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The significance of this opera, Le Devin du Village, lies not in the fact that it is great music, but in the fact of its historical importance. Its appearance in 1752, with its revolutionary ideas, heralds the coming of what we consider today as native French comic opera; i. e., native in the sense that it is composed by Frenchmen, although adapted from the Italian style in many respects. Another claim of uniqueness that might be made for this work is that its composer was no recognized musician, but one of the greatest pre-Revolution philosophers. His open-minded ness and eagerness to break loose the bonds of the traditional French "Chauvinism" and musical isolationism, brought forth this musical effort on his part, clothed in native atmosphere, yet embodying the spirit of Italian music. From the private library of Isaac Lloyd Hibberd, the writer was fortunate in having access to a first edition of Le Devin du Village, which has added greatly to an appreciable understanding of the music of this work.