Specimens of French Literature from Villon to Hugo: Selected and Edited (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Specimens Of French Literature From Villon To Hugo: Selected And Edited

T un origin of this book has been described in the Preface of the Short History of French Literature (c larendon Press), to which it is intended to form a companion. I need not here weary the reader by indicating at length the various objects I have had before me in the compilation. Among these, complete illustration of the beauties of any particular author has, it is needless to say, found no place, much less collection of my own favourite pieces. It has occasionally been necessary, for the sake of completing the panorama, to draw on what some people may not think the best work of individual writers. To make the whole a sufficient tableau of the various achievements of French literature from the literary point of view has been the main thing considered. Must emphasise the words from the literary point of view, ' because from any other the allotment of 3pace may seem oepricious. It has also to be remembered that some kinds of literature, such as prose fiction and drama, especially the latter, lend themselves with difliculty to the purpose. For instance, Racine is undoubtedly a greater name in French literature than Alfred de Musset. But Racine wrote in astyle which has few variations, and which is peculiarly difficult to exhibit in those variations except at great length. For the present purpose therefore a single extract suflices Again, Musset is, according to some, a greater name than Gautier, according to none, perhaps, a less. But Gautier was master of a variety of forms which are very different from each other and can be well illustrated, all being im portant as instances of the powers of the language: while Musset was more confined in range, and even within that range (as in his incomparable Proverbes) cannot be always shewn by sample at all. These are some of the conside rations which impose on the compiler of such a book as this.

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