Many misconceptions about manuscripts and their fates in modern times are commonly repeated, even by scholars who should know better. Perhaps the most frequently heard is that many manuscripts were destroyed during the French Revolution. On the contrary, diverse measures were taken at that time to preserve manuscripts and even to ca-
Je suis heureux d'exprimer ma gratitude à Hélène Barbier qui m'a aidé grandement. Il convient aussi de la Bibliothèque nationale de France et la Médiathèque d' Arras qui m'ont accordé l'autorisation de les deux photographies.
