D BJranycr. 



once more turned his attention to the theatre ; but it was no longer 

 with the same eagerness as in past times ; the pleasure he found in 

 freely expressing his thoughts in chansons, prevailed over every other 

 scheme that occasionally suggested itself. The writing of his songs 

 was always an enjoyment to him, and at this period they were pro- 

 duced almost without an effort ; though this extreme facility failed 

 him latterly: or, perhaps it might be said, that less negligence and 

 a higher degree of finish, more than supplied its place. At all events, 

 his lively imagination, his picturesque style, his deep-studied versifi- 

 cation, and rich phraseology, were more and more displayed as he 

 proceeded. 



His political songs are numerous, and, with a people so excitable as 

 the French, must have been highly influential. He was twice pro- 

 secuted by the government of the day, and twice suffered imprison- 

 ment: once for three months in St. Pelagic in 1822; and for nine 

 months in 1829 in La Force, as previously stated. The Vaudeville 

 and the Chanson may be said to be truly indigenous in France ; and 

 although with us in England the fine sea-songs of Dibdin were ex- 

 tensively and justly popular, they were so, chiefly, from their rela- 

 tion to a favourite service, and were free from all party spirit. With 

 our lively neighbours, their extreme susceptibility, co-operating with 

 their universal passion for their own national music, and the wide 

 range of subject to which the stimulus of sparkling wit and the 

 keenest satire was applied, rendered such a man as De Beranger a 

 most formidable opponent to any administration. His patriotism was 

 never questioned : indeed, a truer Frenchman did not exist ; and his 

 political independence was not to be shaken. During the hundred 

 days, the lucrative office of censor of the press was proposed to him, 

 which he at once refused. The same feeling of self-respect and con- 

 sistency had induced him as resolutely to decline a situation in the bu- 

 reaux of M. Lafitte^ a seat in the academy, an invitation to court, &c. 

 He perfectly understood his position as the national minstrel, and 

 adhered to it. De Beranger's songs were heard in the workshops, 

 m the fields, in the cabarets, in the guingettes; in short, every where : 

 he was essentially the poet of the people. It will be seen from the 

 following selections from what he produced while within the walls of 

 St. Pelagic and La Force, that his spirit was not dismayed under the 

 privation of his liberty. 



LA LIBERTE'. 



Premitre Chanson faite a Sainte Pelagic. 

 1822. 



D'un petit bout de chaine 

 Depuis que j'ai tate, 

 MOD coeur en belle Tiaine 

 A pris la liberte\ 

 Ft de la liberte ! 

 A bas la liberte" ! 



Marchangy, ce vrai sage, 

 M'a fait par charite 

 Sentir de 1'esclavage 

 La le'gitimite. 

 Fi de la liberte ! 

 A bas la libertd ! 



