442 NATIOXAL POETRY. 



and of numerous other clever pieces, while the latter composed the " Jardin de 

 Plaisancej" which contained several verses written by his friends in addition 

 to those of his own composing. 



The example set by Villon, whoso popularity was greatest amongst the 

 students of the University of Paris, led to the publication of a host of other 

 satiric poems, mostly by anonymous authors, which were propagated amongst 

 the middle and lower classes by the newly discovered printing-press. This is 

 a striking proof as to the popularity of these fugitive pieces, which M. 

 Anatole de Montaignon and Baron James de Rothschild are endeavouring to 

 incorporate into one vast anthology. Amongst these are the " Complaintes," 

 "Dits," "Debats" (Fig. 342), "Monologues," "Testaments," "Sermons 

 Joyeux," &c., in which the sharpness of French wit shines with great 

 brilliancy. It is certain that many of these trenchant and comic poems were 

 retailed from the stage by strolling players, and respectable people certainly 

 looked upon them .as scandalous, and took care not to read them. It was 

 accordingly sought to counteract the bad use to which poetry was put, and in 

 several French towns, at Toulouse, Amiens, and Caen amongst others, there 

 were instituted " Floral Games," " Chambers of Rhetoric," " Puys," and 

 " Palinods," and poets were appealed to to devote their inspiration to the 

 composition of edifying and moral works. These poets set themselves more 

 especially to glorify the blessed Virgin and her Immaculate Conception, com- 

 posing royal songs, ballads, and cantos, which were awarded, after competition, 

 different prizes. This was the origin of the academies and literary societies 

 in France. 



The French poetical school united a great variety of talents in the fifteenth 

 century. Martin Franc, in his "Champion des Dames " (Fig. 343), made an 

 attempt to revive the allegorical style of Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de 

 Meung, but at the same period Olivier Basselin, master fuller of Vire, created 

 the " Vau de Vire," an epicurean, convivial, and libertine song, while drinking 

 his JSTormaii cider. These songs have unfortunately only reached us in a 

 modernised and disfigured shape. Guillaume Coquillart, though a clerk and 

 ecclesiastical doctor at Rheims, gave full play to his caustic wit and free 

 Gallic Immour in his farcical "Monologues;" Martial of Auvergne set to 

 rhyme the "Vigils of King Charles VII.," but his verse is rather dull and 

 monotonous ; Jean Meschinot, of Nantes, set to poetry the " Lettres des 

 Princes " for the Duke of Brittany, to whose household he was attached as 



