The last chapter, which is not in any sense a profile, was published, in a French translation made by Henry D. Davray, in the Mercure de France and then as a separate brochure. The profiles are reprinted in part from the Fortnightly review, the Contemporary review, the International quarterly review, the Saturday review, the Daily chronicle, and the Cosmopolis. cf. Pref Preface.--Alfred de Vigny.--Mademoiselle Aïssé.--A [Portuguese] nun's love-letters.--Barbey d'Aurévilly.--Alphonse Daudet.--The short stories of Zola.--Ferdinand Fabre.--A first sight of Verlaine.--The irony of m. Anatole France.--Pierre Loti.--Some recent books of m. Paul Bourget.--M. René Bazin.--M. Henri de Régnier.--Four poets: Stéphane Mallarmé. M. Émile Verhaeren. Albert Samain. M. Paul Fort.--The influence of France upon English poetry.--Index