8 THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



up to the most profound inspiration of the Celtic spirit, 

 and they were, if not the creators, the great propagators 

 of the spirit and society of chivalry. 



1 Normandy now became the centre of an intellectual 

 impulse which increased its powerful influence on the 

 rennaisance of England and of France, and we may with 

 some certainty add, and that of Italy, and one of which 

 the whole of Europe has felt the influence. 



' We hear nothing more of the expeditions of theVikings. 

 These may be considered as having ceased from the middle 

 of the eleventh century.' 



Leaving my readers to imagine for themselves what 

 influence such a new factor must have exercised on the 

 mode of life and practice of the so-called nobles, I resume 

 the statement of M. Cezanne : 



' With the Carlo vingians there was opened a new era. 

 Passionately delighting in the chase, they protected the 

 forests to preserve the game, and more especially the 

 larger kinds of game, such as the elan and the aurock, 

 which had even then become scarce, and is now reduced 

 in numbers to a few individuals, the last heritage left by 

 Charlemagne, which are preserved at great expense by 

 the Emperor of Russia. To secure for themselves their 

 favourite sport, the princes of the second race seized pos- 

 session of the foiests, and every seigneur followed their 

 example most zealously in proportion to his power. 

 Forest property then experienced a transformation, which 

 it is interesting to note, for the efforts violently brought 

 about at that period have caused themselves to be felt 

 even in the present day : in point of fact, it is from this 

 seizure of possessions that date the greater part of the 

 private properties as well as the public domain of forests. 



1 At an earlier time, and until then, with the Gauls for 

 example, the forests were undivided ; the forest was not 

 communal, in the modern acceptation of that term, but 

 common and public, everyone pleasing himself with it, 

 and making use of it according to his liking. The 



