SOURCE: Keating, L Clark. “To Defend and make Illustrious …,” “The Return to Paris: Les Regrets,” and “Les Antiquitez de Rome.” In Joachim Du Bellay pp. 9-18; 70-97, New York: Twayne 1971.

In the first of the following three essays, Keating explores the events surrounding Du Bellay's composition of Le Deffence Et Illustration De La Langue Françoyse, as well as its impact upon the writing of French poetry. In the second and third, he offers background and influences regarding two collections of poetry by Du Bellay, based upon his impressions of Rome.

To Defend and Make Illustrious …

It is a pity that we have no record of the day-by-day conversations of Dorat with his students. Yet we have in their lives and works evidence that he fired them with enthusiasm for the ancient poets, Greek and Roman. We know too that they read much Italian poetry and, with varying...