The International Correspondence for Students and Teachers.Author(s): Edward H. MagillSource: Modern Language Notes, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jan., 1901), pp. 30-31Published by: The Johns Hopkins University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2917866 .

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59 January, I9or. MODERN LANGUAGE NOTES. Vol. xvi, No. T. 6o

commentary on precious methods and affec- tions. Mr. Fontaine's edition, if we rightly under-

stand him, is intended to reach a younger class of students. This we coniclude from the large amount of translation contained in the notes (fifteen pp.), and consists frequently of an English so simple that the distorted exagera- tion of the Precieuse phrasing seems often lost to the detriment of the humor of the piece. Otherwise his notes are well adapted to be of literary value to instructor and class. Mr. Fontaine has, however, chosen to disregard the historical setting of the piece which I deem so important. He includes Voltaire's "Notice sur les Pr6cieuses Ridicules" and Moliere's own dubious preface without com- ment however.

He has but two pages of introductory matter that is his own-and that rather informal- containing the following statement which is surely misleading to undergraduates, to say the least: " AMascarille is the faithful image (the italics are mine) of the young courtiers that filled tlle court of Louis XIV."

The statement seems to me unrelieved by anything in the context, yet I hardly tlink Mr. Fonitaine would seriously maintain that the rowdy Mascarille (dressed for a buffoon part, originally eveni to the wearitng of a mask -by the author hiimself-and still ani extrava- gant dr6le in the moodified latter-day performi- ances of the Com6die Fransaise) coul(d be thle faithfutl imnage of any sane mian save tlhrough grossest caricature. Assuming this second edition to be adapted

for younger studeents,we can readily understand the omiiission of Mlascarille's famouis, line "Je vais v'ous iloiitrer iine furieuise pltiie," with the indicated gestuire which is inideed hope- lessly vulgar for any age. Yet Mlr. FontLaine must have sacrificed uniwillinigly so valuable an lhistoricatl side-lighlt.

Both editions would be decidely more ser- viceahle for the additioni of a vocabuilary. This convenienice has been, I believe, fre- quently advocated in these pages buit seldom witl norejustice tian now. 'l'he 'Pr6cieuses" abotunids in words distorted frotl their niattural to special Precieuse meaninigs, somiie words and plhrases lhavinig beeni coiiied expressly for

the Societe, and used exclusively by them, These meanings are subtle and difficult for any but a specialist to reach. Mr. Fontaine has aimed at this in his notes in a greater degree than Mr. Toy.

Both books are well printed and are attrac. tive in form and size.

JOHN DAVIS BATCHELDER,

Univtrsity of Iowa.

CORRESPONDENCE,

THE IN TERIVA TIONAL CORRE- SPOIVDENCE FOR STUDENTS

AND TEA CHERS.

TO THE EDITORS OF MOD. LANG. NOTES,

SIRS:-The "IInterniationial Correspondence" has io0W, in the four years of its existenice, made great progress in England, France and Ger- many, and, to some extent, in the United States. M^vr. W. T. Stead, Editor of the Re- view of Rcviews, in London, lhas offered one hlunidred prizes, cotnsistinig of books in the languages foreigni to the recipients, to be awarded to those studetnts wh)o have made the greatest proficienicy in this part ofthieir modern language study. Thirty of these go to each of the European countries most engaged in the corresponldence; England, France and Germaniy, and ten comie to the United States. If eaclh teacher, in sclhool or college where the International Correspondence has been intro- d(uce(l, will send to ouir committee the name of the stuldent considered " the inost deserv- ing as regards continuianice in regutlar, carefil correspondence, and genieral character)" as soon as possible, we shall be glad to give such student an opportuniity to compete for one of the ten Americain prizes.

The teaclher slould, in each case, state the reasonis oni which lhe bases hlis coniclusion, and senid also wzvo specinieiis of letters written by thle studenit in the foreign language, witlhout direct assistantice of lhis instructor.

7'/ie couii,clition wil close February rst, 9o90, btut iiiay be extentded two zweeks.

vo

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6i January, I9oI. MODERN LANGUAGE NOTES. Vol. xvi, No. I. 62

Also, will all teachers who have introduced the International Correspondence into their classes, whether they desire to compete for the prizes or not, send their address, with the full name of their institutions, to the chairman of this committee, and state how long the International Correspondence has been intro- duced, and the number of students now en- gaged in it. An early report upon this subject is earnestly requested.

EDWARD H. MAGILL,

Chairman of the International Correspondence Committee of the Mod. Lang. Asso'n of America.

Swarthmore College, Pa.

OLD FRENCH LITERATURE.

TO THE EDITORS OF MOD. LANG. NOTES,

DEAR SIRS:-The RoundX Table before Wace, is a monograph including pages I82-205 of the Harvard Studies. The author aims to show that Wace is speaking the truth in the Roman de Brat (vv. 9998-9) where the poet refers his account of King Arthur's Round Table to Celtic tradition. In view of the silence of Welsh literature and Geoffrey of Monmouth's omiission of any reference, Wace's statement lhas beeni rejected by a number of scholars as unreliable.

To vindicate the Norman poet-the first writer to mention the Round Table-and also to support the view of a Celtic origin, the author turns to the Brat' of Layamon. He argues, from the peculiarly barbarian color of Layamon's Round Table story, unusual with the poet, who rather takes pains to tone downi coarse detail elsewhere, that it must represent a native Welsh tale familiar to Layanioni by reason of his close contact with Wales. writers. Fromn such1 accounts as the Story of s Reprinted from Vol. VII of Studies and Notes in Phi-

lology andLiteruture. Published tunder the direction of the Modern Language Departments of Harvard University. Boston: Ginn & Co., Igoo.

As evidence, further, that Layamon did not invent the episode of the Round Table, which he added to Wace, and the incidental quarrels over precedence at feasts, a number of ex- amples are cited from ancient Irish saga Mac Da/ho's Pig and The Feast of Bricriu marked resemblance is shown with Layamon's tale sufficient to admit this latter into the circle of primitive Welsh story.

The author recognizes the objection that, although the Round Table is a Pan-Celtic in- stitution, as he mnaintains from the Irish sources just given and from the Greek his- torian Posidonius as well, its connection with Arthur may have been late and first made in Armorica. His reply is the difficulty of sup- posing a Round Table without an Arthur to give the tradition fixity. Some hero must have presided and the Celts had but one. The treatise is concise, not to say brief, con- taining very full notes and references and, as an exposition of proof is well ordered.

F. L. CRITCHLOW.

Johns Hoj0kins University.

BRIEF MENTION.

THE educational reform movement in Ger- many has scored some important points in the past year. Last May a meeting at Berlin, of philologists and others connected with or in- terested in higher instruction, adopted and submitted to the government the following resolutions: first, that all graduates of Mittel- schulen with nine years' courses (Gymnasien, Realgymnasietn, and O6er-Realsehulen) should be on a footing of equality with regard to the pursuit of higher scientific and pro- fessional studies, notably those of medicine and law, for which at present a Gymniasium preparation or its equivalent (with prescribed Greek) is required; and second, that the Mittelscisulen in question should be reorgan- ized so as to offer, in the first three years, a uniform course of study without Latin, thus

31

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