Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-10
For the RECORD USIos.l
FRENCH LITERATURE.
A BRIEF HISTORICAL KEvIEw OF THE
LITERATURE OF FRANCE.
Its MIXTURE of Impulsiveuess, Gaity, Wit,
Frivolity and Refuement-A
Literary Change.

Frivolity and Rehuement-A
Literary Change.
lie poete, inspire lorsque la terre ignore,
Resemble ces grands monts que la nouvelle aurore
Dore avant tous son revei
Eft qui, longtemps vainqueurs de fombre,
Garcent iusaue dams la mutt sombre
lie dernier rayon de soleil.-lYictor Hugo.
French character, that mixture of i'm |
pulsiveness, gaiety, wit and frivolity-of |
sentiment, refinement and intelligence
was sure to engender literature represent
ing these qualities in high degree. Had
the history of France never been written,
its literature alone would have sufficed to
present vivid picture of the many
changes and incidents which took place in
that country for the last five centuries.
From the old classics to modern authors
many struggles were made and many OBJ
stacles had to be overcome to create such q
rich and varied literature. French itera-
ture embraces three periods the middle
ages, the Renaissance and modern times.
Its beginning may be set down at the latter
portion of the eleventh century, that is, at
| the formation of feudal society of the
Gauls. Up to that time there was on the
soil of France a struggle OF races and
idioms in the work SO complex of the
formation of French nationality and
French character. 1t has long been dis
pute among French historians whether the
Celts, the Romans or the Germans exerted
the most influence upon the moral and in
tellectual Development of their race. The
few literary monuments of those times,
though Indicating the formation of new
language, could hardly be called French.
IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY
French literature began to flourish. A
noble style, the "Epos," under the name
of minstrel songs, made its appearance.
Such were the song of Roland and the
legend of Arthur. From that time and up
to the fifteenth century, literature took in
wider scope. Didactic poetry, songs OF
the crusades. and legendary poems were
followed by fables and satire. The 70.
nance of Renart, the allegories OF the ro-
nance of the Rose-these were the styles
of poetry of the middle ages. The prom.
inent names of authors of that period are
those of Moniot, Alain, Charter, Froissart,
Lescurel, Villon and Charles of Orleans.
Prose, as the nearest kin to poetry, came
into vogue and grew up. Villehardouin,
Joinville and Commines were the repre-
sentatives OF this new and popular style of
writing.
The second period of French literature
began in the sixteenth century. A modern
spirit which broke forth in a universal
movement of independence and renovation
could not fail to be at home in France.
J At such times writers become men OF ag-
gressive proclivities. The Renaissance
was for France a return to intellectual LIE
) and spiritual rejuvenescence. All ancient
authors were studied, commented upon
. and translated. The discovery OF the arr
of printing permitted an increase and pro
pagation of their treasures. Authors tell
r not only inspired through the ideas and the
e language of the ancients, but initiated
: their beautiful pagan forms, their elo
3 quence and their philosophy. At tn.
< solicitation of the French " Erasmus,
. W. Buddee, the College of France wa!
8 founded. France l. doubtless encouraged
9 this movement before smothering it il
g blood and fire. Notwithstanding the bruta
i and despotic opposition of ignorant and
< tyrannical governments, notwithstanding
-
l stake, the researches after truth and thu
: longings after more human philosophy
e could not be stopped, and men like Els
e tienne and Dolst sacrificed their lives IL
n behalf of reform and progress. Dolet wa
t tortured, strangled and burned on thu
+ Place Maubert. Before his execution, anC
g seeing the pitying crowd, he composed Thu
r verse "Non dolet ipse Dolet, sed PHI
d turba dole" -Dolet does not grieve, bu
t the pious crowd does.)
. In opposition TO violence, ingenious sub
i terfuge was resorted to. The need of re
II form brought forth the great and
l. ORIGINAL WORKS OF RABELAIs.
a In order to let reason penetrate the publ
n mind they were seasoned with folly; ant
70 truth, which is cause of fear and appre
o hension to the mighty, was clothed in witt.
q FORMS Reformation glided into the littl
, court OF Margaret of Valois and recruited
e a number of poets and writers. Calvin
~ made his appearance. So different from
!. Luther in many respects, he sided wit
n him in his endeavor toward religious AM
literary reform like him, he made use il
q his theological propaganda of the might
"a weapon of an improved national language
n The latter found itself at last emancipated
4 but the tendency toward incorporating an
:. retaining foreign elements was still to
h great to admit of rapidly progressing ma
\. tional literature. Full of admiration 70
Il antique models, a return to Grecian idea
. and Grecian prosody was INDUCED in
= Malherbe, and after him Corneille, sough
"A to give French literature new and NOR
! original direction, and their efforts, espe
,e cially the latter's, were successful. 18Th
| ~
70 France" said Voltaire.
ia The third period of French literatur
70 comprises the seventeenth, eighteenth an
IF nineteenth centuries. Although the histor
"a of literature may be nearest to US, it
n not easy to mark off its real divisions, fC
y the reason that those men who gave ne
- impulse to its advancement do not Away
belong to the age in which the change
noticeable. So is the reign of Louis XIV
for instance, considered the golden era
es French literature, and yet such men {
ID Corneille, Descartes, Balzac and Voitul
1t did not belong to that epoch, and the worl
m in verse and prose inaugurating the class
i'd cal period date from the administration
Id Richelieu. Richeleu was the founder {
b. the French Academy of Sciences.
u THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
L. Having been under the reign of Louis XIV
10 entirely formed and freed from foreig
= thraldom and feeling, the impressions {
i the dissertations Of Balzac and the learne
= letters of Voiture took an amplitude,
= fiexibility and dignifed politeness whic
~ heretofore had been wanting The Card
- nal de Retz and La Rochefoucault mat
- gurated, in dignified and severe style
=. the one contemporaneous history, the othe
4 purely human study of the soul. Her
. are few of La Rochefoucault's maxims
- eff we find vanity in Others insuffel
- - able, it is because it hurts ours"
- "Shallow- minded people generally COZ
N N denim that which surpasses their compr'
n hension."
=, =, Few men are clever enough to kDo'
% all the harm they dc"
n awe seldom meet people of good sens'
4 except those who are of our opinion.
,e Gravity is a mystery of the body cor
~ trived to hide the defects of the mind"
If, under the reign OF Louis XIV, pros
Il had already reached a state of maturity
h poetry had given its full measure to II
AL Is Il