At the January 1974 meeting of the Oliver Prior Society, Dr Patrick Edward Charvet delivered the lecture On the Writing of a Literary History of France. The lecture was based on his experience as General Editor of the six-volume A Literary History of France (London: Benn, 1967-), aiming at general principles of editorship through Dr Charvet’s personal experience.

Dr Charvet’s discussed the challenges of assembling such a work, but concluded in the hope that it would: “achieve its aim of broadening outlooks, enriching experience, improving intellectual, moral and aesthetic standards, but above all, that of giving its readers pleasure and the stimulus of further research of their own choosing.”