It is a common belief that in France the study of medieval literature as literature only began to gain recognition as a valid occupation for the scholar during the nineteenth century. It is well known that historians of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries looked to the literary productions of the Middle Ages for materials useful to their researches, but it is only recently that the remarkable frequency of this reference has been appreciated and that scholars have become aware of an unbroken tradition of what might best be described as historically ori ented medievalism stretching from the sixteenth century to our own. The eighteenth century has drawn the greatest number of curious to this field, for it is evident that the surprisingly extensive researches undertaken then do much to explain the progress made a century later by the most celebrated generation of medievalistst. Very slowly we are coming to see the value of the contribution made by little known schol­ ars like La Curne de Sainte-Palaye, Etienne Barbazan and the Comte de Caylus.

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One The Life and Work of Le Grand D'aussy.- A. The early years: Le Grand and the Society of Jesus.- B. The apprenticeship.- C. The Fabliaux ou Contes.- D. The Observations sur les Troubadours.- E. The Histoire de la Vie Privée des Français.- F. The excursions to Auvergne.- G. A new carecr? The years of silence.- H. Final recognition. The last ambitious years.- Two The Fabliaux ou Contes.- to part two.- I. Literary texts or historical documents? The mirror of medieval society..- II. France and the literary renaissance in medieval Europe. The vindication of the "trouvères"..- III. Medieval literature by eightccnth-ccntury standards. A discerning appreciation..- IV. The sources..- V. The method. An examination of Le Grand's extract form: the "copie réduite"..- Elements of the "copie réduite".- The question of interpretation.- A model extract.- VI. Conclusion: The popularity and enduring validity of the Fabliaux ou Contes..- Appendix: The Sources of the Fabliaux ou Contes.- A. Manuscript copies used by Lc Grand d'Aussy.- B. Medieval manuscripts used by Le Grand d'Aussy.- C. Table of fabliaux manuscripts known to Le Grand D'Aussy and his predecessors.- Bibliography:.- Section I. Manuscript Works.- Le Grand d'Aussy.- Contemporary medievalists.- Barbazan, Etienne.- La Gurne de Saintc-Palaye.- La Vallière, Due de.- Paulmy, Marquis de.- Section II. Printed Works.- Principal eighteenth-century journals to which reference is made.- Authors before 1700.- Contemporaries of Le Grand d'Aussy.- Le Grand d'Aussy:.- Extracts, articles, "mémoires", "notices".- Biographies and bibliographies of Le Grand d'Aussy.- Modern students of the fabliaux who mention or use Le Grand d'Aussy.- Modern works concerned with eighteenth-century medievalism.- Miscellaneous modern works to which reference is made.