French Lyrics
by
Arthur Graves Canfield
Part 1 out of 8
Produced by Charles Franks, Marc D'Hooghe
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
FRENCH LYRICS
SELECTED AND EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
BY
ARTHUR GRAVES CANFIELD
Professor of the Romance Languages and Literatures in the University
of Michigan.
PREFACE.
This book is intended as an introduction to the reading and study of
French lyric poetry. If it contributes toward making that poetry more
widely known and more justly appreciated its purpose will have been
fulfilled.
It is rather usual among English-speaking people to think slightingly
of the poetry of France, especially of her lyrics. This is not
unnatural. The qualities that give French verse its distinction are
very different from those that make the strength and the charm of our
English lyrics. But we must guard ourselves against the conclusion
that because a work is unlike those that we are accustomed to admire
it is necessarily bad. There are many kinds of excellence. And this
little book must have been poorly put together indeed if it fail to
suggest to the reader that France possesses a wealth of lyric
verse which, whatever be its shortcomings in those qualities that
characterize our English lyrics, has others quite its own, both of
form and of spirit, that give it a high and serious interest and no
small measure of beauty and charm.
The editor has sought to keep the purpose of the volume constantly in
view in preparing the introduction and notes. He has hoped to supply
such information as would be most helpful, if not indispensable, to
the reader. And as he has thought that the best service the book could
render would be to stimulate interest in French poetry and to persuade
to a wider reading of it, he has wished in the bibliography to meet
especially the wants of those who may be inclined to pursue further
one or another of the acquaintances here begun. It is of course not
intended to be in any wise exhaustive, but only to present the sum of
an author's lyrical work, to indicate current and available editions,
and to point out sources of further information; among these last it
has sometimes been accessibility to the American reader rather than
relative importance that has dictated the insertion of a title.
The editor acknowledges here his wholesale indebtedness for his
materials to the various sources that he has recommended to the
reader. But he wishes to confess the special debt that he owes to Miss
Eugenie Galloo, Assistant Professor of French in the University of
Kansas, for many suggestions and valuable help with the proofs.
Her assistance has reduced considerably the number of the volume's
imperfections. For those that remain he can hold no one responsible
but himself.
A. G. C.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS,
Dec. 7, 1898.
INTRODUCTION.
As literature is not a bundle of separate threads, but one fabric, it
is manifestly impossible to give an adequate account of any one of its
forms, as the lyric poem, by itself and aside from the larger web of
which it is a part. The following pages will attempt only to sketch
the main phases which the history of the lyric in France exhibits and
so to furnish a rough outline that may help the reader of these poems
to place them in the right historical relations. He should fill it out
at all points by study of some history of French literature.[1] No
account will be taken here of those kinds of verse that have only a
slight contact with serious poetry. Such are, for instance, the songs
of the _chansonniers_, mainly of vinous inspiration, which followed a
tradition of their own apart from that of the more sober lyric, though
some of the later writers, especially BERANGER and DUPONT, raised them
to a higher dignity. Such also are the songs so abundant in the modern
vaudevilles and light operas, many of which have enjoyed a very wide
circulation and great favor and have left couplets fixed in the memory
of the great public.
Neither will account be taken of the poems of oral tradition, the
_chansons populaires_, of which France possesses a rich treasure, but
which have never there, as so conspicuously in Germany, been brought
into fructifying contact with the literary lyric.[2]
The beginnings of the literary tradition of lyric poetry in France are
found in the poetry of the Troubadours. No doubt lyric expression was
no new discovery then; lyrics in the popular language had existed from
time immemorial. But it was in the twelfth century and in Provence
that it began to be cultivated by a considerable number of persons who
consciously treated it as an art and developed for it rules and forms.
These were the Troubadours. Though their poems did not, at least at
first, lack sincerity and spontaneity, their tendency to theorizing
about the ideals of courtly life, especially about the nature and
practice of love as the ideal form of refined conduct, was not
favorable to these qualities. As lyrical expression lost in directness
and spontaneity it was natural that more and more attention should
be paid to form. The external qualities of verse were industriously
cultivated. Great ingenuity was expended upon the invention of
intricate and elaborate forms. Beginning at the end of the eleventh
century, the poetry of the Troubadours had by the middle of the
twelfth become a highly artificial and studied product. It was then
that it began to awaken imitation in the north of France and thus
determine the beginnings of French lyric poetry.
An earlier native lyric had indeed existed in northern France, known
to us only by scanty fragments and allusions. It was a simple and
light accompaniment of dancing or of the monotonous household tasks
of sewing and spinning. Its theme was love and love-making. Its
characteristic outward feature was a recurring refrain. The manner and
frequency of repeating this refrain determined different forms, as
_rondets_, _ballettes_, and _virelis_ But there are few examples left
us of early French lyrics that have not already felt the influence
of the art of the Troubadours. Even those that are in a way the most
perfect and distinctive products of the earlier period, the fresh
and graceful _pastourelles_, with their constant theme of a pretty
shepherdess wooed by a knight, may have been imported from the south
and have pretty surely been touched by southern influence.
From the middle of the twelfth century the native lyric in the
north was entirely submerged under the flood of imitations of the
Troubadours. The marriage of Eleanor of Poitiers with Louis VII. in
1137 brought Provence and France together, and opened the north,
particularly about her court and that of her daughter Marie, Countess
of Champagne, at Troyes, to the ideas and manners of the south. The
first result was an eager and widespread imitation of the Provencal
models. Among these earliest cultivators of literary art in the French
language the most noteworthy were CONON DE BETHUNE (d. 1224), BLONDEL
DE NESLE, GACE BRULE, GUI DE COUCI (d. 1201), GAUTIER D'ESPINAUS, and
THIBAUT DE CHAMPAGNE, King of Navarre (d. 1253). There is in the work
of these poets a great sameness. Their one theme was love as the
essential principle of perfect courtly conduct, and their treatment
was made still more lifeless by the use of allegory which was
beginning to reveal its fascination for the mediaeval mind. From all
their work the note of individuality is almost completely absent.
Their art consisted in saying the same conventional commonplaces in
a form that was not just like any other previously devised. So the
predominance of the formal element was a matter of necessity. Some
variation from existing forms was the one thing required of a piece of
verse.
This school of direct imitation flourished for about a century. Then
it suddenly ceased and for another century there was almost no lyric
production of any sort. In the fourteenth century Guillaume de
Machault (1295- 1377) inaugurated a revival, hardly of lyric poetry,
but of the cultivation of lyric forms. He introduced a new style which
made the old conventional themes again presentable by refinement of
phrase and rhetorical embellishments, and he directed the pursuit
of form not to the invention of ever new variations, but to the
perfection of a few forms. And it is noticeable that these fixed forms
were not selected from those elaborated under Provencal influence, but
were the developments of the forms of the earlier _chansons a danser_,
the _rondets_, _ballettes_, and _virelis_. The new poetic art that
proceeded from Machault spent itself mainly in refining the phrase of
the old commonplaces, allegories, and reflections, and on turning them
out in _rondels_, _rondeaux_, _triolets_, _ballades_, _chants royaux_,
and _virelis_. The new fashion was followed by FROISSART (1337-1410),
EUSTACHE DESCHAMPS (approximately 1340-1407), who rhymed one thousand
four hundred and forty ballades, CHRISTINE DE PISAN (1363-_?_), and
CHARLES D'ORLEANS (1391-1465), who marks the culmination of the
movement by the perfection of formal elegance and easy grace which his
rondels and ballades exhibit.
All this lyric poetry had been the product of an aristocratic and
polite society. But there existed at the same time in the north of
France a current of lyrical production in an entirely different social
region. The bourgeoisie, at least in the larger and industrial towns,
followed the example of the princely courts, and vied with them in
cultivating a formal lyric, and numerous societies, called _puis_,
arranged poetical competitions and offered prizes. Naturally in their
hands the courtly lyric only degenerated. But there were now and then
men of greater individuality who, if their verses lacked something
of the refinement and elaborateness of the courtly lyric, more than
atoned for it by the greater directness and sincerity of their
utterance, and by their closer contact with common life and real
experience. Here belong the farewell poems (_conges_) of JEAN BODEL
(twelfth century) and ADAM DE LA HALLE (about 1235-1285), of Arras;
here belong especially two Parisians who were real poets, RUTEBEUF
(d. about 1280) and FRANCOIS VILLON (1431- 146?), who distinctly
announces the end of the old order of things and the beginning of
modern times, not by any renewal of the fixed forms, within which he
continued to move, but by cutting loose from the conventional round
of subjects and ideas, and by giving a strikingly direct and personal
expression to thoughts and feelings that he had the originality to
think and feel for himself.
But no one at once appeared to make VILLON'S example fruitful for
the development of lyric verse, and it went on its way of formal
refinement at the hands of the industrious school of rhetoricians,
becoming more and more dry and empty, more and more a matter of
intricate mechanism and ornament. No more signal proof of the
sterility of the school could be imagined than the triumphs of the art
of some of the grands _rhetoriqueurs_ like MESCHINOT (1415?-1491),
or MOLINET (d. 1507), the recognized leader of his day. The last
expiring effort of this essentially mediaeval lyric is seen in CLEMENT
MAROT. He had already begun to catch the glow of the dawn of the
Renaissance, but he was rooted in the soil of the middle ages and
his real masters were his immediate predecessors. He avoided their
absurdities of alliteration and redundant rhyme and their pedantry;
but he appropriated the results of their efforts at perfecting the
verse structure and adhered to the traditional forms. The great stores
of the ancient literatures that were thrown open to France in the
course of the first half of the sixteenth century came too late to be
the main substance of MAROT'S culture.
But it was far otherwise with the next generation. It was nurtured on
the literatures of Greece, Rome, and Italy, which was also a classical
land for the France of that day; and it was almost beside itself with
enthusiasm for them. The traditions of the mediaeval lyric and all its
fixed forms were swept away with one breath as barbarous rubbish by
the proclamations of the young admirers of antiquity. The manifesto of
the new movement, the _Defense et Illustration de la langue francaise_
by JOACHIM DU BELLAY, bade the poet "leave to the Floral Games of
Toulouse and to the _puis_ of Rouen all those old French verses, such
as _Rondeaux_, _Ballades_, _Virelais_, _Chants royaux_, _Chansons_,
and other like vulgar trifles," and apply himself to rivaling the
ancients in epigrams, elegies, odes, satires, epistles, eclogues, and
the Italians in sonnets. But the transformation which this movement
effected for the lyric did not come from the substitution of different
forms as models. It had a deeper source.
Acquaintance with the ancients and the attendant great movement of
ideas of the Renaissance reopened the true springs of lyric poetry.
The old moulds of thought and feeling were broken. The human
individual had a new, more direct and more personal view of nature and
of life. That note of direct personal experience, almost of individual
sensation, that was possible to a VILLON only by virtue of a very
strong temperament and of a very exceptional social position, became
the privilege of a whole generation by reason of the new aspect in
which the world appeared. The Renaissance transformed indeed the whole
of French literature, but the first branch to blossom at its breath
was the lyric. Of the famous seven, RONSARD, DU BELLAY, BAIF, BELLEAU,
PONTUS DE THYARD, JODELLE, and DAURAT, self-styled the _Pleiade_,
who were the champions of classical letters, all except JODELLE were
principally lyric poets, and RONSARD and DU BELLAY have a real claim
to greatness. This new lyric strove consciously to be different from
the older one. Instead of _ballades_ and _rondeaux_, it produced odes,
elegies, sonnets, and satires. It condemned the common language and
familiar style of VILLON and MAROT as vulgar, and sought nobility,
elevation, and distinction. To this end it renewed its vocabulary by
wholesale borrowing and adaptation from the Latin, much enriching the
language, though giving color to the charge of Boileau that RONSARD'S
muse "_en francais parlait grec et latin_".
Of this constellation of poets RONSARD was the bright particular star.
The others hailed him as master, and he enjoyed for the time an almost
unexampled fame. To him were addressed the well known lines attributed
to Charles IX.:
Tous deux egalement nous portons des couronnes:
Mais, roi, je la recus: poete, tu la donnes.
His example must be reckoned high for his younger contemporaries
beside the ancient writers to whom he pointed them.
But his authority was of short duration. REGNIER and D'AUBIGNE, who
lived into the seventeenth century, could still be counted of his
school. But they had already fallen upon times which began to be
dissatisfied with the work of RONSARD and his disciples, to find
their language crude and undigested, their grammar disordered,
their expression too exuberant, lacking in dignity, sobriety, and
reasonableness. There was a growing disposition to exalt the claims of
regularity, order, and a recognized standard. A strict censorship was
exercised over an author's vocabulary, grammar, and versification.
Individual freedom was brought under the curb of rule. The man who
voiced especially this growing temper of the times was MALHERBE
(1555-1628). No doubt his service was great to French letters as a
whole, since the movement that he stood for prepared those qualities
which give French literature of the classic period its distinction.
But these qualities are those of a highly objective and impersonal
expression, seeking perfection in conformity to the general consensus
of reasonable and intelligent minds, not of an intensely subjective
expression, concerned in the first place with being true to the
promptings of an individual temperament; and lyric expression is
essentially of the latter kind. MALHERBE, therefore, in repressing the
liberty of the individual temperament, sealed the springs of lyric
poetry, which the Renaissance had opened, and they were not again set
running till a new emancipation of the individual had come with the
Revolution. Between MALHERBE and CHATEAUBRIAND, that is for almost
two hundred years, poetry that breathes the true lyric spirit is
practically absent from French literature. There were indeed the
_chansonniers_, who produced a good deal of bacchanalian verse, but
they hardly ever struck a serious note. Almost the most genuinely
lyric productions of this long period are those which proceed more
or less directly from a reading of Hebrew poetry, like the numerous
paraphrases of the Psalms or the choruses of RACINE'S biblical plays.
The typical lyric product of the time was the ode, trite, pompous, and
frigid. Even ANDRE CHENIER, who came on the eve of the Revolution
and freed himself largely from the narrow restraint of the literary
tradition by imbibing directly the spirit of the Greek poets, hardly
yielded to a real lyric impulse till he felt the shadow of the
guillotine. It is significant of the difficulty that the whole
poetical theory put in the way of the lyric that perhaps the most
intensely lyrical temperament of these two hundred years, JEAN JACQUES
ROUSSEAU, did not write in verse at all.
That which again unsealed the lyric fountains was Romanticism.
Whatever else this much discussed but ill defined word
involves--sympathy with the middle ages, new perception of the world
of nature, interest in the foreign and the unusual--it certainly
suggests a radically new estimate of the importance and of the
authority of the individual. It was to the profit of the individual
that the old social and political forms had been broken up and
melted in the Revolution. It could seem for a moment as if, with the
proclamation of the freedom and independence of the individual, all
the barriers were down that hemmed in his free motion, as if there
were no limits to his self-assertion. His separate personal life got a
new amplitude, its possibilities expanded infinitely, and its interest
was vastly increased. The whole new world of ideas and impulses urged
the individual to pursue and to express his own personal experience of
the world. CHATEAUBRIAND made the great revelation of the change that
had taken place, and in spite of the fact that his instrument is
prose, the lyric quality of many a passage of Rene was as unmistakable
as it was new. But the lyric impulse could not at once shake off
literary tradition. It needed to learn a new language, one more
direct and personal, one less stiff with the starch of propriety and
elegance. The more spontaneous and genuine it became, the closer
it approached this language. DELAVIGNE won great applause by his
_Messeniennes_ (1815-19), but the lyric impulse was not strong enough
in him to make him independent of the traditional rhetoric. MME.
DESBORDES-VALMORE, less influenced by literary training and more
mastered by the emotion that prompted her, found the real lyric note.
But it was especially LAMARTINE whose poetic utterance was most
spontaneous and who recovered for France the gift of lyric expression.
His _Meditations poetiques_ (1820) were greeted with extraordinary
enthusiasm and marked the dawn of a new era in French poetry.
But other influences making for a poetic revival were multiplied.
A very important one was the spreading knowledge of other modern
literatures, particularly those of England and Germany with their
lyric treasures. Presently there began to be a union of efforts for
a literary reform, as in the Renaissance, and the Romantic movement
began to be defined. Its watchword was freedom in art, and as a reform
it was naturally considerably determined by the classicism against
which it rebelled. The qualities that it strove to possess were
sharply in contrast with those that had distinguished French poetry
for two hundred years, if they were not in direct opposition to them:
in its matter, breadth and infinite variety took the place of a narrow
and sterile nobility--"everything that is in nature is in art"; in its
language, directness, strength, vigor, freshness, color, brilliancy,
picturesqueness, replaced cold propriety, conventional elegance and
trite periphrasis; in its form, melody, variety of rhythm, richness
and sonority of rhyme, diversity of stanza structure and flexibility
of line were sought and achieved, sometimes at the expense of the
old rules. By 1830 the young poets, who were now fairly swarming,
exhibited the general romantic coloring very clearly. Almost from the
first VICTOR HUGO had been their leader. His earliest volume indeed
contained little promise of a literary revolution. But the volume of
_Orientales_ (1828) was more than a promise; it held a large measure
of fulfilment, and is a landmark in the history of French poetry. The
technical qualities of these lyrics were a revelation. They distinctly
enlarged the capacity of the language for lyrical expression.
There are three other great lyric poets in the generation of 1830: DE
VIGNY, DE MUSSET, and GAUTIER. De Vigny annexed to the domain of lyric
poetry the province of intellectual passion and a more impersonal and
reflecting emotion. De Musset gave to the lyric the most intense and
direct accent of personal feeling and made his muse the faithful and
responsive echo of his heart. Gautier was an artist in words and laid
especial stress on the perfection of form (cf. _l'Art_, p. 190); and
it was he especially that the younger poets followed.
By the middle of the century the main springs of Romanticism began to
show symptoms of exhaustion. The subjective and personal character of
its lyric verse provoked protest. It seemed to have no other theme but
self, to be a universal confession or self-glorification, immodest and
egotistical. And it began to be increasingly out of harmony with the
intellectual temper, which was determined more and more by positive
philosophy and the scientific spirit. LECONTE DE LISLE voiced this
protest most clearly (cf. _les Montreurs_, p. 199), and set forth the
claims of an art that should find its whole aim in the achievement
of an objective beauty and should demand of the artist perfect
self-control and self-repression. For such an art personal emotion was
proclaimed a hindrance, as it might dim the artist's vision or make
his hand unsteady. Those who viewed art in this way, while they turned
frankly away from the earlier Romanticists, yet agreed with them in
their concern for form, and applied themselves to carrying still
farther the technical mastery over it which they had achieved. Their
standpoint greatly emphasized the importance of good workmanship, and
the stress laid upon form was revealed, among other ways, by a revival
of the old fixed forms. The young generation of poets that began to
write just after the middle of the century, generally recognized
LECONTE DE LISLE as their master, and were called _Parnassiens_ from
_le Parnasse contemporain_, a collection of verse to which they
contributed. They produced a surprising amount of work distinguished
by exquisite finish, and making up for a certain lack of spontaneity
by intellectual fervor and strong repressed emotion.
But the rights of subjective personal emotion could not long be
denied in lyric poetry. Even LECONTE DE LISLE had not succeeded in
obliterating its traces entirely, and if he achieved a calm that
justifies the epithet _impassible_, given so freely to him and to his
followers, it is at the cost of a struggle that still vibrates beneath
the surface of his lines. Presently emotion asserted its authority
again, more discreetly and under the restraint of an imperious
intellect in SULLY PRUDHOMME, readily taking the form of sympathy with
the humble, in FRANCOIS COPPEE, or returning to the old communicative
frankness of self-revelation with VERLAINE. With VERLAINE we reach
a conscious reaction from the objective and impersonal art of the
_Parnassiens_. That art found its end in the perfect rendering
of objective reality. The reaction sought to get at the inner
significance and spiritual meaning of things, and looked at the
objective reality as a veil behind which a deeper sense lies hidden,
as a symbol which it is the poet's business to penetrate and illumine.
It also moved away from the clear images, precise contours, and
firm lines by which the _Parnassiens_ had given such an effect of
plasticity to their verse, and sought rather vague, shadowy, and
nebulous impressions and the charm of music and melody (cf. VERLAINE'S
poem, _Art poetique_, p. 288). This is in general the direction taken
by the latest generation of poets, symbolists, decadents, or however
otherwise they are styled, for whom VERLAINE'S influence has been
conspicuous. They make up rather an incoherent body, whose aims and
aspirations, more or less vague, are by no means adequately indicated
by this brief statement of their tendency. They have by no means said
their last word. But the accomplishment of their movement hitherto has
been marred, and its promise for the future is still threatened, by a
fatal and seemingly irresistible tendency toward unintelligibility.
Notes:
[1] Special commendation may be given to the large work by various
scholars under the direction of Petit de Julleville now in process
of publication, and also to the shorter histories, in one volume, of
Gustave Lanson (1895) and F. Brunetiere (1897). An English translation
of the latter is published by T. Y. Crowell & Co., New York.]
[2] A large number of the _chansonniers_ are represented in the
collection by Dumersan and Noel Segur, _Chansons nationales et
populaires de France_, 2 vols., 1566, to which an account of the
French _chanson_ is prefixed. Specimens of the _chanson populaire_ may
be read in T.F. Crane's _Chansons populaires de la France_, New York,
Putnam, 1891: an excellent historical sketch and a bibliography make
this little volume a good introduction to the reading of French
popular poetry.
Anthologies and collections : Crepet, _les Poetes Francais_, 4 vols.,
1887; G. Masson, _la Lyre francaise_, London (Golden Treasury Series);
G. Saintsbury, _French Lyrics_, New York, 1883; P. Paris, _le
Romancero francais_, 1833; K. Bartsch, _Romanzen und Pastourellen_,
Leipzig, 1870; Bartsch and Horning, _la Langue et la Litterature
francaises depuis le IXe jusqu'au XIVe siecle_, 1887; L. Constans,
_Chrestomathie de l'ancien francais a l'usage des classes_, 1884;
_Histoire litteraire de la France_, vol. xxiii; Darmesteter and
Hatzfeld, _le Seizieme siecle en France_, 1878; F. Godefroy, _Histoire
de la litterature francaise depuis le XVIe siecle jusqu'a nos jours_,
6 vols., 1867; Lemerre, _Anthologie des poetes du XIXe siecle_,
1887-88; _le Parnasse contemporain_, 3 series, 1866, 1869, 1876.
For reference: Good historical and critical notices may be found in
several of the above, especially in Crepet, Darmesteter and Hatzfeld,
and the _Histoire litteraire_; Jeanroy, _Origines de la poesie lyrique
en France_, 1889; G. Paris, _Origines de la poesie lyrique en France_,
Journal des Savants, 1891, 1892; G. Paris, _la Poesie francaise au XVe
siecle_ (lecon d'ouverture), 1886; Sainte-Beuve, _Tableau historique
et critique de la poesie au XVIe siecle_; F. Brunetiere, _l'Evolution
des genres_, vol. i, 1890; Villemain, _Tableau de la litterature
francaise au XVIIIe siecle, passim_; Th. Gautier, _Etude sur les
progres de la poesie depuis 1830_ (in _Histoire du romantisme_); C.
Mendes, _Legende du Parnasse contemporain_, 1884; F. Brunetiere,
_Evolution de la poesie lyrique au XIXe siecle_, 2 vols., 1894; J.
Tellier, _Nos poetes_, 1888.
VERSIFICATION.
The rules of French versification have not always been the same.
The classical movement of the seventeenth century in its reforms
proscribed certain things, like hiatus, overflow lines, mute _e_
before the caesura, which had been current hitherto, and the
Romanticists of this century have endeavored to give greater diversity
and flexibility to verse-structure both by restoring some of these
liberties and by introducing new ones. Especially have great
innovations been advocated in the last few years by the youngest
school of poets, but they have as yet found no general acceptance.
The unit of French versification is not a fixed number of long and
short, or accented and unaccented, syllables in a certain definite
arrangement, that is, a foot, but a line. A line is a certain number
of syllables ending in a rhyme which binds it to one or more other
lines. The lines found in lyric verse vary in length from one to
thirteen syllables; but lines with an even number of syllables are
much more used than those with an odd number.
In determining the number of syllables the general rules of syllabic
division are followed, and each vowel or diphthong involves a
syllable. But the following points are to be noted:
1. Mute _e_ final or followed by _s_ or _nt_ is not counted at the end
of the line.
2. Final mute _e_ in the body of the line is not counted as a syllable
before a word beginning with a vowel or mute _h_ (elision).
3. Mute _e_ in the termination of the third person plural, imperfect
and conditional, of verbs is not counted; nor is it counted in the
future and conditional of verbs of the first conjugation whose stem
ends in a vowel (_oublieront_, also written in verse _oubliront_; see
p. 130, l. 14).
4. When two or more vowel sounds other than mute _e_ come together
within a word they are sometimes treated as a diphthong and make but
one syllable, sometimes separated and counted as two. Usage is not
altogether consistent in this particular; the same combination is
in some words pronounced as two syllables (_ni-ais, li-en, pri-ere,
pri-ons, jou-et_), in others as one (_biais, rien, bar-riere,
ai-mions, fou-et_); and even the same word is sometimes variable
(_ancien, hier, duel_). In general such combinations are monosyllabic
if they have developed from a single vowel in the Latin parent word.
5. Certain words allow a different spelling according to the demands
of the verse (_encore_ or _encor_, _Charles_ or _Charle_).
Since the sixteenth century, hiatus has been forbidden by the rules of
French versification. But, as we have just seen (under 4 above), two
vowels are allowed to come together in the interior of a word. What
the rule against hiatus does proscribe then is the use of a word
ending in a vowel (except mute _e_, which is elided; cf. 2 above)
before a word beginning with a vowel or mute _h_, and the use of words
in which mute _e_ not final follows a vowel in the interior of the
word; e.g. _tu as, et ont, livree jolie; louent, allees_. But hiatus
is not regarded as existing when two vowels are brought together by
the elision of a mute _e_; e.g. in Hugo's lines, the _vie a_ in
L'ouragan de leur vie a pris toutes les pages (p. 108, l. 20),
and the _joie et_ in
Sois ma force et ma joie et mon pilier d'airain (p. 130, l. 8).
Cf. also 1 and 3 above.
The rhythm of the line comes from the relation of its stressed to its
unstressed syllables. All lines have a stress (_leve_) on the rhyme
syllable, and if they have more than four syllables they have one or
more other stresses. Lines that consist of more than eight syllables
are usually broken by a caesural pause, which must follow a stressed
syllable. In lines of ten syllables the pause comes generally after
the fourth syllable, sometimes after the fifth; in lines of twelve
syllables, after the sixth.
The line of twelve syllables is the most important and widely used
of all and is known as the Alexandrine, from a poem of the twelfth
century celebrating the exploits of Alexander the Great, which is one
of the earliest examples of its use. It is almost without exception
the measure of serious and dignified dramatic and narrative poetry,
and even in lyric verse it is used more frequently than any other.
From MALHERBE to VICTOR HUGO the accepted rule demanded a caesura
after the sixth syllable and a pause at the end of the line; this
divided the line into two equal portions and separated each line from
its neighbors, preventing the overflow (_enjambement_) of one line
into the next. The line thus constructed had two fixed stresses, one
on the sixth syllable, before the caesura, which therefore had to
be the final syllable of a word and could not have mute _e_ for its
vowel, and another on the final (twelfth) syllable. There are indeed
in the poets of that period examples of lines in which, when naturally
read, the most considerable pause falls in some other position; but
the line always offers in the sixth place a syllable capable of a
principal stress. There was also regularly one other stressed syllable
in each half-line; it might be any one of the first five syllables,
but is most frequently the third, second, or fourth, rarely the first
or fifth; but the secondary stress might be wanting altogether;
a third stressed syllable in the half-line sometimes occurs. The
Romanticists introduced a somewhat greater flexibility into the
Alexandrine line by permitting the displacement or suppression of the
caesura and the overflow of one line into the next; the displacement
of the caesura sometimes goes so far as to put in the sixth place in
the line a syllable quite incapable of receiving a stress.
In the following stanza of Lamartine (see p. 60), which consists of
Alexandrine lines of the classical type, the stressed syllables are
indicated by italics and the caesura by a dash:
Sal_u_t, bois couronn_e_s--d'un r_e_ste de verd_u_re!
Feuill_a_ges jauniss_a_nts--sur les gaz_o_ns ep_a_is!
Sal_u_t, derniers beaux j_ou_rs!--Le d_eu_il de la nat_u_re
Conv_ie_nt a la doul_eu_r--et pl_ai_t a mes reg_a_rds.
Cf. for examples of displaced caesura, Hugo's lines--
Je marcher_ai_--les yeux fix_e_s sur mes pens_e_es (p. 121,l. 25.)
Seul, inconn_u_,--le dos courb_e_,--les mains crois_e_es (p. 121,
l. 27.)
For examples of enjambement, cf. Leconte de Lisle's Lines--
L'ecclesi_a_ste a d_i_t:--Un chien viv_a_nt vaut mi_eu_x
Qu'un lion m_o_rt (p. 201, l. 21).
O boucher_i_e!--o soif du m_eu_rtre!--acharnem_e_nt
Horr_i_ble! (p. 210, l. 21).
Unrhymed lines (blank verse) and lines of which only the alternate
ones rhyme have been tried but discarded.
Rhyme is therefore an indispensable element of French verse, and is
vastly more important as a poetic ornament than it is in English;
so important that Sainte-Beuve calls it the sole harmony (_l'unique
harmonie_) of verse. Rhyme may be either masculine, when it involves
but one syllable (_divinite: majeste_, _toi: roi_), or feminine,
when it involves two syllables the second of which contains mute _e_
(_repose: rose_, _changees: ravagees_); and lines are called masculine
or feminine according to their rhymes. Masculine rhymes must
constantly alternate with feminine rhymes; that is, two masculine or
feminine lines of different rhymes may never come together; but the
younger poets have sought a greater liberty here as elsewhere, and
poems with but one kind of rhyme occur (see p. 208). Rhyme to be
perfect must satisfy the eye as well as the ear; masculine rhymes must
have identity of vowel sound and the final consonants must be the same
or such as would have the same sound if pronounced (_granit: nid_,
_heros: bourreaux_; not _different: tyran_); but silent consonants
between the vowel and the final consonant do not count (_essaims:
saints_, _corps: morts_). Feminine rhymes must have identity of
rhyming vowels and of following consonant sounds if there be any; and
the final consonants must be the same (_fideles: citadelles_, _jolie:
crie_; not _nuages: louage_). Variations from ordinary spelling are
sometimes used to make words satisfy this rule of rhyming for the eye
(_je vien_, _je voi_), but they are hardly approved. The ear seems
even sometimes to play the subordinate role in the rhyme, for words
are found in rhyme which satisfy the eye but not the ear (_Venus:
nus_). Rhyme as above described is called sufficient (_suffisante_);
if it also involve identity of the consonant preceding the rhyming
vowel (_consonne d'appui_) it is called rich (_riche_); (examples:
_etoiles: toiles_, _bandit_;
The French ear is unlike the English in considering _rime riche_ an
additional beauty; the Romanticists especially have cultivated it, and
there are whole poems where simply sufficient rhyme is the exception.
A word may not rhyme with itself, but words identical in form but
different in meaning may rhyme with each other (cf. first, fifth, and
eleventh stanzas of _les Djinns_, p. 95.
By the use of lines of different length and especially by the
arrangement of the rhymes a great variety of stanza forms has been
created, as well as certain definite forms for complete short
compositions, known as fixed forms. The most common are the _ballade_,
_rondel_, _rondeau_, and _triolet_, developed especially in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and revived in our own, and the
sonnet, introduced from Italy during the Renaissance.
The _ballade_ consists of three stanzas, of eight or ten lines each,
that repeat exactly the same rhyme arrangement, and of a shorter
stanza of four or five lines, called the _envoy_, which repeats the
rhyme arrangement of the second part of the other stanzas. The line of
the ballade has generally eight syllables, but may have ten or twelve
(see pp. 1, 4, 5, 235).
The _rondel_, as usually printed, consists of three parts, the first
of four lines, the second of four, the last two of which are the first
two of the first part, and the third of five, the last one of which is
the first one of the first part; there are but two rhymes throughout.
The lines of the _rondel_ have usually eight syllables. This form was
practically superseded by the rondeau (see pp. 2 and 3).
The _rondeau_ also consists of three parts; the first has five lines,
the second three, and the third five, and the first word or words of
the first line, usually the first half of the line, are repeated at
the end of the second and third parts; there are but two rhymes. The
lines of the _rondeau_ have also usually eight syllables (see p. 6).
The _triolet_ consists of eight lines, usually octosyllabic. The first
line is twice repeated, in the fourth and seventh places, and the
second line is repeated once, making the final one. There are but two
rhymes (see p. 298).
The _sonnet_ has fourteen lines, usually Alexandrines, and is made up
of two parts, one of eight lines, called the octave, and one of six,
called the sestet; the rule allows but two rhymes to the octave
and three others to the sestet; the arrangement of the rhymes
is inflexible for the strict Petrarchan type (see below), but
considerable variations from it are common. For sonnets of the strict
type see pp. 257, 263, 280; for others showing variations see pp. 8,
13, 14, 199.
The rhyme arrangement of these various forms is most clearly shown
by letters as follows, capital letters indicating lines that are
repeated. _Ballade_: eight lines, _ababbcbC_, _ababbcbC_, _ababbcbC_,
_bcbC_; ten lines, _ababbccdcD_, _ababbccdcD_, _ababbccdcD_, _ccdcD_.
_Rondel: ABba_, _abAB_, _abbaA_. _Rondeau: aabba_, _aab refrain_,
_aabba refrain_. _Triolet: ABaAabAB_. _Sonnet: abba abba ccdede_.
For reference: Th. de Banville, _Petit traite de poesie francaise_,
1872; F. de Gramont, _les Vers francais et leur prosodie_, 1875; Becq
de Fouquieres, _Traite general de versification francaise_, 1879; A.
Tobler,
_Vom franzoesischen Versbau alter und neuer Zeit_, Berlin, 1880, 3d
edition, 1894,French translation with excellent preface by Gaston
Paris, 1885; Clair Tisseur, _Modestes observations sur l'art de
versifier_, Lyon, 1893; A. Bibesco, _la Question du vers francais et
la tentative des poetes decadents_, 1893, 2d edition, with preface by
Sully Prudhomme, 1896.
CHARLES D'ORLEANS
BALLADE
Nouvelles ont couru en France,
Par maints lieux, que j'estoye mort
Dont avoient peu de desplaisance
Aucuns qui me hayent a tort;
Autres en ont eu desconfort,
Qui m'ayment de loyal vouloir,
Comme mes bons et vrais amis;
Si fais a toutes gens savoir
Qu'encore est vive la souris.
Je n'ay eu ne mal ne grevance,
Dieu mercy, mais suis sain et fort,
Et passe temps en esperance
Que paix, qui trop longuement dort,
S'esveillera, et par accort
A tous fera liesse avoir ;
Pour ce, de Dieu soyent maudis
Ceux qui sont dolens de veoir
Qu'encore est vive la souris.
Jeunesse sur moy a puissance,
Mais Vieillesse fait son effort
De m'avoir en sa gouvernance;
A present faillira son sort,
Je suis assez loing de son port.
De pleurer vueil garder mon hoir;
Loue soit Dieu de Paradis,
Qui m'a donne force et povoir,
Qu'encore est vive la souris.
Nul ne porte pour moy le noir.
On vent meilleur marchie drap gris;
Or tiengne chascun, pour tout voir,
Qu'encore est vive la souris.
RONDEL
Laissez-moy penser a mon aise,
Helas! donnez-m'en le loysir.
Je devise avecques Plaisir
Combien que ma bouche se taise.
Quand Merancolie mauvaise
Me vient maintes fois assaillir,
Laissez-moy penser a mon aise,
Helas! donnez-m'en le loysir.
Car enfin que mon coeur rapaise
J'appelle Plaisant Souvenir,
Qui tantost me vient rejouir.
Pour ce, pour Dieu! ne vous deplaise,
Laissez-moy penser a mon aise.
RONDEL
Le temps a laissie son manteau
De vent, de froidure et de pluye,
Et s'est vestu de brouderye,
De soleil luyant, cler et beau.
Il n'y a beste, ne oyseau,
Qu'en son jargon ne chante ou crye:
Le temps a laissie son manteau
De vent, de froidure et de pluye.
Riviere, fontaine et ruisseau
Portent, en livree jolie,
Gouttes d'argent, d'orfavrerie,
Chascun s'abille de nouveau:
Le temps a laissie son manteau.
RONDEL
Les fourriers d'Este sont venus
Pour appareillier son logis,
Et ont fait tendre ses tappis,
De fleurs et verdure tissus.
En estandant tappis velus,
De vert herbe par le pais,
Les fourriers d'Este sont venus
Pour appareillier son logis.
Cueurs d'ennuy pieca morfondus,
Dieu mercy, sont sains et jolis;
Alez vous en, prenez pais,
Yver, vous ne demourrez plus:
Les fourriers d'Este sont venus.
RONDEL
Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder,
La gracieuse, bonne et belle!
Pour les grans biens qui sont en elle,
Chascun est prest de la louer.
Qui se pourrait d'elle lasser?
Tousjours sa beaute renouvelle;
Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder
La gracieuse, bonne et belle!
Par deca, ne dela la mer
Ne scay dame ne damoiselle
Qui soit en tous biens parfaits telle--
C'est ung songe que d'y penser:
Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder!
FRANCOIS VILLON
BALLADE DES DAMES DU TEMPS JADIS
Dictes-moi ou, n'en quel pays,
Est Flora, la belle Romaine;
Archipiada, ne Thais,
Qui fut sa cousine germaine;
Echo, parlant quand bruyt on maine
Dessus riviere ou sus estan,
Qui beaute eut trop plus qu'humaine?
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan!
Ou est la tres sage Helois,
Pour qui fut blesse et puis moyne
Pierre Esbaillart a Sainct-Denys
(Pour son amour eut cest essoyne)?
Semblablement, ou est la royne
Qui commanda que Buridan
Fust jette en ung sac en Seine?...
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?
La royne Blanche comme ung lys,
Qui chantait a voix de sereine;
Berthe au grand pied, Bietris, Allys
Harembourges, qui tint le Mayne,
Et Jehanne, la bonne Lorraine,
Qu'Anglais bruslerent a Rouen;
Ou sont-ilz, Vierge souveraine?....
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan!
ENVOI
Prince, n'enquerez de sepmaine
Ou elles sont, ne de cest an,
Que ce refrain ne vous remaine.
Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan!
LAY OU PLUSTOST RONDEAU
Mort, j'appelle de ta rigueur.
Qui m'as ma maistresse ravie,
Et n'es pas encore assouvie,
Se tu ne me tiens en langueur.
Depuis n'euz force ne vigueur;
Mais que te nuysait-elle en vie,
Mort?
Deux estions, et n'avions qu'ung cueur;
S'il est mort, force est que devie,
Voire, ou que je vive sans vie,
Comme les images, par cueur,
Mort!
JE CONNAIS TOUT FORS QUE MOI-MEME
Je congnois bien mouches en laict;
Je congnois a la robe l'homme;
Je congnois le beau temps du laid;
Je congnois au pommier la pomme;
Je congnois l'arbre a veoir la gomme;
Je congnois quand tout est de mesme;
Je congnois qui besongne ou chomme:
Je congnois tout, fors que moy-mesme.
Je congnois pourpoinct au collet;
Je congnois le moyne a la gonne;
Je congnois le maistre au valet:
Je congnois au voyle la nonne;
Je congnois quand pipeur jargonne;
Je congnois folz nourriz de cresme;
Je congnois le vin a la tonne:
Je congnois tout, fors que moy-mesme.
Je congnois cheval du mullet;
Je congnois leur charge et leur somme;
Je congnois Bietrix et Bellet;
Je congnois gect qui nombre et somme;
Je congnois vision en somme;
Je congnois la faulte des Boesmes;
Je congnois le povoir de Romme:
Je congnois tout, fors que moy-mesme.
ENVOI
Prince, je congnois tout en somme;
Je congnois coulorez et blesmes;
Je congnois mort, qui nous consomme:
Je congnois tout, fors que moy-mesme.
MAROT
RONDEAU
Au bon vieulx temps un train d'amour regnoit
Qui sans grand art et dons se demenoit,
Si qu'un bouquet donne d'amour profonde,
C'estoit donne toute la terre ronde,
Car seulement au cueur on se prenoit.
Et si par cas a jouyr on venoit,
Scavez-vous bien comme on s'entretenoit?
Vingt ans, trente ans: cela duroit un monde
Au bon vieulx temps.
Or est perdu ce qu'amour ordonnoit:
Rien que pleurs feincts, rien que changes on n'oyt.
Qui vouldra donc qu'a aymer je me fonde,
Il faut premier que l'amour on refonde,
Et qu'on la meine ainsi qu'on la menoit
Au bon vieulx temps.
PIERRE DE RONSARD
A CASSANDRE
Mignonne, allons voir si la rose
Qui, ce matin, avoit desclose
Sa robe de pourpre au soleil,
A point perdu, cette vespree
Les plis de sa robe pourpree
Et son teint au vostre pareil.
Las! voyez comme, en peu d'espace,
Mignonne, elle a dessus la place,
Las, las, ses beautez laisse cheoir!
O vrayment marastre nature,
Puisqu'une telle fleur ne dure
Que du matin jusques au soir!
Donc, si vous me croyez, mignonne,
Tandis que votre age fleuronne
En sa plus verte nouveaute,
Cueillez, cueillez vostre jeunesse:
Comme a cette fleur, la vieillesse
Fera ternir vostre beaute.
CHANSON
Pour boire dessus l'herbe tendre
Je veux sous un laurier m'estendre.
Et veux qu'Amour d'un petit brin
Ou de lin ou de cheneviere
Trousse au flanc sa robe legere
Et my-nud me verse du vin.
L'incertaine vie de l'homme
De jour en jour se roule comme
Aux rives se roulent les flots:
Puis apres notre heure derniere
Rien de nous ne reste en la biere
Qu'une vieille carcasse d'os.
Je ne veux, selon la coustume,
Que d'encens ma tombe on parfume,
Ny qu'on y verse des odeurs :
Mais tandis que je suis en vie,
J'ai de me parfumer envie,
Et de me couronner de fleurs.
De moy-mesme je me veux faire
L'heritier pour me satisfaire :
Je ne veux vivre pour autruy.
Fol le pelican qui se blesse
Pour les siens, et fol qui se laisse
Pour les siens travailler d'ennuy.
SONNET
A HELENE
Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, a la chandelle,
Assise aupres du feu, devisant et filant,
Direz, chantant mes vers, en vous esmerveillant :
Ronsard me celebroit du temps que j'estois belle.
Lors vous n'aurez servante oyant telle nouvelle
Desja sous le labeur a demy sommeillant,
Qui au bruit de mon nom ne s'aille resveillant,
Benissant vostre nom de louange immortelle.
Je seray sous la terre, et, fantosme sans os,
Par les ombres myrteux je prendray mon repos:
Vous serez au foyer une vieille accroupie,
Regrettant mon amour et vostre fier desdain.
Vivez, si m'en croyez, n'attendez a demain:
Cueillez des aujourd'huy les roses de la vie.
ELEGIE
Quand je suis vingt ou trente mois
Sans retourner en Vendomois,
Plein de pensees vagabondes,
Plein d'un remors et d'un souci,
Aux rochers je me plains ainsi,
Aux bois, aux antres et aux ondes:
Rochers, bien que soyez agez
De trois mil ans, vous ne changez
Jamais ny d'estat ny de forme :
Mais toujours ma jeunesse fuit,
Et la vieillesse qui me suit
De jeune en vieillard me transforme.
Bois, bien que perdiez tous les ans
En hyver vos cheveux mouvans,
L'an d'apres qui se renouvelle
Renouvelle aussi vostre chef.
Mais le mien ne peut de rechef
Ravoir sa perruque nouvelle.
Antres, je me suis vu chez vous
Avoir jadis verds les genous,
Le corps habile et la main bonne:
Mais ores j'ai le corps plus dur
Et les genous, que n'est le mur
Qui froidement vous environne.
Ondes, sans fin vous promenez
Et vous menez et ramenez
Vos flots d'un cours qui ne sejourne:
Et moy sans faire long sejour,
Je m'en vais de nuict et de jour
Au lieu d'ou plus on ne retourne.
DIEU VOUS GARD
Dieu vous gard, messagers fidelles
Du printemps, vistes arondelles,
Huppes, coucous, rossignolets,
Tourtres, et vous oiseaux sauvages
Qui de cent sortes de ramages
Animez les bois verdelets!
Dieu vous gard, belles paquerettes.
Belles roses, belles fleurettes,
Et vous, boutons jadis cognus
Du sang d'Ajax et de Narcisse:
Et vous, thym, anis et melisse,
Vous soyez les bien revenus.
Dieu vous gard, troupe diapree
De papillons, qui par la pree
Les douces herbes sucotez:
Et vous, nouvel essaim d'abeilles
Qui les fleurs jaunes et vermeilles
De vostre bouche baisotez!
Cent mille fois je resalue
Vostre belle et douce venue:
O que j'aime ceste saison
Et ce doux caquet des rivages,
Au prix des vents et des orages
Qui m'enfermoient en la maison.
A UN AUBESPIN
Bel aubespin verdissant,
Fleurissant
Le long de ce beau rivage,
Tu es vestu jusqu'au bas
Des longs bras
D'une lambrunche sauvage.
Deux camps de rouges fourmis
Se sont mis
En garnison sous ta souche:
Dans les pertuis de ton tronc
Tout du long
Les avettes ont leur couche.
Le chantre rossignolet
Nouvelet
Courtisant sa bien aimee,
Pour ses amours alleger
Vient loger
Tous les ans en ta ramee.
Sur ta cyme il fait son ny
Tout uny
De mousse et de fine soye
Ou ses petits esclorront,
Qui seront
De mes mains la douce proye.
Or vy, gentil aubespin,
Vy sans fin,
Vy sans que jamais tonnerre
Ou la cognee ou les vents
Ou les temps
Te puissent ruer par terre.
ELEGIE CONTRE LES BUCHERONS DE LA FORET DE GASTINE
Escoute, bucheron, arreste un peu le bras:
Ce ne sont pas des bois que tu jettes a bas;
Ne vois-tu pas le sang lequel degoute a force
Des nymphes qui vivoient dessous la dure escorce?
Sacrilege meurtrier, si on pend un voleur
Pour piller un butin de bien peu de valeur,
Combien de feux, de fers, de morts et de detresses
Merites-tu, meschant, pour tuer nos deesses?
Forest, haute maison des oiseaux bocagers!
Plus le cerf solitaire et les chevreuls legers
Ne paistront sous ton ombre, et ta verte criniere
Plus du soleil d'este ne rompra la lumiere.
Plus l'amoureux pasteur sus un tronq adosse,
Enflant son flageolet a quatre trous perse,
Son mastin a ses pieds, a son flanc la houlette,
Ne dira plus l'ardeur de sa belle Janette:
Tout deviendra muet; Echo sera sans vois;
Tu deviendras campagne, et en lieu de tes bois,
Dont l'ombrage incertain lentement se remue,
Tu sentiras le soc, le coutre et la charrue;
Tu perdras ton silence, et Satyres et Pans,
Et plus le cerf chez toy ne cachera ses fans.
Adieu, vieille forest, le jouet de Zephire,
Ou premier j'accorday les langues de ma lyre,
Ou premier j'entendi les fleches resonner
D'Apollon, qui me vint tout le coeur estonner;
Ou premier admirant la belle Calliope,
Je devins amoureux de sa neuvaine trope,
Quand sa main sur le front cent roses me jetta,
Et de son propre laict Euterpe m'allaita.
Adieu, vieille forest, adieu, testes sacrees,
De tableaux et de fleurs en tout temps reverees,
Maintenant le desdain des passans alterez,
Qui, bruslez en l'este des rayons etherez,
Sans plus trouver le frais de tes douces verdures,
Accusent tes meurtriers, et leur disent injures!
Adieu, chesnes, couronne aux vaillans citoyens,
Arbres de Jupiter, germes Dordoneens,
Qui premiers aux humains donnastes a repaistre;
Peuples vrayment ingrats, qui n'ont sceu recognoistre
Les biens receus de vous, peuples vrayment grossiers,
De massacrer ainsi leurs peres nourriciers!
Que l'homme est malheureux qui au monde se fie!
O dieux, que veritable est la philosophie,
Qui dit que toute chose a la fin perira,
Et qu'en changeant de forme une autre vestira!
De Tempe la vallee un jour sera montagne,
Et la cyme d'Athos une large campagne:
Neptune quelquefois de ble sera couvert:
La matiere demeure et la forme se perd.
JOACHIM DU BELLAY
L'IDEAL
Si nostre vie est moins qu'une journee
En l'eternel, si l'an qui fait le tour
Chasse nos jours sans espoir de retour,
Si perissable est toute chose nee,
Que songes-tu, mon ame emprisonnee?
Pourquoy te plaist l'obscur de nostre jour,
Si pour voler en un plus clair sejour,
Tu as au dos l'aile bien empennee?
La est le bien que tout esprit desire,
La le repos ou tout le monde aspire,
La est l'amour, la le plaisir encore.
La, o mon ame, au plus haut ciel guidee.
Tu y pourras recognoistre l'idee
De la beaute qu'en ce monde j'adore.
L'AMOUR DU CLOCHER
Heureux qui, comme Ulysse, a fait un beau voyage,
Ou comme cestuy la qui conquit la toison,
Et puis est retourne, plein d'usage et raison,
Vivre entre ses parens le reste de son age!
Quand reverray-je, helas! de mon petit village
Fumer la cheminee, et en quelle saison,
Reverray-je le clos de ma pauvre maison,
Qui m'est une province, et beaucoup davantage?
Plus me plaist le sejour qu'ont basty mes ayeux,
Que des palais romains le front audacieux,
Plus que le marbre dur me plaist l'ardoise fine;
Plus mon Loyre gaulois que le Tybre latin,
Plus mon petit Lire que le mont Palatin
Et plus que l'air marin la douceur Angevine.
D'UN VANNEUR DE BLED, AUX VENTS
A vous, trouppe legere,
Qui d'aile passagere
Par le monde volez
Et d'un sifflant murmure
L'ombrageuse verdure
Doucement esbranlez:
J'offre ces violettes,
Ces lis et ces fleurettes,
Et ces roses ici,
Ces merveillettes roses,
Tout freschement ecloses,
Et ces oeillets aussi.
De vostre douce haleine
Eventez ceste plaine,
Eventez ce sejour,
Ce pendant que j'ahanne
A mon ble que je vanne
A la chaleur du jour.
D'AUBIGNE
L'HYVER
Mes volages humeurs, plus sterilles que belles,
S'en vont; et je leur dis: Vous sentez, irondelles,
S'esloigner la chaleur et le froid arriver.
Allez nicher ailleurs, pour ne tascher, impures,
Ma couche de babil et ma table d'ordures;
Laissez dormir en paix la nuict de mon hyver.
D'un seul point le soleil n'esloigne l'hemisphere;
Il jette moins d'ardeur, mais autant de lumiere.
Je change sans regrets, lorsque je me repens
Des frivoles amours et de leur artifice.
J'ayme l'hyver qui vient purger mon coeur de vice,
Comme de peste l'air, la terre de serpens.
Mon chef blanchit dessous les neiges entassees,
Le soleil, qui reluit, les eschauffe, glacees,
Mais ne les peut dissoudre, au plus court de ses mois.
Fondez, neiges; venez dessus mon coeur descendre,
Qu'encores il ne puisse allumer de ma cendre
Du brazier, comme il fit des flammes autrefois.
Mais quoi! serai-je esteint devant ma vie esteinte?
Ne luira plus sur moi la flamme vive et sainte,
Le zele flamboynt de la sainte maison?
Je fais aux saints autels holocaustes des restes,
De glace aux feux impurs, et de napthe aux celestes:
Clair et sacre flambeau, non funebre tison!
Voici moins de plaisirs, mais voici moins de peines.
Le rossignol se taist, se taisent les sereines:
Nous ne voyons cueillir ni les fruits ni les fleurs;
L'esperance n'est plus bien souvent tromperesse;
L'hyver jouit de tout. Bienheureuse vieillesse,
La saison de l'usage, et non plus des labeurs!
Mais la mort n'est pas loin; cette mort est suivie
D'un vivre sans mourir, fin d'une fausse vie:
Vie de nostre vie, et mort de nostre mort.
Qui hait la seurete pour aimer le naufrage?
Qui a jamais este si friand de voyage,
Que la longueur en soit plus douce que le port?
JEAN BERTAUT
CHANSON
Les Cieux inexorables
Me sont si rigoureux,
Que les plus miserables
Se comparans a moy se trouveraient heureux.
Je ne fais a toute heure
Que souhaiter la mort,
Dont la longue demeure
Prolonge dessus moy l'insolence du Sort.
Mon lict est de mes larmes
Trempe toutes les nuits:
Et ne peuvent ses charmes,
Lors mesme que je dors, endormir mes ennuis.
Si je fay quelque songe
J'en suis espouvante,
Car mesme son mensonge
Exprime de mes maux la triste verite.
Toute paix, toute joye
A pris de moy conge,
Laissant mon ame en proye
A cent mille soucis dont mon coeur est ronge.
La pitie, la justice,
La constance, et la foy,
Cedant a l'artifice,
Dedans les coeurs humains sont esteintes pour moy.
L'ingratitude paye
Ma fidelle amitie:
La calomnie essaye
A rendre mes tourments indignes de pitie.
En un cruel orage
On me laisse perir,
Et courant au naufrage
Je voy chacun me plaindre et nul me secourir.
Et ce qui rend plus dure
La misere ou je vy,
C'est, es maux que j'endure,
La memoire de l'heur que le Ciel m'a ravi.
Felicite passee
Qui ne peux revenir:
Tourment de ma pensee,
Que n'ai-je en te perdant perdu le souvenir!
Helas! il ne me reste
De mes contentements
Qu'un souvenir funeste,
Qui me les convertit a toute heure en tourments.
Le sort plein d'injustice
M'ayant en fin rendu
Ce reste un pur supplice,
Je serois plus heureux si j'avois plus perdu.
MATHURIN REGNIER
ODE
Jamais ne pourray-je bannir
Hors de moy l'ingrat souvenir
De ma gloire si tost passee?
Toujours pour nourrir mon soucy.
Amour, cet enfant sans mercy,
L'offrira-t-il a ma pensee!
Tyran implacable des coeurs,
De combien d'ameres langueurs
As-tu touche ma fantaisie !
De quels maux m'as-tu tourmente!
Et dans mon esprit agite
Que n'a point fait la jalousie !
Mes yeux, aux pleurs accoutumez,
Du sommeil n'estoient plus fermez;
Mon coeur fremissoit sous la peine:
A veu d'oeil mon teint jaunissoit;
Et ma bouche qui gemissoit,
De soupirs estoit toujours pleine.
Aux caprices abandonne,
J'errois d'un esprit forcene,
La raison cedant a la rage:
Mes sens, des desirs emportez,
Flottoient, confus, de tous costez,
Comme un vaisseau parmy l'orage.
Blasphemant la terre et les cieux,
Mesmes je m'estois odieux,
Tant la fureur troubloit mon ame:
Et bien que mon sang amasse
Autour de mon coeur fust glace,
Mes propos n'estoient que de flame.
Pensif, frenetique et resvant,
L'esprit trouble, la teste au vent,
L'oeil hagard, le visage blesme,
Tu me fis tous maux esprouver;
Et sans jamais me retrouver,
Je m'allois cherchant en moy-mesme.
Cependant lors que je voulois,
Par raison enfraindre tes loix,
Rendant ma flame refroidie,
Pleurant, j'accusay ma raison
Et trouvay que la guerison
Est pire que la maladie.
Un regret pensif et confus
D'avoir este, et n'estre plus,
Rend mon ame aux douleurs ouverte;
A mes despens, las! je vois bien
Qu'un bonheur comme estoit le mien
Ne se cognoist que par la perte.
FRANCOIS DE MALHERBE
CONSOLATION A MONSIEUR DU PERIER
Ta douleur, du Perier, sera donc eternelle,
Et les tristes discours
Que te met en l'esprit l'amitie paternelle
L'augmenteront toujours?
Le malheur de ta fille, au tombeau descendue
Par un commun trepas,
Est-ce quelque dedale ou ta raison perdue
Ne se retrouve pas?
Je sais de quels appas son enfance etait pleine,
Et n'ai pas entrepris,
Injurieux ami, de soulager ta peine
Avecque son mepris.
Mais elle etait du monde, ou les plus belles choses
Ont le pire destin;
Et, rose, elle a vecu ce que vivent les roses,
L'espace d'un matin.
Puis quand ainsi serait que, selon ta priere,
Elle aurait obtenu
D'avoir en cheveux blancs termine sa carriere,
Qu'en fut-il advenu?
Penses-tu que, plus vieille, en la maison celeste
Elle eut eu plus d'accueil,
Ou qu'elle eut moins senti la poussiere funeste
Et les vers du cercueil?
Non, non, mon du Perier; aussitot que la Parque
Ote l'ame du corps,
L'age s'evanouit au deca de la barque,
Et ne suit pas les morts.
Tithon n'a plus les ans qui le firent cigale,
Et Pluton aujourd'hui,
Sans egard du passe, les merites egale
D'Archemore et de lui.
Ne te lasse donc plus d'inutiles complaintes;
Mais, sage a l'avenir,
Aime une ombre comme ombre, et des cendres eteintes
Eteins le souvenir.
C'est bien, je le confesse, une juste coutume,
Que le coeur afflige,
Par le canal des yeux vidant son amertume,
Cherche d'etre allege.
Meme quand il advient que la tombe separe
Ce que nature a joint,
Celui qui ne s'emeut a l'ame d'un barbare,
Ou n'en a du tout point.
Mais d'etre inconsolable, et dedans sa memoire
Enfermer un ennui,
N'est-ce pas se hair pour acquerir la gloire
De bien aimer autrui?
Priam, qui vit ses fils abattus par Achille,
Denue de support
Et hors de tout espoir du salut de sa ville,
Recut du reconfort.
Francois, quand la Castille, inegale a ses armes,
Lui vola son Dauphin,
Sembla d'un si grand coup devoir jeter des larmes
Qui n'eussent point de fin.
Il les secha pourtant, et comme un autre Alcide
Contre fortune instruit,
Fit qu'a ses ennemis d'un acte si perfide
La honte fut le fruit.
Leur camp, qui la Durance avoit presque tarie
De bataillons epais,
Entendant sa constance eut peur de sa furie,
Et demanda la paix.
De moi, deja deux fois d'une pareille foudre
Je me suis vu perclus,
Et deux fois la raison m'a si bien fait resoudre
Qu'il ne m'en souvient plus.
Non qu'il ne me soit grief que la terre possede
Ce qui me fut si cher;
Mais en un accident qui n'a point de remede,
Il n'en faut point chercher.
La mort a des rigueurs a nulle autre pareilles;
On a beau la prier,
La cruelle qu'elle est se bouche les oreilles,
Et nous laisse crier.
Le pauvre en sa cabane, ou le chaume le couvre,
Est sujet a ses lois;
Et la garde qui veille aux barrieres du Louvre
N'en defend point nos Rois.
De murmurer contre elle et perdre patience
Il est mal a propos;
Vouloir ce que Dieu veut est la seule science
Qui nous met en repos.
CHANSON
Ils s'en vont, ces rois de ma vie,
Ces yeux ces beaux yeux
Dont l'eclat fait palir d'envie
Ceux meme des cieux.
Dieux amis de l'innocence,
Qu'ai-je fait pour meriter
Les ennuis ou cette absence
Me va precipiter?
Elle s'en va, cette merveille
Pour qui nuit et jour,
Quoi que la raison me conseille,
Je brule d'amour.
Dieux amis, etc.
En quel effroi de solitude
Assez ecarte
Mettrai-je mon inquietude
En sa liberte?
Dieux amis, etc.
Les affliges ont en leurs peines
Recours a pleurer;
Mais quand mes yeux seraient fontaines,
Que puis-je esperer?
Dieux amis, etc.
PARAPHRASE DU PSAUME CXLV
N'Esperons plus, mon ame, aux promesses du monde:
Sa lumiere est un verre, et sa faveur une onde
Que toujours quelque vent empeche de calmer.
Quittons ces vanites, lassons-nous de les suivr
C'est Dieu qui nous fait vivre,
C'est Dieu qu'il faut aimer.
En vain, pour satisfaire a nos laches envies,
Nous passons pres des rois tout le temps de nos vies
A souffrir des mepris et ployer les genoux.
Ce qu'ils peuvent n'est rien; ils sont comme nous sommes,
Veritablement hommes,
Et meurent comme nous.
Ont-ils rendu l'esprit, ce n'est plus que poussiere
Que cette majeste si pompeuse et si fiere
Dont l'eclat orgueilleux etonne l'univers;
Et dans ces grands tombeaux ou leurs ames hautaines,
Font encore les vaines,
Ils sont manges des vers.
La se perdent ces noms de maitres de la terre,
D'arbitres de la paix, de foudres de la guerre;
Comme ils n'ont plus de sceptre, ils n'ont plus de flatteurs,
Et tombent avec eux d'une chute commune
Tous ceux que leur fortune
Faisait leurs serviteurs.
RACINE
CHOEUR D'ESTHER
TOUT LE CHOEUR
Dieu fait triompher l'innocence;
Chantons, celebrons sa puissance.
UNE ISRAELITE
Il a vu contre nous les mechants s'assembler,
Et notre sang pret a couler;
Comme l'eau sur la terre ils allaient le repandre:
Du haut du ciel sa voix s'est fait entendre,
L'homme superbe est renverse,
Ses propres fleches l'ont perce.
UNE AUTRE
J'ai vu l'impie adore sur la terre;
Pareil au cedre il cachait dans les cieux
Son front audacieux;
Il semblait a son gre gouverner le tonnerre,
Foulait aux pieds ses ennemis vaincus:
Je n'ai fait que passer, il n'etait deja plus.
UNE AUTRE
Que le Seigneur est bon! que son joug est aimable!
Heureux qui des l'enfance en connait la douceur'
Jeune peuple, courez a ce maitre adorable;
Les biens les plus charmants n'ont rien de comparable
Aux torrents de plaisirs qu'il repand dans un coeur.
Que le Seigneur est bon! que son joug est aimable!
Heureux qui des l'enfance en connait la douceur!
UNE AUTRE
Il s'apaise, il pardonne;
Du coeur ingrat qui l'abandonne
Il attend le retour;
Il excuse notre faiblesse;
A nous chercher meme il s'empresse:
Pour l'enfant qu'elle a mis au jour
Une mere a moins de tendresse.
Ah! qui peut avec lui partager notre amour!
TROIS ISRAELITES
Il nous fait remporter une illustre victoire.
L'UNE DES TROIS
Il nous a revele sa gloire.
TOUTES TROIS ENSEMBLE
Ah! qui peut avec lui partager notre amour!
TOUT LE CHOEUR
Que son nom soit beni; que son nom soit chante;
Que Ton celebre ses ouvrages
Au dela des temps et des ages,
Au dela de l'eternite.
JEAN-BAPTISTE ROUSSEAU
ODE A LA FORTUNE
Fortine dont la main couronne
Les forfaits les plus inouis,
Du faux eclat qui t'environne
Serons-nous toujours eblouis?
Jusques a quand, trompeuse idole,
D'un culte honteux et frivole
Honorerons-nous tes autels?
Verra-t-on toujours tes caprices
Consacres par les sacrifices
Et par l'hommage des mortels?
Apprends que la seule sagesse
Peut faire les heros parfaits;
Qu'elle voit toute la bassesse
De ceux que ta faveur a faits;
Qu'elle n'adopte point la gloire
Qui nait d'une injuste victoire
Que le sort remporte pour eux ;
Et que, devant ses yeux stoiques,
Leurs vertus les plus heroiques
Ne sont que des crimes heureux.
Quoi! Rome et l'Italie en cendre
Me feront honorer Sylla?
J'admirerai dans Alexandre
Ce que j'abhorre en Attila?
J'appellerai vertu guerriere
Une vaillance meurtriere
Qui dans mon sang trempe ses mains;
Et je pourrai forcer ma bouche
A louer un heros farouche,
Ne pour le malheur des humains?
Quels traits me presentent vos fastes,
Impitoyables conquerants!
Des voeux outres, des projets vastes,
Des rois vaincus par des tyrans;
Des murs que la flamme ravage,
Des vainqueurs fumants de carnage,
Un peuple au fer abandonne;
Des meres pales et sanglantes,
Arrachant leurs filles tremblantes
Des bras d'un soldat effrene.
Juges insenses que nous sommes,
Nous admirons de tels exploits!
Est-ce donc le malheur des hommes
Qui fait la vertu des grands rois?
Leur gloire, feconde en ruines,
Sans le meurtre et sans les rapines
Ne saurait-elle subsister?
Images des Dieux sur la terre,
Est-ce par des coups de tonnerre
Que leur grandeur doit eclater?
Montrez-nous, guerriers magnanimes,
Votre vertu dans tout son jour,
Voyons comment vos coeurs sublimes
Du sort soutiendront le retour.
Tant que sa faveur vous seconde,
Vous etes les maitres du monde,
Votre gloire nous eblouit;
Mais au moindre revers funeste,
Le masque tombe, l'homme reste,
Et le heros s'evanouit.
PARNY
SUR LA MORT D'UNE JEUNE FILLE
Son age echappait a l'enfance;
Riante comme l'innocence,
Elle avait les traits de l'Amour.
Quelques mois, quelques jours encore,
Dans ce coeur pur et sans detour
Le sentiment allait eclore.
Mais le ciel avait au trepas
Condamne ses jeunes appas;
Au ciel elle a rendu sa vie,
Et doucement s'est endormie,
Sans murmurer contre ses lois.
Ainsi le sourire s'efface;
Ainsi meurt sans laisser de trace
Le chant d'un oiseau dans les bois.
GILBERT
ADIEUX A LA VIE
J'ai revele mon coeur au Dieu de l'innocence;
Il a vu mes pleurs penitents:
Il guerit mes remords, il m'arme de constance;
Les malheureux sont ses enfants.
Mes ennemis, riant, ont dit dans leur colere:
Qu'il meure et sa gloire avec lui!
Mais a mon coeur calme le Seigneur dit en pere:
Leur haine sera ton appui.
A tes plus chers amis ils ont prete leur rage:
Tout trompe ta simplicite:
Celui que tu nourris court vendre ton image
Noire de sa mechancete.
Mais Dieu t'entend gemir; Dieu, vers qui te ramene
Un vrai remords ne des douleurs;
Dieu qui pardonne, enfin, a la nature humaine
D'etre faible dans les malheurs.
"J'eveillerai pour toi la pitie, la justice
De l'incorruptible avenir.
Eux-meme epureront, par un long artifice,
Ton honneur qu'ils pensent ternir."
Soyez beni, mon Dieu, vous qui daignez me rendre
L'innocence et son noble orgueil;
Vous qui, pour proteger le repos de ma cendre,
Veillerez pres de mon cercueil!
Au banquet de la vie, infortune convive,
J'apparus un jour, et je meurs!
Je meurs, et sur ma tombe, ou lentement j'arrive,
Nul ne viendra verser des pleurs.
Salut, champs que j'aimais, et vous, douce verdure,
Et vous, riant exil des bois!
Ciel, pavillon de l'homme, admirable nature,
Salut pour la derniere fois!
Ah! puissent voir longtemps votre beaute sacree
Tant d'amis sourds a mes adieux!
Qu'ils meurent pleins de jours, que leur mort soit pleuree.
Qu'un ami leur ferme les yeux!
ROUGET DE L'ISLE
LA MARSEILLAISE
Allons, enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrive;
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'etendard sanglant est leve.
Entendez-vous dans ces campagnes
Mugir ces feroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Egorger nos fils, nos compagnes!
La Marseillaise
Aux armes, citoyens! formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons!
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,
De traitres, de rois conjures?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Ces fers des longtemps prepares?
Francais, pour nous, ah! quel outrage!
Quels transports il doit exciter!
C'est nous qu'on ose mediter
De rendre a l'antique esclavage!
Aux armes, citoyens! etc.
Quoi! ces cohortes etrangeres
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers!
Quoi! ces phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers!
Grand Dieu! par des mains enchainees
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient!
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maitres de nos destinees!
Aux armes, citoyens! etc.
Tremblez, tyrans, et vous, perfides,
L'opprobre de tous les partis;
Tremblez! vos projets parricides,
Vont enfin recevoir leur prix!
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre;
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes heros,
La France en produit de nouveaux
Contre vous tout prets a se battre!
Aux armes, citoyens! etc,
Francais, en guerriers magnanimes,
Portez ou retenez vos coups;
Epargnez ces tristes victimes
A regret s'armant contre nous;
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,
Mais les complices de Bouille,
Tous ces tigres qui sans pitie
Dechirent le sein de leurs meres!
Aux armes, citoyens, etc.
Amour sacre de la patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs,
Liberte, Liberte cherie,
Combats avec tes defenseurs!
Sous nos drapeaux que la Victoire
Accoure a tes males accents;
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire
Aux armes, citoyens! etc.
Nous entrerons dans la carriere
Quand nos aines n'y seront plus;
Nous y trouveront leur poussiere
Et la trace de leurs vertus!
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
Que de partager leur cercueil,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
De les venger ou de les suivre!
Aux armes, citoyens! formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons.
ANDRE CHENIER
LA JEUNE CAPTIVE
"L'epi naissant murit de la faux respecte;
Sans crainte du pressoir, le pampre tout l'ete
Boit les doux presents de l'aurore;
Et moi, comme lui belle, et jeune comme lui,
Quoi que l'heure presente ait de trouble et d'ennui,
Je ne veux pas mourir encore.
"Qu'un stoique aux yeux secs vole embrasser la mort,
Moi je pleure et j'espere; au noir souffle du nord
Je plie et releve ma tete.
S'il est des jours amers, il en est de si doux!
Helas! quel miel jamais n'a laisse de degouts?
Quelle mer n'a point de tempete ?
"L'illusion feconde habite dans mon sein:
D'une prison sur moi les murs pesent en vain,
J'ai les ailes de l'esperance.
Echappee aux reseaux de l'oiseleur cruel,
Plus vive, plus heureuse, aux campagnes du ciel
Philomele chante et s'elance.
"Est-ce a moi de mourir? Tranquille je m'endors,
Et tranquille je veille, et ma veille aux remords
Ni mon sommeil ne sont en proie.
Ma bienvenue au jour me rit dans tous les yeux;
Sur des fronts abattus mon aspect dans ces lieux
Ranime presque de la joie.
"Mon beau voyage encore est si loin de sa fin!
Je pars, et des ormeaux qui bordent le chemin
J'ai passe les premiers a peine.
Au banquet de la vie a peine commence,
Un instant seulement mes levres ont presse
La coupe en mes mains encor pleine.
"Je ne suis qu'au printemps, je veux voir la moisson;
Et, comme le soleil, de saison en saison
Je veux achever mon annee.
Brillante sur ma tige et l'honneur du jardin,
Je n'ai vu luire encor que les feux du matin,
Je veux achever ma journee.
"O mort! tu peux attendre: eloigne, eloigne-toi;
Va consoler les coeurs que la honte, l'effroi,
Le pale desespoir devore.
Pour moi Pales encore a des asiles verts,
Les Amours des baisers, les Muses des concerts;
Je ne veux pas mourir encore."
Ainsi, triste et captif, ma lyre toutefois
S'eveillait, ecoutant ces plaintes, cette voix,
Ces voeux d'une jeune captive;
Et secouant le joug de mes jours languissants,
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