The French Poets and Novelists. 6 1 1 



du Crepuscule :" we admired them for the novelty of the subject, the 

 peculiarity of their style, the strange comminglings of bliss, hope, 

 fear, sorrow, and doubt, that were their characteristics, and the per- 

 vading- harmony of their versification ; but we can scarcely express 

 our ecstasy at the perusal of " Jocelyn." There is something so 

 touching in the manner in which it is written, something so pleasing 

 and yet so touching in the tale, and something so elevated in the 

 thoughts, the metaphors, and the ideas which abound in brilliancy and 

 number throughout the pages, that we with difficulty laid aside the book 

 when once it was commenced. Butletusbe more special in ourremarks. 



" Jocelyn" is an episode it is not an entire poem. Even if the 

 work were completed^ and if the fragment, as it now stands, were 

 connected as two books with ten others in the same style, the whole 

 would not be entitled to the name of an " Epic Poem." We do not 

 , mean to say, that " Jocelyn," on the ground of its own merits, is un- 

 worthy of being considered an epic composition; for the word " epic" 

 has a peculiar and singular meaning.; nor that De Lamartine is inca- 

 pable of achieving that summit of all poetic emulation ; nor that he 

 would be forced to remain on the sides of Mount Helicon or Parnassus, 

 without ever arriving at the summit, even if he had tried thereto to climb. 

 No ; but the style, the incidents, and the arrangements of this episode, 

 totally preclude the possibility of coupling it with that word, whose 

 definition is particular. 



Lamartine informs us in his preface, that as he intended at the com- 

 mencement of the book to extend it at some future period, and as that 

 extension would embrace the incidents, the subjects, and the style of 

 " Jocelyn," he preferred sending forth this episode of his intended 

 work at present, in order to prepare the way for the remainder, or to 

 furnish materials for the lucubrations of some other poet, who might 

 take upon himself the completion or an imitation of the original ideas. 

 But no one was bold enough to publish, if he were to write, the remain- 

 ing six books to be filled up of Spenser's u Faerie Queene ;" and should 

 M. de Lamartine be prevented from fulfilling his hopes and his anti- 

 cipations in this work, we fear that it will for ever remain a fragment. 



From the prologue we gather the origin of the tale. The author 

 had a friend who lived in an enviable solitude, and who occupied his 

 time chiefly in taking care of his flocks that wandered with him 

 amongst the mountains. One morning the author ascended the hills, 

 as was his wont, to visit his venerable acquaintance, and was surprised 

 not to see him in his accustomed haunts 



" For, 'twas the hour, when, free from ev'ry care, 



The holy hermit pour'd to heaven his prayer ; 



And tow'rds the cottage as I nearer drew, 

 ^ That, which was wonder first, to terror grew ; 



For, from the chimney, curling to the sky, 



No smoke, as usual, met my anxious eye ; 



And then, while yet the sun had not repos'd 



In Thetis' lap, the lattices were closed. 



A shudder came upon me, as the blast 



A transient ruffing o'er the waves may cast ; 



Still, without vainly yielding to my woe, 



J ihastened on with step no longer slow." (Page 23.) 



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