INTRODUCTION

Xavier de Maistre was born in Chambéry, then the capital of Savoy, in October, 1763. Having received a sound classical éducation, he at first turned to painting for which he showed considérable ability; he soon, however, entered the army. After the fall of the French monarchy and the annexation of Savoy to the French Republic, de Maistre, a royalist bom and bred, who hated the new government, deserted his country. He joined (1799) the Russian army, then stationed in Italy, and at the close of the Italian campaign foUowed his Russian gênerai to St. Petersburg. Hère he was later joined by his brother, Count Joseph Marie de Maistre, ambassador from Sardinia to the Russian court. Through the influence of this brother Xavier de Maistre obtained the position of director of the library and muséum of the Admiralty, which position he fiUed for several years. During the Persian and Caucasian wars he fought again with the Russians and won successively the ranks of colonel and major-general. He was married in St. Petersburg in 18 18. Having made several visits to Paris and a prolonged stay in Naples, he retumed to St. Petersburg where he died in 1852 at the advanced âge of eighty-eight.

It was by mère chance that de Maistre became conscious of his literary talent. Imprisoned in Turin for taking part in a < duel, he began a work which, added to from time to time and ^ at long intervals, was finally discovered by his brother and pubu lished in 1794 under the title, Voyage autour de ma chambre, This work consists of a séries of reflections and rêveries, now *;' gay now grave, in which the remarkable charm and tenderly ^ emotional nature of the author are constantly disclosed. The

vi LES PRISONNIERS DU CAUCASE

work has been called "one of the choicest gems of French literature/'

In Le Lépreux de la Cité d'Aoste (1812) we hâve a dialogue between a leper, banished from society, and a chance visiter. Of this work Sainte-Beuve says : " On le relit, on ne l'analyse pas."

La Jeune Sibérienne^ published in 1820, is the true story of the journey of a young girl alone ?ind on foot from Tobolsk to St. Petersburg, to beg of the Russian emperor pardon for her exiled father. The same incident had been previously treated, in a manner much inferior, by Madame Cottin.

Expédition nocturne autour de ma chambre is a continuation of de Maistre's first work, but inferior to it.

Les Prisonniers du Caucase^ published in 1820, is admirably suited to beginners in French. The style is simple, and the story, a true one, is extremely interesting and at times highly dramatic. Sainte-Beuve says that this work has been equaled by no other writer except Mérimée. In comparing de Maistre with Mérimée this same prince of French critics writes : "Ce sont les deux plus parfaits que nous ayons, les deux plus habiles, ... de Maistre est parfait en son genre."

The Works mentioned above constitute practically ail that Xavier de Maistre contributed to French literature, except a little poetry. His entire writings fill only a small volume.

The exercises in this book are in tend ed for daily use. The French questions were prepared as a suggestion of what the teacher might do ; indeed the entire lesson, after the translation, might be discussed in French each day with great profit to the pupils.

The editor is greatly indebted to Mr. W. R. Price, of the East High School, Rochester, N.Y., for valuable aid in the préparation of this édition. * C W R

ocHESTER, New York