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gather in small compass everything that is 

 of real importance, so far as discovery has 

 gone, to the proper understanding of the 

 " Essais." She has condensed the works of 

 M. Payen and the indefatigable antiqua- 

 rians of Bordeaux, comparing them with 

 those of Galy, Brunet, Dezeimeris, Mal- 

 vazin, and Beuther, and she has searched 

 the history of Montaigne's time and coun- 

 try with intelligence to get the aid of its 

 light. This beam of illumination made up 

 of rays from many bits of history is, in- 

 deed, the best part of her book, and it will 

 be appreciated by every student. 



The strictly critical part, which is some- 

 what piecemeal in its presentation, being 

 sandwiched between the historical and the 

 biographical facts, is perhaps the least 

 valuable in the book ; not that it lacks the 

 interest of scholarly and thorough breadth, 

 acumen, and wisdom, but in the main 

 there is nothing new. Nor is the literary 

 style especially attractive. It is dry ; the 

 thread of the diction kinks itself ; we come 

 upon no charming surprises of phrase. It 

 is all clear enough, sound enough, as com- 

 245 



