MODERN PROVENCAL LITERATURE' Provencal literature never died out entirely. The Academy of Toulouse, founded in 1324, was flourishing in the 14th century, and, after many vicissitudes, is flourishing still. The poets crowned by this body between 1324 and 1498 stand in the same relation to the troubadours as the Meistersinger do to the Minnesdnger: aca demic correctness takes the place of inspiration. The institution flourished, even to the extent of establishing branches in Catalonia and Majorca; and in 1484, when its prosperity was threatened, a semi-fabulous person, Clemence Isaure, is said to have brought about a revival by instituting fresh prizes. The town of Toulouse never ceased to supply funds of some kind. In 1513 French poems were first admitted in the competitions, and under Louis XIV. (from 1679) these were alone held eligible. This arrange ment held good till 1893, when the town very properly trans ferred its patronage to a new Escolo moundino, but very soon re stored its support to the older institution, on learning that Pro vencal poetry was again to be encouraged. In the two centuries that followed the glorious mediaeval period we have a succession of works, chiefly of a didactic and edifying character, which served to keep alive some kind of literary tradition. Religious mystery plays, which, though dull to us, probably gave keen en joyment to the people, represent a more popular genre; the latest that have come down to us may be placed between the years 1450-1515.
'In accordance with general usage, we are employing the term Provençal for the whole of the south of France, save where special reservation is made.
In the i6th century there are signs of a revival and we may single out the following : the Gaston Pey de Garros who trans lated in 1565 the psalms into his dialect, and two years later published a volume of poems; Auger Gaillard (c. 153o-1595) du Bartas (in his trilingual Saha, 1579) ; Louis Bellaud de la Bellaudiere ( 532-1588) .
the south of France was always the noel. Nicholas Saboly (1614 1675), produced the best pieces of this class. In Languedoc four poets are cited as the best of the age—Goudelin, Michel, Sage and Bonnet. This is certainly so in the case of Pierre Goudelin (Gou douli, of Toulouse, the most distinguished name in south French literature between the period of the troubadours and that of Jasmin. Goudelin essayed and was successful in almost every short genre (Lou Ramelet Moundi, 1617, republished with additions till 1678), the piece of his which is most generally ad mired being the stanzas to Henri IV. Other writers worth men tioning in the 17th century are: Jean Michel, of Nimes; Daniel Sage, of Montpellier (Las Foulies, 1650) ; the avocat Bonnet, author of the best among the open air plays that were annually performed at Beziers on Ascension day: a number of these (dated 1616-1657) were subsequently collected, but none can compare with the opening one, Bonnet's Jugernent de Paris; Nicolas Fines, of Frontignan, whose vaudeville, the Opera de Frontignan (1670), dealing with a slight love intrigue, and an idyllic poem on the fountain of Frontignan, show a real poetic gift. A number of Toulouse poets, mostly laureats of the Academy, may be termed followers of Goudelin: of these Francois Boudet, who composed an ode, Le Trinfe del Moundi (1678), in honour of his native dialect deserves mention. The classical revival that may be noted about this time is also generally ascribed to Goudelin's influence. Its most distinguished representative was Jean de Vales, of Montech, who made excellent translations from Virgil and Persius, and wrote a brilliant burlesque of the former in the manner of Scarron (Virgile deguisat, 1648).