INTRODUCTION ΤΟ MODERN FRENCH LYRICS EDITED, WITH NOTES, BY B. L. BOWEN, PH.D., PROFESSOR OF THE ROMANCE LANGUAGES IN OHIO BOSTON, U.S.A. D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS 1898 KD47994 HARVARD Copyright, 1891, PRESS OP Rockwell and Churchill BOSTON PREFACE. THE Trench with material for an introductory study of HE main object of this volume is to furnish students lyric poetry. Accordingly no attempt has been made to exhaust the subject, but the purpose has been to group together a limited number of well-known and characteristic poems. The patriotic songs of the Revolution have been made the starting-point. It is thought that heretofore these poems have received less attention from college classes than they deserve. For this reason they are specially emphasized in the present collection. Of the twelve pieces given under this head, the fifth (Déclaration des droits, etc.) and the last five are taken from a recueil entitled: Le Chansonnier patriote, published at Paris during the first year of the Republic. In the selections from individual poets, prominence has been given to Béranger and Hugo. Lamartine has been less. emphasized, not because less deserving, but because it was thought that his poems were perhaps less adaptable to the ordinary class-room than some others. It has also seemed better, in accordance with the limited compass of the book, to exclude selections from living authors. The remarks on versification are intended as an aid to the study of that sub ject in connection with the reading of the poems. Most of the examples given are taken from the text and numerous references are made to it. The notes, while covering literary and grammatical points, aim at the same time to lead the student to a gradual recognition of the principles underlying the development of the language. It is intended that the book, thus planned, should be the first thing taken up by the student in the study of French poetry. An acquaintance with the versification in general may thus be made, before approaching the classic Alexandrine couplet. It is thought that a knowledge of shorter verses and of Alexandrines in quatrains or sextains may well precede the study of the line of Horace. Thanks are due to Professor John E. Matzke, of Stanford University, for valuable hints in regard to the notes, and for assistance in reading the proofs of the same; also to Professor F. M. Warren, of Adelbert College, for suggestions on several matters of literary import. B. L. BOWEN. OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLUMBUS, June, 1891. |