In the following :— "Če petit dieu cholere archer leger oiseau why should the i of petit be considered long? the e of cholère short? Why should archer be equivalent to two long syllables? Why should the er of archer be long, and the er of leger short? The only really musical pieces in measured verse are those in which there is a constant number of syllables, either broken by cæsuras or not, according as the syllables are many or few. The following verses owe their rhythm only to the fact that they are octosyllabic, and that their weak cæsuras occur happily: "Babillarde, qui toujours viens -Poésies choisies de Baïf: ed. Becq de 3. Decadent verse.-This is a kind of cadenced prose in which the cæsura is non-existent, where the length of the lines is unspecified, where rhyme, if not entirely suppressed, is replaced by assonance, and in which alliteration plays an important part. Its inventors call it 'le vers libéré'. Its vogue has never been considerable, for its writers combine chaos in form with the greatest obscurity of idea. Some members of the 'Decadent' school, such as François ViéléGriffin, J. Moréas,1 G. Kahn, Stephane Mallarmé, are men of great talent. It is unfortunate, however, that so few people can either feel their 'metre' or grasp their meaning. Their work will have no more influence on the evolution of French verse than did Baïf's 'vers mesuré' in the past. Even now this amorphous and invertebrate outgrowth lies abandoned by its former servants, as in the case of Henri de Régnier; and a manifesto has been issued by young authors, who demand above all precision, clearness of form, and thoroughness of workmanship.2 1 Jean Moréas himself seems to have given up the decadent craze. As this book is passing through the press comes the news of the great success his tragedy, Iphigénie, has enjoyed in Orange. The following shows how classical the author of Pèlerin passionné has become: "O ma fille, déjà se hâte le destin A nous combler de dons qui n'auront point de fin! Ton père, mon époux, la gloire des Atrides Dors-tu content, Racine? —Iphigénie, ii. 2. 2 La Foi nouvelle (Charpentier, 1902). See also an interesting article by M. Adolphe Boschot, entitled "Réforme de la Prosodie" (Revue de Paris, 15th August, 1901, p. 859). SELECTIONS SECTION I AIMERI DE NARBONNE (13th Century) I Charles li rois fu mout de grant corage; La cité voit et l'anciien estage, Qu'a force tienent li Sarrazin aufage; Lors s'apensa de merveillos barnage, Qu'a un des pers qu'iert de grant vasselage Qui gardera la terre et le rivage, Si l'en fera feäuté et omage. Il en apele un conte de parage, Dreues ot nom, mout le tint on a sage; Quant l'a veü Charles al fier visage, Gentement l'araisone II "Venez avant, Dreues de Mondidier: Li vis deables la puisse trebuchier! Car toz sui las, ne me puis pro aidier, Ne jui trois nuiz senz mon hauberc doblier, Et de mon cors pener et travaillier. Or me rofrez Narbone a justicier, Que encor tienent de paiens vint milier! III Dist l'emperere a la barbe florie: Tant ai esté en la terre haïe Que tote en ai la char teinte et blesmie, Ja en Espaigne n'avroie manantie, Ne de Narbone n'avroie seignorie. Donez la autre, car je ne la quier mie IV Li emperere tint mout le chief enclin, V Nostre emperere se prist a dementer, Et ses barons que tant soloit amer: 66 "Beaus niés," dist Charles, com mar vos vi finer! Ne porrai mais tel ami recovrer, Ne sai en cui me porrai mais fiër! 129 K |