THE next writer of note is CAXTON, our first printer. But before I speak particularly of him, it will be proper to give a brief view of the literature of France, during the latter centuries of the middle ages, as that is the chief source whence Caxton drew his materials for enriching his vernacular language.

From the thirteenth century, to about the middle of the fifteenth, the French had been occupied in translating books from the Latin. They consisted chiefly of legends, rituals, monastic rules, chronicles, pandicts and feudal coutumes, romances, &c. To these we may also add, versions of some of the classics. These translations were commonly in verse. But in the year 1207, Turpin's Charlemagne, contrary to the usual practice of turning Latin prose into French rhimes, was translated into French prose, by Michael de Harnes. And a Life of Charles the Great, was printed by Caxton, in 1485.

In the year 1245, a system of theology, the seven sciences, geography, and natural philo

sophy, under the title Speculum Mundi, was translated into French, at the instance of the duke of Berry and Auvergne. This was converted into English, and printed by Caxton in 1480.

In the fourteenth century, the spirit of devotional curiosity-a spirit kindled by St. Louiswas still more productive of holy treatises. Under the reign of king John and Charles V. we have French translations of St. Austin, Cassianus, and Gregory the Great, the first of the fathers which appeared in a modern tongue. Also Gregory's Homilies, and his Dialogues; with St. Austin de Civitate Dei; and various other treatises which it is unnecessary to particularise.

John, the French king, on his return from his captivity in England, was particularly zealous in his encouragement of this work of translation; and when he had fatigued his curiosity, and satisfied his conscience, by procuring numerous versions of religious treatises, he at last directed his attention to the classics. It was a circumstance auspicious to letters, that he was ignorant of the Latin: for this ignorance rendered him the

more curious to become acquainted with the treasures of Roman learning; and he employ-. ed Peter Bercheur, prior of St. Eloi, at Paris, an eminent theologian, to translate Livy into French, in spite of the anathema of pope Gregory against that admirable historian. So judicious a choice was doubtless suggested by Petrarca, who was at this time resident at the court of France, and who regarded Livy with enthusiastic admiration. To the translation of Livy, succeeded those of Sallust, Lucan, and Cæsar, all of which were probably finished before the year 1365. A version of Valerius Maximus was begun in 1364, by Simon de Hesdin, a monk; but finished by Nicolas de Gonesse, a master of theology, in 1401. Ovid's Metamorphoses moralized, supposed to have been written in Latin about 1070, were translated by Guillaume de Nangis; and the same poem was translated into French, at the request of Jane de Bourbonne, afterwards consort of Charles V. by Philip Vitri, bishop of Meaux, the friend of Petrarca, and who was living in 1361. A French version, too, of Cicero's Rhetorica, by master John de Antioche, appeared in 1383.

About the same time, parts of the works of Aristotle were translated into French from the Latin; his Problems, by Evrard de Conti, physician to Charles V.; and his Ethics and Politics, by Nicolas d'Oresme, while canon of Rouen. Other Greek classics likewise became known by Latin versions; they were also familiarized to general readers by versions from the Latin into French. Thus the Latin version of Xenophon's Cyropædia, by Poggius Florentinus, was translated into French in 1370, by Vasque de Lucerie.

In the fifteenth century, the French began to revise and polish the translations of the two preceding centuries; and to turn many of their metrical versions into prose. The introduction, too, of more entertaining and better books, and their multiplication arising from the invention of printing, had the effect of abating the rage for legends, and other superstitious tracts: for the printers, who multiplied greatly towards the close of this century, found it their interest, instead of procuring expensive versions of the ancient fathers, &c. to publish new translations of books of greater entertainment. Among these may be mentioned, as

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instances, Lancelot du Lac, translated from the Latin, by Robert de Borron, at the command of our Henry II. or III. and Gyron le Courtois.

This century produced also many French versions of classics. An abridgement of the three first decads of Livy, was made by Henry Romain, a canon of Tournay. In 1416, Jean de Courci, a knight of Normandy, gave a translation of some Latin Chronicle, "A History of the Greeks and Romans,"-entitled "Bouquassiere." We have also the "Four Cardinal Virtues" of Seneca; Quintus Curtius, in 1468; Cæsar's Commentaries; Terence, 1466; Ovid's Metamorphoses. The Economics of Aristotle, and Tully's de Amicitiâ, and de Senectute, before the year 1426. Tully's Oration against Verres, by Jean de Lunenbourg. Also Hippocrates and Galen, in 1429, by John Toustier, surgeon to the duke of Bedford, then regent of France. The Iliad, about the same period, was also translated" into French metre, probably from a Latin version. The Æneid of Virgil, was translated into a sort of metrical romance, or history of Æneas, under the title of Livre d'Eneidos, compilé par Virgile, by