Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/690

 FRANCE [LITERATURE. to have anything to do with the massacre of St Bartholomew. Though he was a man of no learning, his style is excellent, being vivid, flexible, and straightforward. Lanoue, who was a moderate in politics, has left his principles reflected in his memoirs. D Aubigne&quot;, so often to be mentioned, gives the extreme Huguenot side as opposed to the royalist partisan- Bran- ship of Monluc and the via media of Lanoue. Brantome, tome. ou the other hand, is quite free from any political or religi ous prepossessions, and, indeed, troubles himself very little about any such matters. He is the shrewd and somewhat cynical observer, moving through the crowd and taking note of its ways, its outward appearance, its heroisms, and its follies. It is really difficult to say whether the recital of a noble deed of arms or the telling of a scandalous story about a court lady gave him the most pleasure, and impos sible to say which he did best. Certainly he had ample material for both exercises in the history of his time. The branches of literature of which we have just given an account may be fairly connected, from the historical point of view, with work of the same kind that went before as well as with work of the same kind that followed them. It was not so with the literature of theology, law, politics, and erudition, which the 16th century also produced, and with which it for the first time enlarged the range of com position in the vulgar tongue. Not only had Latin been in variably adopted as the language of composition on such sub jects, but the style of the treatises dealing with such matters had been traditional rather than original. In speculative philosophy or metaphysics proper, even this century did not witness a great development ; perhaps, indeed, such a devel opment was not to be expected until the minds of men had in some degree settled down from their agitation on more prac tical matters. It is not without significance that Calvin (1509-1564) is the great figure in serious French prose in the first half of the century, Montaigne the corresponding figure in the second half. After Calvin and Montaigne we expect Descartes. 16th Century Theologians. In France, as in all other countries, the Eeformation was an essentially popular movement, though from special causes, such as the ab sence of political homogeneity, the nobles took a more active part both with pen and sword in it than was the case in England. But the great text book of the French Reformation was not the work of any noble. Calvin. Calvin s Institution of the Christian Religion is a book equally remarkable in matter and in form, in circumstances and in result. I tis the first really great composition in argumentative French prose. Its severe logic and careful arrangement had as much influence on the manner of future thought, both in France and the other regions whither its widespread popularity carried it, as its style had on the expression of such thought. It was the work of a man of only seven-and-twenty, and it is impossible to exaggerate the originality of its manner when we remember that hardly any models of French prose then existed except tales and chronicles, which required and exhibited totally differ ent qualities of style. It is indeed probable that had not the Institution been first written by its author in Latin, and afterwards translated by him, it might have had less dignity and vigour ; but it must at the same time be remembered that this process of composition was at least equally likely in the hands of any but a great genius to produce a heavy and pedantic style neither French nor Latin in character. Something like this result was actually produced in some of Calvin s minor works, and still more in the works of many of his followers, whose lumbering language gained for itself, in allusion to their exile from France, the title of &quot; style ref ugie&quot;. &quot; Nevertheless, the use of the vulgar tongue on the Protestant side, and the possession of a work of such importance written therein, gave the Reformers an immense advantage which their adversaries were some time in neut ralizing. Calvin was much helped by Pierre Viret (1511- 1571), who wrote a large number of small theological and moral dialogues, and of satirical pamphlets, destined to captivate as well as to instruct the lower people. The more famous Beza (1519-1605) wrote chiefly in Latin, but he composed in French an ecclesiastical history of the Reformed churches and some translations of the Psalms. Marnix de St Aldegonde (1530-1593), a gentleman of Brabant, fol lowed Viret as a satirical pamphleteer on the Protestant side. On the other hand, the Catholic champions at first affected to disdain the use of the vulgar tongue, and their pamphleteers, when they did attempt it, wers unequal to the task. Towards the end of the century a more decent war was waged with Du Plessis Mornay (1549-1623) on the Protestant side, whose work is at least as much directed against freethinkers and enemies of Christianity in general as against the dogmas and discipline of Rome. His adver sary, the redoubtable Cardinal du Perron (1556-1618), who, originally a Calvinist, went over to the other side, employed French most vigorously in controversial ^.works, chiefly with reference to the eucharist. Du Perron was celebrated as the first controversialist of the time, and obtained dialectical victories over all comers. At the same time the bishop of Geneva, St Francis of Sales (1568-1622), supported the Catholic side, partly by controversial works, but still more by his devotional writings. The Introduction to a Devout Life, which, though actually published early in the next century, had been written sometime previously, shares with Calvin s Institution the position of the most important theological work of the period, and is in remarkable contrast with it in style and sentiment as well as in principles and plan. It has indeed been accused of a certain effeminacy, the appearance of which is in all probability mainly due to this very contrast. The 16th century does not, like the 17th, distinguish itself by literary exercises in the pulpit. The furious preachers of the League, and their equally violent opponents, have no literary value. IQth Century Moralists and Political Writers. The religious dissensions and political disturbances of the time could not fail to exert an influence on ethical and philosophical thought. Yet, as we have said, the century was not prolific of pure philosophical speculation. The scholastic tradition, though long sterile, still survived, and with it the habit of composing in Latin all works in any way connected with philosophy. The logic of Ramus in 1555 is cited as the first departure from this rule. Other philosophical works are few, and chiefly express the doubt and the freethinking which were characterstic of the time. This doubt assumes the form of positive religious scepticism only in the Cymbalum Mundi of Bonaventure des Periers, a remarkable series of dialogues which excited a great storm, and ultimately drove the author to commit suicide. The Cymbalum Mundi is a curious anticipation of the 18th century. The literature of doubt, however, was to receive its principal accession in the famous essays of Montaigne Mon- (1533-1592). It would be a mistake to imagine the exist- taigne. euce of any sceptical propaganda in this charming and popular book. Itsj&amp;gt;rinciple is not scepticism but egotism ; and as the author was profoundly sceptical, this quality necessarily rather than intentionally appears. We have here to deal only very superficially with this as with other famous books, but it cannot be doubted that it expresses the mental attitude of the latter part of the century as completely as Rabelais expresses the mental attitude of the early part. There is considerably less vigour and life in this attitude. Inquiry and protest have given way to a placid conviction that there is not much to be found out, and that it does not much matter ; the erudition though abundant is less indiscriminate, and is taken in and given