the ecole des chartes

The Ecole Des ChartesAuthor(s): J. T. ShotwellSource: The American Historical Review, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Jul., 1906), pp. 761-768Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Historical AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1832226 .

Accessed: 14/05/2014 20:12

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Oxford University Press and American Historical Association are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize,preserve and extend access to The American Historical Review.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 195.78.108.127 on Wed, 14 May 2014 20:12:45 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=oup

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=aha

http://www.jstor.org/stable/1832226?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


Volumze XI] July, 19o6 [Number 4

THE ECOLE DES CHARTI ES

J N the classroom at the -cole des Chartes the lectuirer looks over the heads of his pupils to a fresco on the wall behind theem, rep-

resentilug the monastery of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. The stubject was aptly chosen. For the IRcole des Chartes, althotugh housed now in the new Sorbonne, has nothing in common with the traditions of the ol0( University of Paris, depicted in the colors of romaance uipon. the walls of the central arcade. The I-cole des Chartes is an intrui- der, still preserving its autonomy, andl linked more closely both in ideals and in actual history to the great M/aurist monastery than to the ancient centre of rhetoric and scholasticism which gives it a home. It wvas created with the definite purpose of continuing the work beguun by d'Aclhery and Mlabillon and has been true to its pturpose.

The loss to history resulting from the dissoltution of the monas- teries in the Frenlch Revolution was felt almost immediately. The creation of the Institut failedl to supply what had been destroyed, and Napoleon in his concern for the decadence of literatture extended his interest to the stu-dy of historv as well. Thotugh not destined to become the fotunder of the :cole des Chartes, he otutlined a project by which the College de France was to tundertake the practical in- strtuction in historical research and the encouragemiient of that side of literature whiclh wotuld lead to the prodtuction of works of real utility. On the nineteenth of 'Alarch, i807, when stopping at the castle of Finckenlstein between the battles of Eylatu and Friedland, Napoleon received from the Dtuc de Cadore the outlinie of an institution which was to play the part of a Port-Royal, rather than of a Saint-Germain- des-Pres, in the revival of literature. This plan, (Irawn tup by Cadore's secretary, Baron de Gerando, exhibited some of that qtlality of its author's mind which enabledl him, in the words of Sainte-

AM. HIST. REV., VOL. XI.-50. ( 76I )



762 J. T. Shoowell

Beune, "to tuiru olut books like miacaroni ". Napoleon's terse coin- ments transformied these propositions into practical terms ;1 btut tlle strenutotus life of the First Emipire did not furniish goodl soil for stclh an enterprise, alnd the College de France was left to go its ownl maore or less peaceful way, cut off from the main educational forces wlhich have sinice then transformed the system of higher educationi in France.

The propositioln of Baron de Gerando was not destined to be realized in conlnection with either the College de France or the Sor- bonne. With a conservatismn worthy of England, these two historic institutions were left unmiiolested by the innovators, while alongside of them new and independent schools were fotundedI to mieet the demands of the scientific spirit. The Icole des Chartes and later the Icole Pratiqtue des Haiites -tudes were folunded for a definite purpose and condutcted with a complete disregard of the traditionalism of their enivironmiient. Natturally in the coturse of time the steady pressuire of their infltience transformed the muethodIs of the ancient instittutionjs, at least of the Sorbonne; and the triple confusioln whichl is the result offers a threefold advantage if onle but learns its reason and its meaning-advantages of which the American sttudent wlho comes to Paris has seldom any clear idea.

The present IRcole des Chartes was founded in i829, after an abortive effort in 1821 to give effect to the ideas of Baron de Geranido. Refotunded in 1846 andl remodelled in 1869, the sclhool was moved from its qtuarters in the Archives in 1897 to the new Sor- bonne, where in the centre of all the edutcational activity in Paris it maintains its own autonomy and ptursues undisturbed its own ainms. Its formner sttudents, formed into alumni societies, maintain a spirit of loyalty which recalls that of the early days when the contribtutors to tlle Bibliothce'qte de l'Ecole des Charrtes established the right of the school to exist in spite of the indifference of the monarclhy of Jtlv. Althotuglh the stuidents may stupplement the slight currictultum of the school with courses in surrotunding institutions, they remain through life stamiped with the indelible impress of the Icole des Chartes.

Outwardly there is little in the cuirriculumn to explain the inmpor- tant part which this school has played in the histofry of French his- toriographv and in the development of historical research in general. It is in form merely a technical school for the training of archivists and librarians. Its courses are planned with that distilnct puirpose.

'See "Notes et Documents pour servir a 1'Histoire de 1'Ecole Royale des Chartes ", by M. A. Vallet de Viriville, B3ibothtlnbqun d/ ltEcoie des Chartes, second series, volume IV. (I847-1848 ), pp. 153-176.



Tlze Ecole des Chlarles 763

Admiiission as a regutlar sttldent is accorded to abotnt twenty stuecess- fuil candidates selectedI eaclh year by a competitive examiination. For three vears these sttudelnts mutst be in regular attendance tnpon all the lecttres, signing the roll at every confKrence. Upon gradtuation the governmiieent opens for them the position of archivist either in Paris or in the provinces.

There are only three cotnrses a year, although one rtins over from the second into the third. Comipared with the imposing prospectus of an Amiierican tuniversity, the programme of the ]Rcole des Chartes makes buit a poor showing. Yet when one looks over the roll of distingtiished scholars who have beenl trained in its scientific methods of researcih, one cannot but recognize in its scanty programme a force which has few parallels in the history of modern cuiltuire. Tlhonglh the high renown of the scho;ol is dlte rather to the suibse- quent achievemiients of its alumni than to any clear appreciation bv outsiders of wvhat they were tautght while stuidents, still its graduates themselves have attribtuted the success of their later work to the sim- ple btut strict traininlg of its courses, in wlhich the traditions of the Plenedictines of Saint-Matur have been preserved amid the routine of a practical cturriculutlm. Those traditions ancd their restults are well kinowni. Btut the actual process by which they are achieved and mlailntained has escapedl the chronicler. In ordler to indicate it, how- ever, we shall have to renotunce the easy path of generalities and enter the classroomn itself.

No Amnericaln sttudelnt has ever taken the ftull three years at the Ecole (des Chartes, and it is not likely that any ever will. To do so, one wotuld divorce himself entirely from the needs and the resoturces of Amierican uiniversities and libraries. The degree archIvistc pale- ograiphc which the state accords to the graduLiate of the school is of value onlv to those who live in Eturope, wlhere there are archives to catalogue aiid meldieval docunments to publish. The courses whiclh directly interest the historical sttudent may be taken easily in a year -or couild be if the timlle-table of confiirencces wvere rearranged. Even solmie of these coturses need not be followed closely; for they are rather for the training of those whose investigations pave the way for the hiistorian by the preparation of texts than for the historical student who will, as in America, be limited in hiis researches by whatever texts are at hand. In short, it wouldI be a mistake in almost every instance for the Amiierican stutdent either to devote himself to the entire course of sttudies at the ]Rcole des Chartes or, in view of other couirses at the Sorbonne or the ]Rcole Pratiqtue des Hautes -ttudes, to devote himl-self entirely to tlhetm even for a year.



764 J. T. Sloniwell

He wvill therefore likely enter as an atuditor, taking any conrse or couirses whiclh appeal to him. If hiis purpose is sufficiently seriouis to wvarrant snch a favor, he will also be permitted, by the coturtesy of fL. Paul MIeyer, the director, the free tise of the library, witlh its perfect eqtuipmnent of soturces, 1mianuials, and facsimiles. This is a rare privilege, for no lordly apparitcitr stanllcs between him alndl the books; and the little workroolmi is the place whlere lhe xvill becolmie acquailnted w ith the chczcs, and enter in part at least into that remlark- able coulfrateruit, wlhere it is the tunwritteni law for the stuidents of the third vea r to help those of the seconl,d and(I those of the second in tturln to place their eruditioln at the service of those of the first. The solidarity of the 1cWves of the 1cole (les Chartes becomles a traditioni fromii the first lectture of MA. lie Berger in the first year, and remainis unbroken through life.

There are three courses in the first vear: one in Rolmianice lani- guages bv M. Paul Meyer, one in paleography by M. ]lie Berger, anld one in bibliography by M. Charles Mortet. While M. Mever himiself wotuld advise the student of history not to take hiis coturse in philology, the C5fzcs of the school all regard it as one of their rare privileges. It is of coturse philology at its best; and if one has never taken tup Old Fren-ch or 1has any need of ProvenQal or Gascon sources, it is wvell worth while to watch the care witlh wlhich the plhonetic laws are traced through muitiltituides of exaamples. The bibliographical indications and incidental references to other subjects give the cour se a special valtue and breadth. One wotuld certainly take it if his work in history lay within the range of its results, not otherwise.

Although Inot recommending itself by suchl vast stores of ertudi- tion1, the couirse in paleog-raphy by M. Rlie 13erger, the successor of M. Leon Gatitier, xvill be much more useful, because it is the practical sttudy of the essentials of text-reading. M. PBeroger enlivens the co fcrcncces with commenlts in wvhich his keen senise of htulllor some- timlles leads to short digressions. But lhe has ample ground for it ill the diverting revelations of the sttudents' ignorance of clhuirclh history -as when for example onle of themii declared that Saint Peter allnd Saint Jeroimie were the two favorite apostles. Each recitation col- sists in the reading (by memiibers of the class) of a facsimile of somuze miie(lieval mantuscript from the collectioln in the library. Tllis practical drill is accomlpanied by quiestions utpon the suibject treate(l in the text; butt as these facsimiles are chosen for the handwriting only, the colmmiiients are of a most general natture. There are also freqtuelnt references to Latin grammar, sometimies to the discom-ifitture of mnemil- bers of the class. In addition to the recitations, part of the timiie is



Tue Ecole des CGlarles 7 665

devoted to correlative subjects, especiallxy to the history of ancieint alnd miedieval handwriting. The great value of the course is in the practice, the contintual and unirenmitting sttudv of the facsiimiiles wlhichl it involves. The sttudent wlho wislhes to benefit ftllv bv it shoutld by all imieans lhave free access to the librarv and the facsimiiiles for hiis regular preparation.

Historical bibliography, as taken up by M. Charles Mortet, is tlhe indispensable iintrodtuction to all of the imechanislm of research. After the prelimliniary lractical survey, it develops the subject historically, alndI totuches in places tipon the same grotund as the parallel suibject-coturses. In somle wav s it is perhaps too special for the for- eign sttudent; btut he may be attracted by the interest of a subject which, when conceived historically, develops into hardly less than the explanation of hlow the wvritteln records of the past have been preserxved to tus. Yet absorbing as it is, one cannot buit wonder if it wxotuldt not have beeln possible for the Rcole des Chartes to have developed mlore directly the practical duities of librarians to-day. The e'ri dit, tr-aiied himself in the methods of researcl, is not sufficiently reminded of the dluti of a librarian to perfect the instrtuments of work for those wlho are not specialists in his suibject. In this respect the tutilitv of the Rcole des Clhartes has fallen short of the ideal of Napoleon, as all wrorkers in the Bibliotheqtue Nationale will confirm.

Of the courses in the second year, by all means the most imipor- talnt is that on diplomatics by M. Maurice Prot. Indeed this is, from the historian's point of view, the most important course of the schlool. Mv. Protu is a worthy successor of the lamented Arthlur Girv, whose mnemiorv is still reverentlv cherished by his former pupils. It is in this cotirse that one colmies tipon that minute and keen analysis wlhich is the basis of the scientific method. The manner of conducting the work is approximately the same as in the couirse in paleograplhr. The facsilmiiles are read this time, hoxrever, for their content, not for the handlwriting; and all the auxiliary sciences necessarv to the in- terpretatioln of medieval doctuments receive suifficient treatlmrent to puit the stdtient in a position to relv absoluitely tupon himself wxhen lie takes tup independent research, special emphasis being laid upotn chronology. The stuidents hand in exercises at the recitations, aindI each receives a generous proportion of red-ink corrections an1d sugy- gestions. M. Pron iYves himself tip to the xork before him, drtudg- erv as some of it is, with a zeal xvhicli is rewarded by the grateftl tributes of every sttudent of the I-cole des Chartes. Giry8's manutal and Protu's portfolio of facsimiles should open the opportunitv for some attemilpt in American universities to repeat the work which



766 J. T. Sizo/well

mlost of all lies at the basis of what is unique in the training of the Ecole des Chartes.

The course in French institutions by M. Jules Roy is of a dis- tinctly different character. It involves no research beyond the study of well-known manuals, and will disappoint any one wvho comles to the Ecole des Chartes expecting to do research work in history proper. It is fortunate that there are other institutions at halnd to supplement the instruction of the school in this respect. WI. Roy's course covers the field in a painstaking way and it insuires a knowl- edge of the elements of the institutions of the Aliddle Ages, but it involves no research among the original sources. M. Roy's research course is given at the Ecole des Hautes ittudes.

The " Service des Archives", to which MA. Eugene Lelong de-

votes a weekly con fcrcncc, is intended for the practical training of archivists in French archives, yet the long historical introduction contains not a little valuable history. The actual description of present conditions of work in the archives does not begini until the close of January. The manual by Langlois and Stein, tested by actual investigations at the archives, will largely compensate for the loss of this course if for any reason it proves difficult to attend it; for, although of the greatest value to the French student, it is perhaps too special for the American, unless he intends to work extensively in France. The same remark is true of the course on the " Sources of French History ", which cannot in the nature of things contain much of independent value since the publication of Molinier's Rcpcr- toire. MI. H. F. Delaborde pursues this subject through both the second and the third year, with enlargements upon Molinier. But nowhere else does one obtain such a keen realization of the loss to historical research by the untimely death of Molinier as in the classroom where his work took shape. The course remains muitch what Molinier made it, a survey of the narrative sources of French history; and it gains still from a sense of his prodigious labor, for Molinier followed trule French traditions and did the work himllself instead of exploiting his students. It is interesting in this connec- tion to refer to Miolinier's own comment on the importance of this course. He tried in it to save the Rcole des Chartes froml neglectilng the chronicler and annalist for the exclusive stuidy of charters. The tendency of the student trained in diploniatics tinder suich nmasters as Giry and Prou is instinctively away fromii the literary sources. Nilolinier's work was in a sense imiore difficult than that of Giry, for his materials were both vaster an(l of more uncertain value. His



Tuze Ecole des C/tarles 767

malntial is a lastin(g witness to the way lhe faced h-is responsibilities at the iAcole dles Chartes.1

In the third year, besides the second conrse of I\I. Delaborde, there are two others: one on the history of civil and canonl law in the Middle Ages, by M. Panli Viollet; and the other by M. Robert (le Lasteyrie on the archaeology of the Middle Ages. M. Viollet evidently recognizes that the day of the canonist is doomiied in France, for the history of the canon law itself is finished before Christmiias, and then the cotirse shifts into a history of French law throniglh the Middle Ages. The historian of Frenclh law and ilnstitntiolns has for- tnnately already pnblished much of what he gives in the classroom; btit, in spite of a delivery difficnlt for a foreigner to follow, the stn- dents regard his conrse with the respect dtie to so distingniished a master, and speak with reverent affection of his genial personality.

In medieval archaeology one natnLrally places next to the name of Jniles Qnicherat that of Robert Comte de Lasteyrie-miiaster and pnpil. M. de Lasteyrie's task as the stnccessor of Qtliclherat was natnrally a heavy one, bnt he in tnrn has imparted to hiis pnpils the inspiration which has produced a mannal like that of Enlart, and an interest in "Medieval archaeology which has extende(d mnich beyond the classroom of the 1Acole des Chartes. The history of art has received from this cotnrse a legitimization which shonld find some echo in the serions programme of historical stndies in Amlerica. One cannot there, it is trie, take his class in the spring on excnrsions to Concy and Blois; bnt a well-equipped history departmlelnt can in other respects follow the method of instrnctioni of the f-cole des Chartes. M. Lasteyrie's health prevents him fronm condncting hiis coitfcrences regularly, and they are often taken by his former pupils Enlart or Lefevre-Pontalis.

Snich are the courses at the 1Acole des Chartes. One mntst re- memlber that their great valne consists in the steady and close appli- cation which they demand of the stndent. Recitations which are real tests, and which are faced with the sense of tlheir imiportance, develop a spirit of work which is the distinctive mark of the 'Chartist ".

After the examinations on the conrses, a thesis has to be written. This mnist be ready for the formal defense in the Janniarv following

'Cf. Moliner, Les Sou.rces de i'Histoire de France, V. clxxvi: " Toutefois, il faut reconnaitre que dans cette s6vere ecole, trop fidele a certaines traditions benedictines, on a longtemps montre plus de pr6dilection pour l1'tude des documents diplomatiques du moyen age que pour celle des sources narratives; beaucoup des excellents erudits qu'elle a formes ont donne de remarquables editions de chroniques et autres textes historiques, mais aux temps dejA lointains oii l'auteur du present ouvrage en suivait les cours, on n'y parlait guere des historiens latins ou franQais du moyeln age; on s'occupait exclusivement de clhartes et de diplomes."



768 J. T. Shkozwell

the completion of the tlhree rears' work. The stuidelnt tlherefore spends all the suninier and fall of hiis tlhird year tupon the comipletion of a thesis which he has begun duiring the regular ternis. It geni- erally involves practical investigations in the nationial or provinicial archives, and one can see the seriouis character of the work 1)v a glance at the synopsis puiblished yearly unlider the title " Position des Tlheses." In more than one case the tlhesis has been madle the basis for a contribution of the first imiportance.

The defense of the tlhesis is a public ftunction ; and the examiiniers conisist of a " Conseil (Cle perfectionniement ", including besides the professors the admiiinistrators of the I3ibliotlidque Nationale, the Director of the Archives Nationales, the Director of the Ef-cole (les Clhartes, alid five members of the Acadedmie (les Inscriptions elected by its iiieliibers. The presideent is the venerable Leopold Delisle. His rugged Carlylean features are lighted up by a genial sympathy as he comnients upon the work of the yotligy stuidents who one after another are called to the table facing, the jury. The presence of the ag,ed and distinguished historian lends dignity to a scene marked by the titter absence of forniality. The tinsuccessftul candidate is simply told br his professor that lie iniust do hiis tlhesis over agaiii the stuccessfuil learn their order of iiierit in a list posted up after the tests are over. It is an anxious period of waiting, for the first oii the list is sent by the governnient to the Ecole Francaise de Rolnie.

One naturally asks what there is in this limited cuirriculuni to yield such important results. The very limitation of the stuidies to a single field is no doubt an important factor; but since the sttidents generally take courses in the Sorbonne, the Rcole des Hautes Etudes, or the 1?cole de Droit as well, this cannot be the niain reason. It lies rather in the thorough practice which is exacted of everyv stucdenlt in the subjects which are covered. There are no superficial couirses along the g-ilded margin of attractive subjects. The work is inten- sive ancl severe. The discipline is as valuable as the kniowledcge acquiired. This seems to be the secret of the power of -the Icole des Chartes. " Not eager for quick returns of profit ", it has reaped niore largely of the years that followed.1 J. T. SHO-WELL.

1 A distinguished alumnus thus sums up the reasons for the success of the Ecole des Chartes: "L'Ecole doit sa valeur: (i?) au petit nombre d'eleves, (2 ) a l'obligation stricte de suivre les cours, (s?) a l'entrainement auquel les examiiens de semestre et annuels soumettent les elves, (40) a l'obligation de toujours recourir aux originaux, d'apporter des documents inedits, bien lus, hien ponctues, bien compris, prets pour l'impression, (5?) a la severite de l'examen des theses, et a la terreur qu'inspirent certains professeurs ou membres du conseil; et ces messieurs sont inaccessibles aux recommendations extra-scientifiques. Vir-i bonti, discentdi periti."

