Note 14 — Chapter XI · ARTIFICIAL FORMS OF POETRY.—THE SESTINA.

An article in the Cornhill Magazine (July 1877), called a ‘Plea for certain Exotic Forms of Verse,’ may be consulted with advantage, as regards the adoption of these French metres by some modern English poets. For modern French poetry, that charming volume ‘Petit Traité de Poésie,’ by Théodore de Banville, is the chief source. Of the mediæval development of his own language and the langue d’oc M. de Banville unfortunately says little or nothing. Villon seems the earliest author known to him. Rutebœuf he ignores.