New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-06
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

Boston, April 6.-Ihe DOCK OF nluso PM
literary interest which Roberts Brothers VIII p".nsn
duriug the present month is the translation o' "
Harriet W. Preston, Of Frederic MisraPs reinaiA"oe
poem "Mireio" written by him intbe ProVehSu "'v'r
The story Of the recent Provencal revival Us " 90 80
IN France was told by Saint Rene Taiuanuler, M '"o
"Revue des Deux Mondes' for oe,oocr' isS'' - I'm
him Miss Preston quotes layshly in her preface Inc
story no told was briefly this The son OF gardener OF
Saint Remy educated in the French schools wrote
the age OF 90 very simple ana Without pre-
tepsion-not the posse dn dfabe, as witty eriuo mas
called the too confident ventures OF ambitious youth
These verses of the gardeners were rather pOeSie de
fan;U, the simple attempts TO poetze simple ana
upsmbitious life for the pleasure OF his mother' 10
whom he was tenderly devoted. But ne lounu
that she could understand Them having long ago lot
gotten the school-taught French OF her youth Inc
poesy of which she had the inspiration had for hcr
no language The humble singer pondered for awhile
this disappontment in his heart Then he said TO him.
self my mother ia thus deprived OF the intellectual
pleasures which enchant When she has nnsneu ner
days work she cannot solace herself Win oea"
tiful thoughts expressed In harmonious verse
Tn tho middle and north Of France some
few OF the accents OF poets may gladden.
the shop OF the mechanic the cottage OF the aoorr
but with u.s. where is the poetry OF the POOR our IIV
yepca language has been for centuries dishonoreu ny
low singers tavern catches vulgar sQubs, or neglected.
altogether Wen then. since our mothers 90 not uuei
stand French enough comprehend the songs IN when
We celebrate lia tenderness let us sing IN the
lancuare of our mothers. Since there IL no PrONenS
literature let us begin TO make one" He had written
French verses this boy Of Saint RGmy, with tte ano
ton of any eort but lie wrote his PrOveneal ones WIN
the very definite aim Of substituting frank, heaithu
honest yet gay and genuinely popular style OF poetry
for the vulgar songs which had alone been fanhlar 10
the Provencal tongue. His verses however the quiet
rhyming Of quiet hfe were not great III themselves,
and were chief Of importance the beginning OF that
Provencal revival which the success OF Aiireio mas
made iustrous.
Joseph Roumanlle was the name OF this gardeners
son Of Saint R6my He was country schoolmaster, as
well ne a rustic poet and q loving and he conrlved
TO inspire with his enthusiasm class OF apt ana
pupils, the youngest and most remarkable OF
whom was Frederic Mistra, the author OF "Mrelo'
His master aud his comrades had attempted only lyrics
In their regenerate native tongue but MStral conceived
the holder idea making it the medium OF study
straight from nature of the rural yet picturesque
life OF Southern France. Doubtless his ambition
was stronger than that Of his master Ronmanille'
French critics do hesitate 10 assert that ne
had his Partisan audience his mind from the first and
manipulated his Provenca with view to make It's
French rendering more effective "Mireio" first ap-
peared Paris September 1882 having, beside the
Provenca a parallel French version OF the authors own
"a prose translation divided into verses to correspond
with the stanzas the original This translation Is a0
suey literal following the very order of the Provencai
words and strange French it is. writes Miss Preston
20 one who knows only the Acknowledged models
artless abrupt, homely not TO say sdnrdge,
On ALWAYS
srangeness recommends it, says the critic OF the heo"e
Mistral was but q when :" Mireo " first appeared.
has produced of the most original poems OF
modern times "a poem rustic in theme unconventional
fl treatment full of the sunshine and the untaugt grace
OF outdoor life a very good prose translation Oh
"Mreio was published IN England by Mr.. c. II. Grant;
and metrical one by II. Crchon The latter is hard
aud crude and it is relief TO turn from 1t to the
smoothly flowing lines of Miss Preston who has adopted
Rmeasure essentially the same with that used by MI
in nis ID
emphaticay story, Its intention is stated in the
beginning:
sing the love Of PrOvenSal maid; .....-.,
through the wheat-helds OF La Crau she stfayed
Following the fate that drew her 10 the sea.
Unknown beyond remote IL Crau was she;
And J. who tell the rustic tale Of her,
Would fam be Homer's humble follower
What though youths aureole was her only crowni
Aud never gold She wore nor damask gownf
IN build her up a throne out Of my song.
And han her queen in our despised tongue.
Mine be the simple speech that ye all know,
Shepherds and farmer-folk OF lone La Crau.
Mreio was the daughter Of the Lotus farm the finest
freehold in La Crau and she loved, far beneath her,
young vincen, basketmakers SOD. Nothing could be
more captivating than the simple pictures Of the rural
life among which these two learned 10 know and love
each other-unless indeed the story Of the love
itself, ardent impulsive, unconcealed. and alto
gether natural that Of Romeo and Juliet. and,
Ike that OF the Italian lovers. but
short days dream. with dawnlng OF rapture,
noon Of threatening clouds, and night black with
tragic fate. The second canto, "The LeafPcking"
gives gay morning OF their love- Mireio picked
mulberry leaves with the rest Of the maids and natu
rally, vlncen helped her. and they picked, he told
her Of his dead mother and his living sister, and they
fingered their work till Mreo took alarm and bade
the boy make haste, and in their hurry somehow their
hands met.
Both started In their cheeks the flush rose higher:
They felt the heat OF some mysterious fire.
They dropped the mulberry leaves as If afraid
Aud, treInulous with passion, the boy said-
what aileth thee my ladyf answer mel
Did any hidden hornet dare stiug thee =
wennigh inaudble, with dropping brow,
know not, Vincen, thus MITeiO.
And so they turned few more leaves 10 gather,
And neither spake unto the other.
But their bright, sidel0ng glances seemed 10 seek
Which would he first TO laugh, aud the spell break
Their hearts beat high the green leaves fell like rain;
Aud when the time for sacklng came again.
Whether by chance or by continuing II,
The white hand aud the brown hand always met
seemed there any lack OF happiness
The while their labor failed not 10 progress.
And then one little incident after another is skillfuy
made to deepen the spell, until at last bough breaks
and they fall together. casping their arms about each
pther In their fright After they reach the ground she
frees herself his embrace, and he asks anxousy
whether she hurt The conversation that follows is so
seliciousy naive that know you will forgive for
copying the first part Of IT, in which the secret OF their
love dswns upon themboth having been unconscious OF
10 hitherto:
IL am not hurt but as a baby weeps
And knows not wbythere's something here that keeps
Perpetual turnult in my heart pain
Blinds Inc and deaiens me- and nils my brain,
So that my blood in a tunultuous riot
Courses my body through, and wont't be quiet"
"Nay 1t not be-" the simple boy replied
Thou fearest TO have thy mother come and chde
Tby tardy pckingf AS when come back
lie from ise baekosrryheld with i face oil black
"Ab no This another kind Of pain "
"or possibly a sun-stroke may have lighted
Upon e!' And the eager vincen cited
An ancient crone among the hills OF Baux