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Show Press Agents Unknown to Medieval Writers "A striking feature of medieval literature lit-erature Is its general anonymity," writes W. II. Scbofield In "English Literature from the Norman Conquest to Chaucer." Of the many who wrote, the names of but few are recorded, and of the history of these few we have only the most meager details. Nor is this a simple accident. Formerly, the importance attached to an author's personality was far less than now. In case either of a narrative or a didactic work, It was the substance above all that attracted attention. Originality of matter was deplored as a fault. "Independence of treatment meant to our forefathers contempt of authority, au-thority, a heinous offense in their eyes. It was as unsafe for a storyteller story-teller to depart from the well-marked lines of Inherited tradition as for hi in to disregard orthodox beliefs. And even the greatest dared not present new views without at Iear.t claiming august support. A prudent author sought a powerful patron in order to Insure success, or fathered his inventions inven-tions on some ancient worthy who could not deny them. But the last thing lie would have deemed wise would have been to copyright them as his own." |