The New York herald., 1878-11-18
AMONG THE BOOKS.
THE POEMS OF FRANCIS WILLOW.

u
or hosset for the hrst time, done into English
verse. in the original forms. by John Payne. II
We understand Alright this little volume bound in vel
sad bad glad mad poet The edition is limited to
157 copies. printed in London for private distribu
ton by the Villon Society. few OF which have found
their way 70 this country, having been subscribed tor
some two years ago. The volume is dedicated by Mr.
Payne to Theodore de Banyille. who responds in .
ballad to the translator of his counryman in which
he says
Ce vagsbond pareil aux feux- Toilets.
Contre Ia faim Sc debat 1t conspirc.
Epris du luth noins quo des dageocts.
Cest charmer Jeanneton quill aspire;
Tn cabaret fut son joyeux empire.
II Sc montrait. en- rirc eperdn.
81 bon garcon quill fut presquc pendu.
Chez les bu,eurs il obtipt Ia liaitrisc,
Huinant lie plot, toujours le cou tendu.
Prenez, Villon c'est une bonne prise.
The biographical note accompanying the poems
tells us in prose what Swinburne told rs in verse;:
Prince OF sweet songs made out of tears and fire,
harlot was thy nurse, god thy sire.
Shame soiled thy song and song assoed thy shame.
But from thy feet now death has washed the Inire,
Love reads ont first ut head Of all ourAuirc,
Nillon our sad, bad, glad, mad brother ) name.
yillons real name DE Montcorbier. and he was
born near Paris in 143l. At an early age he was
adopted by rich ecclesiastic named Gulame Nillon.
whose he took. He intended for the Church.
but his dissolute habits prevented his following that
An unfortunate love affair with one Katherine
dc yancelles Of whom he often sings, seems to have
had share in blighting his prospects at least that
the idea he constantly gave out. The early part
OF mis- life spent in debauchery, if not in crime
His companions. among whom he seems to have lecu
ringleader. spent their days i'll drinking and their
nights in robbing honest citizens. Two Of the mum
Der suffered death in consequence of their crimes. and
Villon only escaped by good luck.
There il no doubt that Swinburne has drunk
deep draughts OF inspiration from villon for whom
lie has undisguised admiration. II Walt Whit
a student OF French literature We should
say that he also had been inspired by the
There is more similarity between Whitman and Vii
Ion than between Swinburnc and villon. The charm
Of Villon's is its extreme honesty and simpi
city. His poetry could not be read al htituns in a
nineteenth century drawing room. neither could he
have been received in nineteenth century drawing
room The subjects OF his are of things with
which he the most familiar, and, like Whitman
he makes his poetry personal. and his own name
constantly appears in his pages. Mr.. Payne has not
pretended to prune any of the objectionable lines
from these poems; there suggestive asterisks
used but good and bad alike stand out in bold type
Ten of these ballads appear in swinburne's latest
volume 1t may be interesting to the reader to COM
pare some Of his transations with those Of Mr..
Death" which Swinburne translates
And Paris be it Helen dying.
Who dies socvcr dies with pain.
He that lacks breath and wind for signing,
His gall bursts on his heart; and then
He sweats, God knows what sweat! again.
No man may ease him of his grief
Child, brother, sister, none were fain
To bail him then for his relief
Here is Mr.. Payne's translation
Paris Helen though one be-
Whoever dies, III pain and dread
For lack of breath and blood dies he
His gall upon his heart is shed:
Then doth he sweat God knows how dread
sweat, and none may give him aid;
For there is no one in his stead
BY whom deaths debit may be paid.
Mr.. Payne gives very good translation of the
..allad Of Old Ladies" which Swinburne pronounces
villons masterpiece. known to the English speaking
world through Rossetts translation.
The following evidently to the faithess Katherine
dc vancelles:--
II she whom did serve Of DID,
So whole of heart and Loyalty,
For whom wasted years and gold,
And only won much misery
II she at first had told to me
(But no, alas her true intent
had essaycd assuredly
To cast OF my entanglement.
Not so, but on the contrary;
Whatever to her would say
She listened more to me-
Nor said one yea or nay;
And more she suffered me to play
With her soft hair. her hand of white.
Thus did she humor me Away,
Intending only my despite.
Indeed she treated him cruelty that he writes:-
Gainst love my standard I've unfurled;
Let those that love him follow STILL
I'm his no longer in this world,
For intend to do my will
Wherefore if any take 1t ill
That love venture to impcach,
Let this content him, will or Mill
lying man is free of speech.
In the verses in which he describes what he would
1.a ..ls tb..
horrors Of the witches caldron in "Mscbeth," as
the following stanza will testify though it is not the
most horrble:
In brain of cat that water doth alright
Black and so old that not tooth hath he,
In foam and SLAYER from mad dogs bite.
So old and rotten he can hardly see
In froth Of broken -winded mule. that We
May cut up small with knives; in water green
Scrpcnts and rats that there have lived and died,
Lizards toads frogs and such like beasts obscene
Let all these sharp and poisonous tongues be fried
His cry from the dungeon where he imprs-
oncd had the effect Of procuring his released
Princes and noble barons young and old
Besiege the King for letters sealed aud scroed
To draw from this dungeon for, God wot.
Even swine when one squeaks in the butchers fold.
Flock round their fellow and do squeak and scold;
viii you all leave poor villon here to rot?
While vilon cannot be recommended the most
improving reading. is but just to say that Of
his poems are pure they beautiful, that
he il full Of originality and inspiration.
'.HrDERNIA vENATICA.'
Following close upon Nevilc's Horses and Rid
ing" and whyte Mellevile's Riding Recollections'
comes Mr.. OConnor Morris with handsome
volume entitled "Hibernia vcnatica' tScribner 4
welford). giving lively pictures Of following the
hounds In Ireland. Mr.. Morris writes with enthusi-
asm of the sport and even argues political sisnif-
from its practice, for he says ys:.Does it not
hur away absurd and ignorant prejudiccs of and
creed and raise men to common platform OF good
fellowship and good sportsmanshipS The man who
this day sheds his blood with shall be my brother.
said the great Plantagenet. IL not the community
Of peril and sympathy Of excitement stronger cur
rent than half the nosrums OF political patchers and
political pulcrs down. Jewellers up and Jewellers
down 2n ireland he consdcrs the ideal hunting