612 The French Poets and Novelists. 



The author entered the cottage, and encountered the old servant 

 Martha in the little parlour. By her his fears were confirmed his 

 friend was no more. He ascended the stairs, and entered the cham- 

 ber of death. On the bed was stretched the venerable deceased. 



" Calm was his visage, placid was his mien, 

 His cheek unruffled as it e'er had been ; 

 And on his tranquil countenance was shed 

 A ray that seemed to tell he was not dead ; 

 And the faint smile, which curled his lip ere he 

 Had left the earth to seek eternity, 

 Still lingered happy sign that envious death 

 Used but small effort to withdraw his breath !" 



(Page 26.) 



When the funeral obsequies were completed, the author questioned 

 the old servant as to the domestic habits of the deceased, and whether 

 he ever amused himself with writing. A reply in the affirmative led 

 to further interrogation, and at length a number of manuscripts were 

 discovered in the loft. The contents of those papers formed the tale 

 of "Jocelyn," which Lamartine in his preface declares to be " almost 

 a recital of facts, and not an ideal narrative accidentally entering into 

 his thoughts." 



The tale opens with the noble sacrifice of a brother's worldly 

 prospects to secure a happy marriage for his sister. The resignation 

 of Jocelyn to the force of adverse circumstances compelling him, as 

 the condition of his sister's felicity, to give up all claim to the estate 

 their mother possesses, and reducing him to the necessity of seeking 

 an asylum in a house whose inmates are dedicated to the service of 

 their God is admirably delineated and pourtrayed. But Jocelyn 

 had the internal satisfaction which a good man feels when he has 

 done a good action ; or, in his own words, 



" Heav'n has rewarded me ! 'Twas yesterday 

 The happy Ernest bore his bride away. 

 Flashed from her eyes the bliss her bosom knew, 

 And to his own the warm transfusion flew. 

 Before the sacred altar as they knelt, 

 While both one sentiment of pleasure felt, 

 'T would seem that fortune's choicest gifts were shed, 

 And fav'ring genii hovered o'er their head, 

 To promise future bounties, and ensure 

 A long duration of that union pure!" 



(Page 54.) 



It was thus in witnessing the felicity of his sister that Jocelyn was 

 amply rewarded for the noble sacrifice he had made. But the hour 

 for parting with his mother was dreadful, 



' Dear, tender parent, seek a calm repose ;' 

 'Twas thus I tried to soothe my mother's woes ; 

 ' Absorb the anguish of your deep distress, 

 A few short hours, in sleep's forgetfulness : 

 Pray for thy children, suffocate those sighs, 

 And wipe the tear-drops from your streaming eyes, 



