I. 25. ambre, ' ambergris

II. 29, 30. Pour des rubans, la France entière fut en proie à de longs débats. The revival of the ' Ordre de Saint Louis ' and of the ' Ordre du Saint-Esprit,' and the question of abolishing or maintaining the 'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur,' were of course burning questions at the beginning of the Restoration. The latter decoration was maintained, but was bestowed with such prodigality by the Government that they were accused of trying to bring it into disrepute.

Sainte-Beuve criticizes this song as follows [Causeries du Lundi, II, p. 294) : — 'Mon Habit est une des chansons qu'on

l86 CHANSONS CHOISIES DE BÉRANGER

aime le plus à citer. On en a retenu le refrain et des vers charmants : —

La fleur des champs brille à ta boutonnière . . . Ces jours mêlés de pluie et de soleil . . .

C'est très joli de motif, très spirituel d'idées, quelquefois très heureux d'expression. Et pourtant, je ne puis m'empêcher de noter quelques mauvais vers, des expressions vagues et communes. Ainsi dans le premier couplet : —

Quand le Sort à ta mince étoffe Livrerait de nouveaux combats.

Et dans le second couplet, où il parle de ses amis : —

Ton indigence qui m'honore A7^ ma point banni de leurs bras.

Banni des bras de ses amis, n'est-ce pas une expression bien académique pour quelqu'un qui ne veut pas être académicien ? '

Mon Petit Coin. (Page 33.)

Written in 1S19.

Neither Béranger's correspondence nor his Biographie gives any clue to the circumstances which prompted him to write this song. He had evidently been in some way drawn ( out of his corner ' by his numerous influential friends among the Liberal party.

1. 4. Un forçat. The ' forçats,' or convicts, were sent to the naval ports, chiefly Toulon, to man the oars in the state galleys, or ' galères,' and were also called ' galériens.'

1. 14. L'avenir me sourit de loin. Béranger refers to the hope, cherished by the Liberal party, that the Republic might soon be re-established.

L 19. J'élève de nobles trophées, i. e. to the memory of Napoleon's armies.

1. 22. D'être aimés sentent le besoin. It is hardly necessary to point out the irony of these words.

1. 30. De sa gloire je suis témoin. Various annotators see in this line a reference to the ' Roi d'Yvetot,' or possibly to Napoleon, or else a flattering homage to Louis XVIII, and have evidently not understood the scathing sarcasm contained in this allusion to the reigning monarch.

1. 38. Daignent les Muses. Daignent is of course in the subjunctive mood, expressive of a wish.

L'Indépendant. (Page 34.)

I. 15. Je les lance en me défendant. Béranger's statement might be challenged. The shafts of satire were already in his hands the instruments of a most vigorous and deadly offensive warfare.

II. 21-22. cette auberge qui ne s'ouvre que pour des passants couronnés. The metaphor, if somewhat threadbare, was justified by the instability of the preceding reigns, and gave Béranger the opportunity of flinging at the turn-coat courtiers, 'en tout temps prosternés,' the offensive epithet of 'valets.'

1. 24. en demandant. ' Demander' is often used absolutely, in the sense of ' mendier.' Here : ' begging for favours.'

1. 30. le conducteur de la chaîne. When the 'forçats' (cf. Mon Petit Coin) were on their way to the penitentiaries or the ' galères/ they were joined together by a long chain to which their fetters were riveted. Hence ' chaîne ' comes to mean ' chain-gang.'

1. 33. J'offre V amour pour répondant. 'J'en offre l'amour comme garantie.' ' Un répondant ' is one who offers himself as a caution, or surety.

La Bonne Vieille. (Page 36.)

This delightful piece, which is reckoned among Béranger's best, first appeared in the Minerve in 1 818. It is addressed to the poet's life-long friend Judith Frère. She had known him since 1796, shared his home and followed him in his peregrinations from 1835, and predeceased him by three months in 1857 (cf. Introduction, § 16). Professor Hartmann suggests that, as Judith Frère was born in 1778, this poem may have been composed for her fortieth birthday.

Béranger's song, as Sainte-Beuve points out, challenges comparison with Ronsard's famous Sonnet à Hélène, which is given below. Sainte-Beuve says : ' Cette Bonne Vieille rappelle, sans du tout V effacer , certain sonnet admirable de Ronsard à sa maîtresse ' ; Professor Hartmann takes objection to the criticism contained in the words italicized, and thinksBéranger's poem far superior to Ronsard's in edle Menschlichkeit. The reader will form his own opinion; it will probably be conceded that in technique, at least, Béranger's song can hardly compare with the flawless perfection of Ronsard's sonnet.

l88 CHANSONS CHOISIES DE BÉRANGER

Sonnet à Hélène.

Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, à la chandelle, Assise auprès du feu, dévidant et filant, Direz, chantant mes vers et vous esmerveillant : ( Ronsard me célébroit du temps que j'estois belle.'

Lors vous n'aurez servante oyant telle nouvelle, Desjà sous le labeur à demy sommeillant, Qui, au bruit de mon nom, ne s'aille resveillant, Bénissant vostre nom de louange immortelle.

Je seray sous la terre et, fanfosme sans os,

Par les ombres myrteux je prendray mon repos : Vous serez au fouyer une vieille accroupie,

Regrettant mon amour et vostre fier desdain. Vivez, si m'en croyez, n'attendez à demain : Cueillez dès aujourd'huy les roses de la vie.

1. 5. rage pénible) 'troublesome old age.' The expression is not very happy.

1. 8 De votre ami répétez les chansons. Judith Frère was a delightful singer, even in her old age. ' Sa voix était d'une douceur et d'un timbre ravissants ; elle chantait à ravir.' (Quoted from one of her personal friends by Savinien Lapointe. Mémoires sur Béranger, p. 150.)

1. 20. vous répondrez: Jamais. Cf. L'INDÉPENDANT, 1. 15. Invariably kind to the poor and the oppressed, Béranger seems not to have realized the spiteful and even venomous nature of many of his attacks on the King, the Government, and the Church, although he had already written Les Capucins, La Cocarde blanche, Le Marquis de Carabas, and Les Chantres de Paroisse.