these strange persons; Spain gave it its name of _picaresque_ and
spread it abroad but did not altogether invent it. The rogue, who plays
tricks which deserve a hanging, had already filled and enlivened tales
in several languages. Master Reynard, in that romance of the Middle Ages
of which he is the hero, is something like a _picaro_. Another of them
is Til Eulenspiegel, whose adventures related in German furnished, in
1515, the subject of a very popular book;[250] even Panurge could at
need be placed in this great family. Only, with Master Reynard we live
in the world of animals and the romance is allegorical; with Til
Eulenspiegel we find no truth, no probability, merely tricks for tricks'
sake, and how coarse they are! With Panurge, we are distracted from the
_picaro_ by all the philosophic and fantastic digressions of an
extensive tale in which he is not the principal hero. But with the
Spaniards, with Lazarillo de Tormes, Guzman d'Alfarache[251] and the
rest, the _picaro_ holds a place in literature which is peculiarly his
own. Faithless, shameless, if not joyless, the plaything of fortune, by
turn valet, gentleman, beggar, courtier, thief, we follow him into all
societies. From hovel to palace he goes first, opens the doors and shows
us the characters. There is no plot more simple or flexible, none that
lends itself better to the study of manners, of abuses, of social
eccentricities. The only defect is that, in order to abandon himself
with necessary good will to the caprices of Fate, and in order to be
able to penetrate everywhere, the hero has necessarily little conscience
and still less heart; hence the barrenness of the greater part of the
picaresque romances and the weak _role_, entirely incidental, reserved
in these works for sentiment.

The success of these Spanish romances was immediate and lasting
throughout Europe. "Lazarillo" and "Guzman" were translated into several
languages, and were greatly appreciated here and abroad. "What! sir,"
says the Burgundian lord in "Francion,"[252] "is it thus that you
cruelly deprive me of the narration of your more amusing adventures? Do
you not know that these commonplace actions are infinitely entertaining,
and that we take delight in listening even to those of scoundrels and
rascals like Guzman d'Alfarache and Lazarillo de Tormes?" "Guzman" had
in France several illustrious translators; the ponderous author of "La
Pucelle" and famous academician, Chapelain, was one o