FLAUBERT Gustave (1821-1880).

Lot 80
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2000 - 2500 EUR
FLAUBERT Gustave (1821-1880).
autograph manuscript, Contemporary Literature of Charlemagne; 6 pages in-fol. Notes on medieval literature, based on François GUIZOT's Cours d'histoire moderne, first published in 1828-1832, in 6 volumes, and reprinted several times. Flaubert identifies his source on the third page, quoting a few lines of judgment from "Guiz t. II p. 384". He collects in these pages biographical, bibliographical and historical information, on five scholars: Alcuin, Leidrade, Theodulf, Smaragde and Éginhard, following closely the Course of Guizot. "ALCUIN - born in the county of York around 735. In 780 he made a trip to Rome. He became attached to Charlemagne. He remained at his court from 782 to 796. Famous for three things, 1° corrector and restorer of manuscripts, 2° he restored and animated schools 3° he taught himself. 1° - Importance of calligraphy at that time - Ovon and Hardouin de Fontenelle - Alcuin gives Charlemagne a corrected copy of the Holy Scriptures"... This is followed by notes on the monasteries and schools he founded, his teaching, his theological, philosophical, historical and poetic works... "LEIDRADE - born in Noricum, a province on the borders of Italy and Germany. He was first attached to Arnon, bishop of Salzburg. Charlemagne attached him first as a librarian - in 798 he was appointed archbishop of Lyon. [...] He left his church twice to go and preach against the Adoptians, where his eloquence was successful"... "THEODULF - goth - born in Italy, we find him established in Gaul in 781 and from 786 to 794 he became bishop of Orleans. In 798 he was sent by Charlemagne and with Leidrade to the two Narbonnaises to reform the administration of these provinces - on his return he composed a poem of 956 verses Parænesis ad judices exhortation to the judges intended to instruct the magistrates of their duties in such missions - he shows us the state of the society at that time the ambushes the attempts [...] to corrupt us - one meets in this poem a sweetness of feelings rather strange for the time"... "SMARAGDE - abbot of St Mihiel before 805 and employed in 809 in various negotiations with Rome. He took great care of the teaching of grammar in his diocese of Verdun and of the maintenance of schools"... In addition to a great Latin grammar of which there are several manuscripts, Smaragde is the author of Via negria, "a moral treatise for the use of princes in 32 chapters addressed either to Charlemagne or to Louis the Debtor"... "EGINHARD - businessman turned scholar - secretary and adviser to Charlemagne"... Flaubert summarizes in a few lines the account of the Chronicle of the monastery of Lauresheim, quoted at length by Guizot as the only ancient document mentioning Éginhard, and nevertheless subject to caution: "Karl gathers his advisers and gives his daughter to Éginhard. - Strangeness and contradictions, 1° Eginhard does not say that he was married to a daughter of Charlemagne and the same history says that Ch. never wanted to marry his daughters and that even they behaved badly etc. However Charlemagne loved him very much. However, Charlemagne loved him very much and only once did he separate from him, and that was to send him to Rome in 806 to have his will confirmed by the pope. [...] He composed a Life of Charlemagne which is a political biography with literary intentions and composed according to a plan"...
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