A FRENCH ANTHOLOGY.
Petite Anthologie des Pates Lyriques Francais. (T. Nelson and Sons. is. net.)—This little volume, one of the "Collection Nelson," gives us what it would scarcely be possible to find elsewhere in so convenient a shape,--specimens of French poetry of more than four centuries, beginning with Francois Villon (1431-1484) and ending with Alfred de Vigny (1'797-1863). M. Charles &roles., who is general editor of the collection, makes in his introduction a spirited defence of classical French poetry. The reader will find himself in all probability making acquaintance with many beautiful things of which he has hitherto had no knowledge. It will be not a little addition to his pleasure that he will find the French of these early days so intelligible. There is surprisingly little difference between the fifteenth and the nineteenth-century language. Here is the most famous of the " Sonnets pour Helene " of Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585) Quand roes serez bien Vieille, au sour, Ala chandelle, Assise auplis du fee, ddvidant et Slant, Dices ebantant men vers, en roes emerveillant Seward me eelebrait du temps que r6tais belle.
Lora roue n'aurez servants oyant telle nouvelle, Def.' sons le labeur A demi eommeillant,
ui an bruit de mon nom no s'aille rOveillant, Q Benissant votre nom de louange immortelle.
Je serai sons la terse, et, teatime sans os, Par les ombrea myrteux jo prendrai mon MOs: Y01113 serez an foyer une vieille aocroupie, Regrettant mon amour et votre tier &dein. Vivez, si m'en croyez, n'attendez A demain : Cueillez des sujourd'hul les roses de la vie."
—In the same eerie§ we have Le Comte Koetia, par Victor Cherbuliez, Introduction par Maurice Wilmette; and Morceaus Choisis, par Maurice Maeterlinck, Annotation par Madame Georgette Leblanc.
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