SECTION II., 1910 [191] Trans. R. S. C. 
VIII.—The Epistles on the Romance of the Rose and other Documents 
in the Debate. 
By Prof. C. F. Warp, M.A., Wesley College, University of Manitoba. 
(Communicated by the Rev. Dr. GEORGE Bryce, and read by title, 
28 September, 1910.) 
PREFATORY NOTE. 
I am indebted for the subject treated in the following pages to 
suggestions made in a course on the history of the French language at 
the University of Chicago. I desire therefore first of all to express my 
sincere gratitude for the encouragement of Professor T. A. Jenkins, 
whose advice has been of inestimable value in the preparation of the 
dissertation. 
The little work owes much to several writings of M. Arthur Piaget, 
particularly to his adjustment of the difficult question of the chronology 
of the letters, and to the essay on Martin Le Franc. 
I desire to thank also, for several timely hints and very valuable 
suggestions, Professors W. A. Nitze, Karl Pietsch, P.S. Allen, and J. W. 
Thompson of the University of Chicago. I am also indebted to the 
late Professor John E. Matzke of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University. 
I.—INTRODUCTION. 
From its first appearance the Roman de la Rose enjoyed great vogue. 
We observe in this connection the glowing tributes of contemporary 
and succeeding writers, the numerous manuscripts, which compensate 
for the art of printing not thea invented, the translations into English, 
Dutch, Italian, and other languages. Even the numerous paintings 
and tapestries of scenes from the romance point to its great popularity. 
Perhaps the remark of M. A. Coville crystallizes the general opinion: 
“Parmi les livres du siècle précédent, un surtout fut lu de tous, 
admiré des uns, ardemment discuté par les autres, c’est le Roman de la 
Rose. La seconde partie avec sa science pédante, ses allégories, ses 
artifices, devint une nouvelle Bible, et Jean Clopinel de Meun, l’auteur, 
passa pour un véritable prophéte. On retrouve son influence surtout 
chez les poètes et les moralistes.”! 


1 Lavisse, Histoire de France, t. iv, p. 405. 
