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Amiel's first literary production, or practically his first, seems to have been the result partly of these lectures, and partly of a visit to Italy which began in November, 1841. In 1842, a year which was spent entirely in Italy and Sicily, he contributed three articles on M. Rio's book, "L'Art Chretien," to the Bibliotheque Universelle de Geneve.
The skilful Chretien de Troyes himself remains in this respect far below the Welsh story- tellers, and as for Wolfram of Eschenbach, it must be avowed that the joy of the first discovery has carried German critics too far in the exaggeration of his merits. He loses himself in interminable descriptions, and almost completely ignores the art of his recital.
M. Rio was then a young man, and probably in Paris for the first time, at the beginning of the literary career of which he has furnished so interesting a sketch in the autobiographical volumes which form the conclusion of his "Histoire de l'Art Chrétien."
Here we have the introduction of a new element, the restoration to youth of the sick King. In the Perceval of Chretien de Troyes we find ourselves in presence of certain definite changes, neither slight, nor unimportant, upon which it seems to me insufficient stress has hitherto been laid.
In addition to the pictures mentioned above, I may call attention to the adoring figure of S. Catherine of Siena, in three large paintings now severally in the Pitti, at Lucca, and in the Louvre. In the Uffizzi. As a composition, it is the Frate's masterpiece. See Vol. I., Age of the Despots, p. 487, for this consequence of the sack of Prato. L'Art Chrétien, vol. ii. p. 515.
"Chrétien! ce ne fut point Montcalm et la prudence, Ces arbres renversés, ces héros, ces exploits, Qui des Anglais confus ont brisé l'espérance, C'est le bras de ton Dieu, vainqueur sur cette croix." An important event of the year was the taking of Fort Frontenac by Colonel Bradstreet, who had assisted in the first siege of Louisbourg.
In front of the bookcase stood a shell chest of drawers trimmed with plush. The cover of it supported a cat with a mouse in its mouth a petrifaction from St. Allyre; a work-box, also of shell work, and on this box a decanter of brandy contained a Bon Chrétien pear. But the finest thing was a statue of St. Peter in the embrasure of the window.
"Un homme ne Chretien et Francois se trouve contraint dans la satyre; les grands sujets lui sont defendus, il les entame quelquefois, et se detourne ensuite sur de petites choses qu'il releve par la beaute de son genie et de son style."
The derivation of the name is involved in some mystery; most writers regarding it as a corruption of the French Chrétien, as indicative of the incapacity of these unfortunate beings to commit sin. A more probable theory, however, is that which deduces it from the Grison-Romance Cretira, "creature."
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