Neo Latin And The Vernacular In Renaissance France

In planning this volume, we had two aims. In the first place, we wanted to make a contribution to an important area of Renaissance studies, one which is now rapidly expanding. NeoLatin writing has at last come to be seen not just as a pedantic adjunct of humanist interest in the classics, but as a vigorous medium for intellectual and literary expression in its own right. At the same time, we conceived the volume as a tribute to Ian McFarlane from some at least of his friends and colleagues, honoring the major contribution he himself has made, and continues to make, to neo-Latin and French Renaissance studies. We are aware that his versatility as a scholar cannot be fully reflected in a volume devoted to a single topic and a single period of French culture, and we extend our apologies to the large number of colleagues who would no doubt have wished to associate themselves with this project had our frame of reference been broader. Nevertheless, we believe that our chosen subject not only falls within Ian McFarlane's main field of research, but also symbolizes the ideal of international communication and co-operation for which he has worked throughout his career. -- Editors