has guided like a star the writers of
France is the principle of deliberation, of intention, of a conscious
search for ordered beauty; an unwavering, an indomitable pursuit of the
endless glories of art.

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF AUTHORS AND THEIR PRINCIPAL WORKS

I. _Middle Ages_

CHANSONS DE GESTE, eleventh to thirteenth centuries.
_Chanson de Roland, circa_ 1080.

ROMANS BRETONS, twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

CHRETIEN DE TROYES, wrote _circa_ 1170-80.

FABLIAUX, twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
_Roman de Renard_, thirteenth century.
_Aucassin et Nicolete, circa_ thirteenth century.

VILLEHARDOUIN, _d_. 1213.
_Conquete de Constantinople_, 1205-13.

GUILLAUME DE LORRIS (?).
_La Roman de la Rose_ (first part), _circa_ 1237.

JEAN DE MEUNG, _d_. 1305.
_La Roman de la Rose_ (second part), 1277.

JOINVILLE, 1224-1319.
_Vie de Saint Louis_, 1309.

FROISSART, 1337-_circa_ 1410.
_Chroniques_, 1373-1400.

VILLON, 1431-(?).
_Grand Testament_, 1461.

COMMYNES, 1445-1509.
_Memoires_, 1488-98.

II. _Renaissance_

MAROT, 1496-1544.

RABELAIS, _circa_ 1494-1553.

RONSARD, 1524-85.

DU BELLAY, 1522-60.
_Defense et Illustration de la Langue Francaise_, 1549.

JODELLE, 1532-73.
_Cleopatre_, 1552.

MONTAIGNE, 1533-92.
_Essays_, 1580-88.

III. _Age of Transition_

MALHERBE, 1555-1628.
_Odes_, 1607-28.

HARDY, 1570-1631 (_circa_).
_Tragedies_, 1593-1630.

ACADEMY, founded 1629.

CORNEILLE, 1606-84.
_Le Cid_, 1636.
_Les Horaces_, 1640.
_Cinna_, 1640.
_Polyeucte_, 1643.

PASCAL, 1623-62.
_Lettres Provinciales_, 1656-57.
_Pensees_, first edition 1670, first complete edition 1844.

IV. _Age of Louis XIV_

MOLIERE, 1622-73.
_Les Precieuses Ridicules_, 1659.
_L'Ecole des Femmes_, 1662.
_Tartufe_, 1664.
_Le Misanthrope_, 1666.
_Le Malade Imaginaire_, 1673.

LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, 1613-80.
_Maximes_, 1665.

BOILEAU, 1636-1711.
_Satires_, 1666.
_Art Poetique_, 1674.

RACINE, 1639-99.
_Andromaque_, 1667.
_Phedre_, 1677.
_Athalie_, 1691.

LA FONTAINE, 1621-95.
_Fables_, 1668-92.

BOSSUET, 1627-1704.
_Oraisons Funebres_, 1669-87.
_Histoire Universelle_, 1681.

MADAME DE SEVIGNE, 1626-96.
_Letters_, 1671-96.

MADAME DE LAFAYETTE, 1634-93.
_La Princesse de Cleves_, 1678.

LA BRUYERE, 1645-96.
_Les Caracteres_, 1688-94.

V. _Eighteenth Century_

FONTENELLE, 1657-1757.
_Histoire des Ora