Avril: Being Essays on the Poetry of the French Renaissance

"Avril: Being Essays on the Poetry of the French Renaissance" by Hilaire Belloc is a set of essays that shines a light on important French Renaissance poets like Charles of Orleans, Villon, and Ronsard. Written in the early 1900s, the book explains how these poets affected European culture and what makes their work special. Belloc starts by talking about how the French Renaissance is often missed, even though it's important to English ideas and culture. He introduces Charles of Orleans as a kind poet whose work, although a bit old-fashioned, points toward the lively poems of the Renaissance. The essays celebrate Orleans and the other poets, showing how they helped create an amazing time for literature.