This work is the revised edition of a thesis published for the first time in 1997 with Éditions Kimé – a thesis that Jean-Marie Beyssade directed with a kindness, attention and dedication for which I am deeply grateful. I want to once more warmly thank both Alexandre Matheron, who was kind enough to review this work and generously enlightened me with his remarks, as well as Pierre-François Moreau, whose precious advice, trust and friendship constantly sustained me throughout the course of this research.

Apart from updating the bibliography on the subject and adding some notes and corrections, this new edition reproduces the previous text in its entirety.