The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-20 00:00:00

BERG N 0 ER.

(From the Moniteur.)
For years Beranger has not sung, but France his
learnt by his loss to what a degree he was ever dear
and present to 11,3 r—how the soul of his songs as
part of her own soul, of her own immortal genius,
whether she b 3 considered as a race or as a people.
The Emperor, by taking upon himself the charge of
his funeral, and by wishing, as it were, to preside
over them in thought, has shown how in this, as ia
everything else, his sentiments are those of France.
Beranger, when he died, had nearly completed
his 77th year. Even his age was engraven on every
metnory, and the date of his birth, when it became
the subject of inquiry, always recurred in the shape
of a song—

" Dane ce Paris plain d'or et de misere,
En I'an du Christ mil sept cent quatre-vingt,
Chez un tailleur, mon pauvre et vieux grand-pare,
Moi nouveau-ne, sachez ce qui m'advint. . . .11
His life was simple, and by his good sense, his
probity, and the moderation of his tastes, he ren-
dered it consistent and dignified. When he was
young and in poverty, notwithstanding the tempta-
tion of the age, he contrived by a secret and obsti-
nate toil to prepare a talent superior to the light
and already charming ebullitions on which he tiied
his hand. A humble situation in a public office
was sufficient for his wants, and he held it till he
found it was likely to compromise his indepen-
dence. Then he became thoroughly free, and, tak-
ing his grand flight, as a minstrel—acknowledged
by the young and by his native land, doatiog on
the glories, and sympathizing with the sorrows
of France, whom he consoled by his reminiscences
and his hopes, be desired no other vocation. In his
old age, when he saw more events come to pass than
doubtless he had expected, when he found himself
a better prophet than he had supposed himself to be,
he had the wisdom still to remain the great and
simple poet he had always been, without repudiat-
ing the prodigious public results to which' he had
contributed to the best of his power.
Beranger had naturally that patriotic soul that
cannot be communicated. He was susceptible of
joys and sorrows which have never been felt by
many literary men who have applauded him, but
which are felt at once by a people. Hence that long
intimacy bitween the people and Beranger, not-
withstanding these finesses which popular works do
not absolutely require. The invasions of 1814 and
1815, the fate of the " Grand Empire," the degra-
dation of the "braves," and the triumph of the
‘• incapables"—the Myrmidons vaunting themselves
on the car of Achilles—these were to him sources of
grief, indignation, derision—occasions for venge:ul
reprisals. No one understood better than Beranger
how much the genius of Napoleon was, at a certain
period, identified with that of France, how much
the national pride and the pride ofthe hero were; in
fact, the same, and how one defeat was common to
them both. No one has better shown how the day
of reparation for both these glories—the glory of
France and that of the name of Napoleon—be-
longed to one and the same cause. He saw this as
a poet, but the poet saw further than many a poli-
tician, and when the dream was realised Beranwr
the honest man had the good sense not to belie
Beranger the poet.
Is it necessary to remind these generations of his
immortal songs who from the age of 20 to the ago
of GO knew them all by heart Such, for instance,
as that which is the first of its class, but is still gay
and lively, beause victory still (January, 1814)
(shows tke prospect of a a brilliant change—

" Gai ! gai ! serrons nos range,
" Esperance
"De la France;
"Gal ! gai ! sorrons nos range ;
"En avant, Ganlois et Francs !"

and, indeed, all those in which, after so many
humilitions and defeats, he begins, as a sympathe-
tic poet, to probe and dress the wounds of brave
hearts ? In 1819 the allies have at last quitted the
soil of France, which they occupied, and Beranger
exclaims :
" Reine du monde 0 France, 0 ma patrie
Souleve enfin ton front cicatrise . . .
With Beranger it is sufficient to givo the key-
note : everyone follows in his strain. What finer
11) inns than "Le Cinq Mai," " Le vieux Sargent,"
"Da vieux Drama'," "Le Chant du Cosaque,"
" Waterloo ever emanated from a national and
warlike soul ? Beranger, more than any other,
has kept alive in France the worship of glory and
the noble symbols with which it is connected in
the heroic annals of the age—
"Qnand secourai-je la poussiere
" Qui teinit sea nobles couleurs ?"

The tricoloured flag was the b inner of Beranger.
Once it reappeared, but without the eagle ; and
hence it was not complete. Beranger saw this day,
in which all his friends took some part in affairs,
and all were more or less • ministers ; but, never-
theless, he never sang in honour of the half-
triumph. Was this because be loved always to l'e
the poet of the vanquished, never the poet of the
conquerors We cannot believe anything of the
kind. A victory gallantly achieved is to a genuine
pot as much a source of inspiration as a noble de-
feat. In 1830, and the years that immediately
followed, Beranger sang but little, or not at ail,
because his feelings as a patriot were but half satis-
fied. He knew all that could be said by the
wise and the prudent, and even said it him-
self, but the poetical part of his nature felt a re-
gret, and when, gradually and successively military
days honourable to that politic government which
he assisted actually arrived, he did not—patriotic
poet as he was—feel an unmingled and inspiring
joy. There was not then to be found an ample
compensation for that mournful day on which he
had said—

" Son nom jsmais, n'attristora mes vols."

As yet there was nothing to silence the insulting
song of the savage victor, whom he had represented
as exclaiming iu the drunkenness of his joy,—

" Rotourne boiro a la Seine reballe,
Ot tout sanglant to t'es lave deux foil ;
Hennis d'orgueil, 0 mon coursier fidele
Et foule aux pieds les peuples et lea rois."

However, Beranger lived to see the days of ample
reparation—the days of victorious struggle, and
doubtless if his muse lud been. 20 years younger,
site would have found notes for their celebration.
Le retour de l'armee de Crimee et son entree dans
Paris," what a theme for a song by Beranger.
His last songs, which have not yet been pub-
lished, and which have only been communicated to
EOlllO of his friends in confidence, are, we are in-
formed, in the style of the " Souvenirs du Pen-
ple"

" On parlera do sa gloiro
" Sous le ammo bion longtemps.

" Parlez-nous do lui, grand'more,
" Parlez-nous do lui !"

These are epic songs in their way, finished and
severe in point of form, and intended to mark cer-
tain monuments in that grand destiny of Napoleon
towhich identify occupied Bmeorraen ga enra tion
ot
rhee
hislas t
o,
vilip jealouso as
was la
rs
iht
ye
with the glory of the Emperor.
Beranger, during the latter years of his life, before
he wai confined to his room by the malady to which
he at last fell a victim, was remarkable for a rare
quality that denoted ie excellence of his disposi-
tion. He was the most actively obliging and ser-
viceable of mankind. Honoured by all, finding
none but friends and admirers, and desiring nothing
for himself, he still ventured to ask for others ;
few persons ever applied to him without deriving
some advantage from the application. He ex-
celled in giving practical and appropriate advice.
His letters, naturally but carefully written, have
assuredly been treasured up by all who have re-
ceived them, and a charming collection could be
made of them, as a moral treasure, in the style of
Franklin. Such a collection would offer a new
but unforeseen aspect of his moral character.
There will be frequent opportunities to direct
public attention towards a fame that has long been
an universal patrimony. At present it will be suf.-
he successfullymotindestructible continu ed
ficient to point out that superior power of talent by
which a poet so light and often so btilliant in his
gt
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ee
jyg ayse dheisx tne raomu
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ad
marbles of history.

THE. ST. LEGER.—The number of entries for the Don.
caster St. Leger of 1859 is 170, and the net value of the
stakes 4,250/. The noblemen and gentlemen who have
more than two nominations are the following :—The
Marquis of Exeter, five ; Lord Glasgow, four ; Lord
Clitden, three ; Lord Londesborough, three • Sir Chas.
Monck, three ; Mr. F. Marten, six ; Mr. Bowes, tour ;
Mr. Cookson, four ; Mr. J. Scott, four ; Mr. J. Merry,
four ; Mr. H. Hill, three ; Mr. Pedley, three.
ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT WESTERN BALLWAY.--*
CHELTENHAM, SATURDAY.—The third-class train
.f Toni
Gloucester to Cheltenham, which bad a large freight,
was yesterday running into Cheltenham statior!, when,
oints,
owing to a pointsman neglecting to turn the p the
t express
train run upon the up-line of the rails just as hee
comm.
train for London was leaving Cheltenham. Tk
quence was a most severe collision. Both engine were
severely damaged and thrown off the lin but happily
the carriages were not overturned ; ande, although a
number of passengers were severely bruised and cut, no
limbs were broken. About 14 passengers received in.

juries.
FoUNDATION STONE o COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.--
On Friday afternoon the workmen engaged in pulling
down the walls of Covent•garden Theatre discovered the
foundation stone at the corner of the building in Hart-
street and Bow-street. In a hole in the stone was found
a brass box, in which were several of the coins current
at the time the stone was deposited. The box, which
vial about 44
inches square by 2, was sent to the Duke
of Bedford, the landlord of the estate, in consequent,* of
a condition of sale to that effect. The inscription on ite
foundation stone was "Long live George, Prince of
Wales." It is stated that the box will be sent to her
Majeoty.