| BOOK THE FIRST—THE MIDDLE AGES |
| I. | NARRATIVE RELIGIOUS POETRY—THE NATIONAL EPIC—THE EPIC OF ANTIQUITY—ROMANCES OF LOVE AND COURTESY |
| II. | LYRICAL POETRY—FABLES, AND RENARD THE FOX—FABLIAUX—THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE |
| III. | DIDACTIC LITERATURE—SERMONS—HISTORY |
| IV. | LATEST MEDIÆVAL POETS—THE DRAMA |
|
| BOOK THE SECOND—THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY |
| I. | RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION |
| II. | FROM THE PLÉIADE TO MONTAIGNE |
|
| BOOK THE THIRD—THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY |
| I. | LITERARY FREEDOM AND LITERARY ORDER |
| II. | THE FRENCH ACADEMY—PHILOSOPHY (DESCARTES)—RELIGION (PASCAL) |
| III. | THE DRAMA (MONTCHRESTIEN TO CORNEILLE) |
| IV. | SOCIETY AND PUBLIC LIFE IN LETTERS |
| V. | BOILEAU AND LA FONTAINE |
| VI. | COMEDY AND TRAGEDY—MOLIÈRE—RACINE |
| VII. | BOSSUET AND THE PREACHERS—FÉNELON |
| VIII. | TRANSITION TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY |
|
| BOOK THE FOURTH—THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY |
| I. | MEMOIRS AND HISTORY—POETRY—THE THEATRE—THE NOVEL |
| II. | MONTESQUIEU—VAUVENARGUES—VOLTAIRE |
| III. | DIDEROT AND THE ENCYCLOPÆDIA—PHILOSOPHERS, ECONOMISTS, CRITICS—BUFFON |
| IV. | ROUSSEAU—BEAUMARCHAIS—BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE—ANDRÉ CHÉNIER |
|
| BOOK THE FIFTH—1789-1850 |
| I. | THE REVOLUTION AND THE EMPIRE—MADAME DE STAËL—CHATEAUBRIAND |
| II. | THE CONFLICT OF IDEAS |
| III. | POETRY OF THE ROMANTIC SCHOOL |
| IV. | THE NOVEL |
| V. | HISTORY—LITERARY CRITICISM |
|
| BIBLIOGRAPHY |
| INDEX |
