11-2-27 PREFACE THE welcome extended to our Seventeenth Century Readings has encouraged us to take up the Eighteenth Century. Some of the shortcomings of our first venture of which we soon became aware in using the book with our students we have endeavored to avoid. The system of "Introductory Notes" has been not only continued, but worked out more thoroughly. Experience in the classroom has proved beyond dispute that such preliminary information is helpful to the student. The plan has since been adopted in Europe (quite independently no doubt, for such things impose themselves) in the two volumes by Marcel Braunschvig, Notre littérature étudiée dans les textes (A. Colin). Let us point out, however, that the Braunschvig is hardly adapted to the needs of our American classes. The author presupposes much information in French history, and customs, and even in French literature which young Frenchmen will quite naturally possess, but which American students cannot be expected to possess. Moreover, the selections given are altogether too fragmentary. From several quarters the suggestion has come that more footnotes be added. Wisely or unwisely (it is not always good to encourage the indolence of the students) we have yielded to the pressure. We have also yielded (after some hesitation, for we did. not wish to usurp the privilege of the instructors) to the request for bibliographical suggestions, |