Dtflertatim on the Life and Writings of

Trati/latton of a Letter to F. Douce, Efq. F. A. S. upon the Life and Writings of Mary, an Anglo-Norman Poetefs of the i$th Cen- tury. SIR, IT is with extreme pleafure that I continue the purfuit of my inquiries into the literary hiflory of the Norman and Anglo-Nor- man Trouveurs ; and as no one is better qualified than yourfelf to appreciate this fubjecl, I have done myfelf the honour of addreffing to you my refearches upon thefe ancient poets. Mary may, with great propriety, be regarded as the Sappho of her age. Unfortunately me has fcarcely mentioned any circum- ftance relating to herfelf ! but me made fo confiderable a figure amongft the Anglo-Norman Trouveurs, that me may very fairly lay claim to the minuted inveftigation of whatever concerns her memory. We are informed by this lady that me was born in France, but me has not mentioned the province that gave her birth, nor -the reafons of her going to England. As me appears, however, to have refided in that country at the commencement of the thirteenth century, we may reasonably conclude that me was a native of Nor- mandy. Philip Auguftus having made himfelf mailer of that Pro- vince in 1 504, many Norman families, whether from regard to af- finity, from motives of adventure, or from attachment to the Eng- lilh government, went over to Great Britain, and there eftablifhed themfelves. Some one of thefe reafons might have poffibly induced Mary to retire into that country, or to have followed her family thither. If