The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-08-03
The Troubadours.

A very striking illustration of the
influence of amusements is to be found
in the history of the southern portion
of France. In the course of the tenth
century there arose ia that portion Of
France then denominated Provence
class of ministries called trouJadoUrs,
who composed and sang their own
verses, aud Travelled from village to
village, from city to city, aud from
court TO court, chanting their wild and
romantic melodies, aud awakening in
che people wherever they went a taste
for poetry aud song. So popular did
this class Of MINISTRIES become, that the
arrival Of some Of their number at the
courts Of the feudal lords was greeted
with special honor, and many of the
most renowned knights Of Provence
assumed the garb aud scarf of the
troubadour, aud went from court to
court, celebrating the praises of their
favorite hero or mistress. Thus dawned
the age of chivalry. A classes became
more and more awakened to the enchant
men,s Of the poets aud minstrels art,
and we're acquiring day by day a
knowledge Of and a taste for those
cJurtesies Of life SO often the theme Of
thctroubadours panegyric. The barons,
then soyereigus in their own territories,
invited the neighboring knights to
their CASTLES to contend in poetry and
song, aud at length to the more hardy
and knightly encounter Of the tilt and
tournament, in the presence of multi
tudes Of yassas aud retainers, and
amid the assembled beauty of the court
The troubadours, who were at first a
very humble class OF minsirels, led the
way, By the peculiar character Of their
productions, III the elevation of woman
in the scale Of being. This they did,
perhaps quite Internationally, by cele.
brating Ia their songs the beauty aud
charms Of some particular lady of the
court where they were entertained; and
as 1t was found not only pleasing but
prohtabls to the minstrel, woman soon
became the chosen theme of their pane.
gyric. From being deprecated, she
was idvlized In the progress Of time,
under the mild aud peaceful sway Of
woman 5 influence, the south of France,
the home Of the troubadours, began to
exhibit rapid progression ir all the arts
OF civilized life. While all the rest OF
Europe was constantly in arms, those
portluus where the minstrels art aud
influence had penetrated, enjoyed com
pararye peace; and, Instead uf cultivat
lug the art Of war, they passed their
time in cultlvating the graees aud en-
Joying the delights of social life. While
the northern part Of France, while
England and the northern part OIL
Germany, were just emerging from a
state OF semi barbarism, the inhabitant:
OF Provence were making great stride,
in social aud intellectual improvement
Music, dancing, aud the sports of the
tilt were carried by them to the highest
perfection.
Thus ii was in southern France about
the middle Of the thirteenth century
and il we could do no more than show
that the amusements Of the song, the
dance, the minstrel, aud the tournament
had been instrumental in eleyating
woman, diifusiug the arts of peace
silencing the clamers OF war, and
carrying the people forward 10 the
march OF improvement, far in advance
of their neighbors, it would surely be
enough to convince any one of the
importance of amusemeuts, especially
ofthosc which ure social.-"Lite Made
HaPpy."