The farmer and mechanic., 1910-02-22

of the lyric poets OF France, Ber-
ager? 1T is indeed a superb produc-
ton Of lyrical genius and richly de-
serves to live in poetic literature down
to the close of ali time. He died in
Paris when he was II years Of age,
now some forty or fifty years ago. [
have at hand no biographical bio
graphy Of him, and do not really
know the exact year of his demise.
He was surely of the fOrem OSt
of t.-c lyric poets of France and was
truly one of the best of modern poets
Of that kind. He was not surpassed
by many Of the lyric poets Of anti
quity and deserves to rank high among
the best poets of that kind among the
moderns. France appreciated his
high gifts, and when his earthly
career ended at Paris his funeral cor
tige vas witnessed by moro than 20o,-
900 persons who had gathered on the
BouleVart attracted by a desire to wit
ness the last sad rites to be paid TO
the foremost chansonnier of his time
and perhaps of his country through
the ages. He was most devoted ana
intiexible friend OF Liberty. and a
constant, honest, most CORDIAL de-
fender of his people. He was I'M
prisoned more than once for his bit
ter and terrific inveStVeS against the
powers that be. Dut MS NSiet was
still heard from his prison walls, and
his songs became the songs OF the
oppressed and Sorely wronged people
the warm hearted sincere and en-
Ihusiastic bourgeois OF France il IL
impossible perhaps to appreciate the
delicate and exquisite touches Wnlch
animate and pervade his celan3sons,
when only read as rendered in our own
ediom. The curious and rich flavor OF
the original probably escapes to con-
siderable extent in the transiaUons. l
would be glad to reproduce one of his
most popular, famous and SPIRITED
lyrics, which years now long gone by,
was so finely translated by the rolick-
ing geniOus and learned William
Magniro, for a long time the associate
L. confero Of the celebrated Kit
North Is ''Blaknocd,' then and still
the famous Magazine Of Scotland, and
person the most successful and viva
cious contributor to another most at
tractivc and successful monthly OF
those times, ''Frazers Magazine But
[ ave not the space, for the poem
would fill some thrce-fourths Of q col
umn OF the News and Observer. The
Song CT the CoSsack' is q master
piece of it's kind. The conclusion of
the last stanza is characteristic OF the
whole and runs and rings az follows:
DO our blades want length. or the
reaper's strength
For the harvest of the Nandal
Then proudly neigh, my gallant gray
For thy chest is strong and ample;
And thy hOofs shall prance Ger the
fields OF France,
And the pride of her heroes tram
pie
! am reminded Of an article that
appeared in ''Putnams Magazine OF
flxy
started, in about February, 1888, con-
corning a singular historic character.
il much interested me III the time,
for q very gifted and eminent native
Of North Carolina was concerned in
its Introduction to the readers. /
refer to the late Rev. Or. Francis J..
Hawks, one Of the most remarkable
diFIneS who had UP to that time fig
ured in the religious field Of our
continent. The Introduction to the
article was furnished by Dr. Hawks,
with the arresting title, is There Il
Bourbon among u.s." and it was OF
singular and ingenious interest, and
possessed all OF the interest and nov
city Of Il genuine French Romance.
~ was from the pen of the Rev. Mr..
Hanson Of the Episcopal church. and
ITS object was to identify the Dau-
phln of France, the son Of Louis the
Sixteenth and the celebrated Marie
Antoinctte, whom the historians
supposed to have died III his eleventh
Year, in the person Of the Rev.
missionary at Grace Bay, in WiScon-
SIN. Here is q genuine romance and
worked over nOW-in 191G-after
80 long a silence, it might be
wrought as to entertain millions OF
present day readers who are always
hungry for something now and start
IhS and romantic. AS | recall the in
tldcnt and the presentation, it was eX-
temely we'll handled and with CON
Shmmatc skill, but the whole case
rested, as it appeared to me, upon the
\"racitE Of the Rev. Mr. Villa ms
hlfnSel1, whose character was distinct
~ iHdorsed both by Rev DR. Hawks
ana jtcV. MI. Hanson. | do not recall
where Mr.. Hanson was from. What