Oliver Patru (1604-1681) and Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux (1636-1711) were friends who shared a love of language and literature, evident in their large collection of books that have been cataloged and recorded in this microfiche collection.

Patru, who over the years had developed a loyal friendship with Boileau, was a barrister of the 17th century, and was respected for his elegant speaking style. However, his reputation, though esteemed, failed to pay the bills. Thus, in 1671 Boileau responded to Patru's request for financial help, purchasing the barrister's books and furniture from creditors, then loaning them back to him until Patru's death in 1681.

The Patru Library Wanting this gentlemanly exchange to be in order, Patru drew up a legal document and made lists in 1671 of the books in his personal library (455 titles in 547 volumes). The inventory was meticulously written in his own hand, demonstrating Patru's attention to detail and accuracy that were the hallmark of his linguistic and literary activities.

Patru's library concentrated on several subjects. A small percentage focused on theology and books under his headings of Science and Belles-Lettres. A larger percentage concerned jurisprudence. Nevertheless, reflecting his love for literary pursuits, he possessed more books on language and literature than on legal matters. His interest in historical and geographical books was expansive, but typical for that time and contributed to up to over 30 percent of his collection.

The Boileau Library When Patru died, Boileau reclaimed the books that he had loaned to Patru. Boileau's holdings of 1,911 volumes were rare for a bourgeois de Paris, even without Patru's volumes. Upon his death in 1711, Boileau's family compiled an inventory of the library, assisted by four of Boileau's servants and two officials. It is these records that have been microfilmed.

That Patru and the family of Boileau would make such detailed accounts reveals their respect for the historical significance of the collections. For scholars of 18th-century literature, this catalog provides valuable insights and understanding into the literary tastes and extent of knowledge of the time.

The microfiche collection is accompanied by a bibliographical analysis of the contents of these two libraries, with an introduction and indexes by Dr. David Atkinson, Senior Lecturer in French at Oxford Polytechnic.