The Press. — London, England, 1855-06-09 00:00:00

duty, in making this act of concession, to make it as large as any reasonable man can expect it to be, seeing clearly that any thing which might remain behind would onlygive ground for fresh demands, and being convinced that the settlement of this question tends to the security of the State, and to the peace and prosperity of the country. I have already stated to your lordships my opinion re specting the expediency of granting seats in Parliament to Roman Catholics; and I do not conceive that the conces sion of seats in Parliament can in soy manner affect any question relative to the Church of England. The anticipations in this speech, if put in parallel columns with the results of the last twenty years, would have all the effect of " cross readings." Unqualified emancipation, without any national securities, was conceded by the same statesman who had opposed the settlement of the Catholic question upon the guarded system of Grattan. Never did the Legislature act so recklessly as in 1829; and it deserves to he constantly recollected that the concessions in that year were not of the sort contemplated by Mr. Pitt. Earl Grey's speech on the Reform Bill closes this volume. " Grey was great, but it " was not in oratory," wrote Lord Byron. His person was imposing and his manner dignified, though rather stilted. There was a querulous tone in his style which deprived it of com manding force. More perspicuous than power ful, more graceful than original, Earl Grey was a rhetorician bred in a Parliamentary school, and ho reminded us agreeably of the lights of other days. He seemed as if he was always thinking how he would look in his robes, perched upon a pedestal, in a British political pantheon. It deserves to be recol lected that he was the first Whig in his family. The line of baronets to whose property and influence his courtly father succeeded were all Tories in the last century.* This volume would be greatly improved if it were well annotated with illustrative notes. The Illustrated Book of French Songs. From the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century. Translated and Edited by John Oxenford. London: Ingram and Co. IN a concise introduction to this volume the trans lator traces the origin of French song from about the year 600, at which date a song to celebrate a victory Is still in existence, but from that period to the end of the eleventh century no traces remain of the songs of the age. Early in the twelfth century the Troubadours rose to a certain distinction, more from the poetry of their words than from the beauty of their music, for the musical art in those days was wholly in its infancy, and the " dull, plain song " composed in notes of equal value contrasted strangely with the light and gallant themes of the poetry." During the succeeding ages poetry was highly culti vated and encouraged by monarchs and nobles of all countries, but in France especially by Francis 1., whose songs are carefully collected in the National Library at Paris, and by a still more famous sove reign, Henry IV., who took a high place among the poets of his day. During the reign of Louis XIV. song degenerated into the wretchedly artificial, pas toral style, although Voiture, Scarron, and particu larly the Abbe de Lattaignant were distinguished as much for the beauty of their style as for their facile talent for very de sociiti. In the history of a nation it is remarkable to note the effect which the popular tendency of the day has upon the literature of that particular period. As the business of a people can be told by their proverbs, so can the taste of a peo ple be inferred from their poetry; and the singular licentiousness of French poetry of the early part of the eighteenth century is no exception to this rule, and forms no bad prelude to the fero cious sentiments of the revolutionary era. On the accession of Napoleon song lost its savage and solemn tone, and once more regained its light and jovial expression. A club of the poets of the day was formed, a theatre for the performance of light musical pieces established, and although the Vaude• vile Club soon fell to the ground, yet it gave a right impetus, and led to the formation of similar societies, which regularly collected and published their yearly contributions of song to the literature of their day. Desaugiers, Beranger, Charles Lepage, Pierre Dupont, and many equally celebrated men, belonged to this and similar societies established over France, and from their collections—a huge mass of matter, it must be remembered—Mr. Oxenford has made so choice and careful a selec tion as leaves no class of song unrepresented, and gives us as popular and attractive a work as we could desire. Of the merits of Mr. Oxenford's translations a better judgment may be formed, as in many in- • For some curious particulars about the Grey family see WiWawa's " Life of Biz T. Lawrence." stances the original French is given together with the English version. Poetic translation, at all times a difficult task, is particularly so in the case of French song, as the delicate sentiment, like an illusion of the eye,* apt to vanish in the very effort we make to pre cisely distinguish it. Positive excellence on the part of any translator is absolutely unattainable, anti the praise given to the most successful must be largely qualified with exceptions. While it is not permitted him to excel his original (for that would be destruc tive of the fidelity required), he must of necessity often fall below it. In the following verses from a charming song, attributed to Henry IN., Mr. Oxen ford we fancy is found tripping : Morning bright V lens, Aurore, Rise to sight, Je Glad am I thy face to see ; Je suits gal quami je to vol. One I love, La bergere, All above, Qui meet there, Has a ruddy cheek like thee. Est vermeille comme tol. Fainter far, De roses Roses are, Arrosee, Though with morning dew- La rose a moius de fraieheur ; drops bright, Tine hermiue Ne'er was fur Dist moms hue; Soft like her, Le lait a moine de blimeheur. Milk itself is not so white. " Ne'er was fur soft like her" is evidently a mis conception on the part of Mr. thenford. Again, in " Les Souhaita " : If an hundred tongues I had, Si j'avals cent voix, They should speak of nought Elles ne parleraient quo but thee ; d'elle; If an hundred tongues I had, Si j'avais cent yoM, All should talk of thee, like mad. Touts. rediralent ila foie: Oh, my dearest, itc. Ma min, ticc. " All should talk of thee, like mad" is a transla• tion more vulgar than correct; but in" Poor J acques" the sentiment has been beautifully rendered:— Poor Jacques, when I was close Pauvre Jacques, quand retitle to thee, pres de tot, No sense of want my fancy Je ne imitate pas ma misere; cross'd ; Mais a present quo to via loin But now thou livest far from de moi, me, Je manque de tout stir la I feel that a:I on earth is lost. terre. (Ida.) When thou my humble toil would'st share, I felt my daily labours light; Then ev'ry day appear'd so lair ; But what can make the pre• sent bright? I cannot bear the sun's bright ray, When on the furrow'd plain it falls; When through the shady wood I stray, All nature round my heart appals. Quand to venais partager mes travaux, Je trouvais ma tiehe Legere, Ten souvient-il T tours les jours etaient beaux; Qui me rendre ce temps prospere 7 (bit.) Quand le soleil brille sur nos guerets, Je ne puissouffrir la lumiere : Et quand je suis i l'otubre des forks, J'aceuse la nature entiere. (bit.) Poor Jacques, when I was close Pauvre Jaques, quand yetais to thee. pres de tot, No sense of want my fancy Je ne sentais pas ma misere; cross'd; Mats I present qua to via loin But now thou livest far from de moi, me, Je mauque de tout sur la I feel that all on earth is lost. terre. (bis.) Many of the choicest songs of Beranger are given in this volume, but it does not strika us that Mr. Oxenford improves on the efforts of his predecessors to clothe them in an English dress. The famous " Depart pour la Syrie" as rendered here reads tamely, compared with the common version by Sir Walter Scott. We quote the two first verses of Mr. Oxenford's translation: — To Syria young Dun ola will go, Partant pour la Syrie, That gallant, handsome Le jeune et beau Dunois knight, Venait prier Marie And prays the Virgin to bestow De benir see exploits: Her blessings ou the tight. " Faites, reine immortelle," "Oh ! thou who reign'at in Lui, (Weil, en partant, Heaven above," " Que j'aime la plus belle, He prayed, " grant ,this to Et sots le plus vaillaut." me— The fairest maiden let me love, The bravest warrior be." He pledges then his knightly Il trace sur la pierre word, Le serment V honneur, His vow writes on the stone, Et vs suivre Ila guerre And following the Count, his Le comie, son seigneur. lord, Au noble vceu fidile, To battle he has gone. 11 dit en combatant: To keep his oath he ever strove, " Amour ila plus belle. And sang aloud with glee: Honneur au plus vaillant.' " The fairest maid shad have my love, And honour mine shall be." The spirit of the original (to try a version of c own) might perhaps be better rendered by soi such lines at these Parting for holy Palestine, Dunois, the young and brave, Knelt low before the Virgin's shrine Her gracious aid to crave. " May this, 0 Queen of Heaven," he prayed, " Find favour in thy sight — That I may love the fairest maid And prove the bravest knight." On stone he graves his plighted word; His vow of honour sworn, Then joins the standard of his lord To share the battle's storm. True to the noble vow he paid, His cry was in the fight — "May love attend the fairest maid And fame the bravest knight." Though we cannot congratulate Mr. Ozenford on complete success in his translations, we yet willingly receive his book as a most pleasant specimen of a very delightful branch of French literature; for (Janie anthology has this double claim on our notice, that it faithfully reflects the sentiments of the peo ple, while illustrating their history. View of the State of Europe in the Middle Ages. By Henry Hallam, LL.D. Three Vols. Vol. I . London : Murray. Tais is the first volume of anew edition of Mr. Ii allam's histories. It is excellently printed and very cheap, and as the previous editions of this author's works have never been depreciated in price the present issue will afford a favorable opportunity to persons who may wish to possess them. Mr. Hallam's repu tation has been of steady growth. His great learning, large views, and perfect impartiality, render him a sure guide through the often tangled transactions of that period when the great States of Europe were in course of consolidation. The " History of the Middle Ages" traces, in fact, the progress of those nations which, from having been originally split into a number of independent States, became, from alliance or conquest, united under one head. The continuous growth of those nations in the midst of intestine division and external war, and of constant opposition of interests, presents a most instructive spectacle ; and while Mr. Hallam sets it forth with the greatest breadth and distinctness, he also explains the princi• pal causes to which it is attributable. In the first chapter of this volume, for example, occupying only a hundred pages, we mark every step made towards the consolidation of the French monarchy, from the time when Hugh Capet ascended the throne and found himself surrounded by a number of indepen dent princes almost equal to himself in power, till Charles VIII., by his acquisition of Brittany, united all the fair provinces of France under his supreme authority. Thus Normandy, Toulouse, Champagne, Guienne, Flanders, Burgundy, and Brittany, became successively absorbed, and France, says Mr. Hallam, was consolidated into a great kingdom:— The vigour of Philip Augustus, the maternal wisdom of St. Louis, the policy of Philip the Fair, had laid the foun- dations of a powerful monarchy which neither the arms of England, nor seditions of Paris, nor rebellions of the princes, were able to shake Thus having con quered herself, if I may use the phrase, and no longer apprehensive of any foreign enemy, France was prepared, under a monarch flushed with sanguine ambition, to carry her arms into other countries, and to contest the prize of glory and power upon the ample theatre of Europe. It is that capacity of masterly survey possessed by Mr. Hallam which renders his historical retro spects so valuable as they are. For the general reader they' relate the most important facts, mark the principal epochs, and reveal the guiding princi ples of modern history, while to the student they suggest instructive reflections on the law by which, up to a certain point, small States gravitate towards greater ones. That, law is seen iu uniform opera tion in this history of the Middle Ages : it has con tinued since ; and the speculative philosopher may amuse himself by considering what causes are likely to disturb its force, and at what point it Is likely to cease. If those are the best books which induce the reader to think for himself, there can be no question of the high place these histories of Mr. Hallam should occupy, as they combine in an eminent degree the merits of historical record, with comprehensive survey and philosophical disquisition. Works of the Rev. Thomas 111Trie, D.D. A New and Uniform Edition. Edited by his Son. Part I. Life of John Knox. London: Blackwoods. - ---- A STOUT polemical historian, if he happen to be a Presbyterian, has the opposite fate to that of the prophet. He has much honour—in his own country. Dr. M'Crie was a man of clear mind, sincere faith, and sublime prejudice, and he lived in a time when his peculiar style of thought and course of reading found an opportunity for their display. When the author of Waverley was gilding by his genius the crimes of popish 'arrogance and feudal oppression, he delineated Knox as only a man of true Presbyte rian " sterness to inflict and steadfastness to endure " could have drawn that most uninviting of Reformers. If one sat down to imagine a biographer for the fearless and feelingless victor of Scottish popery, he could not have conjured up a better than Dr. Thomas MiCrie. He unquestionably did "nothing extenuate," for in his deep admiration of his sub ject he could see nothing worthy of extenuation ; and he set down nought in malice, for, to say the truth, the episcopal and priestly manners that were com pounded of Italian popery and Scottish pride set ex aggeration at defiance. To this hour that perfervidum ingenium has made Scotland the scene of the most merciless controversy. The rage against the bishops in the time of Knox was re enacted against the Establishment in our own day, and to such a publics Dr. hrCtie's work is addressed. JUNE 9, 1855. THE PRESS. 551