed. of 1585 reprinted in _Sammlung Französischer Neudrucke_. Heilbronn, by Herr Wendelin Förster. [101] It is advisable not to burden one’s page with illustrations, but it may be pointed out that the modern “well-made play” supplies copious examples of what is said above. The Jalin of Alexandre Dumas fils, in the _Demi Monde_, or the Duc de Montmeyran in _Le Gendre de M. Poirier_ of Emile Angier, are chorus; and it may be added that they are also legion. [102] _Ancien Théâtre Français._ Bibliothèque Elzévirienne. Vols. v. and vi. [103] _Ancien Théâtre Français_, vol. iv. CHAPTER XI. FRENCH PROSE-WRITERS OF THE LATER SIXTEENTH CENTURY. ABUNDANCE OF LATER SIXTEENTH-CENTURY PROSE--A DISTINCTION--SULLY--BODIN--THE GREAT MEMOIR-WRITERS--CARLOIX--LA NOUE--D’AUBIGNÉ--MONLUC--BRANTÔME--THE ‘SATYRE MÉNIPÉE’--ITS ORIGIN--ITS AUTHORS--ITS FORM AND SPIRIT--MONTAIGNE--HIS ‘ESSAYS’--THE SCEPTICISM OF MONTAIGNE--HIS STYLE--CHARRON AND DU VAIR. [SN: _Abundance of later sixteenth-century prose._]