( ik ) 



jmmutable làws of progress , the pacified empire 

 of Ihe Titans lias béén confidèd. Not to be overTr 

 whelmed by such vast méditations, the pious poet, 

 retired into the depths of forests or on the solitary 

 sea shore , and thefë he essayed on his creating 

 ànd plaintive lyre, morë powerful strains. His con- 

 terdplaiive soûl lost itself in the immensity of the 

 spectacle of nature. în such solitiide , he sought 

 the tie that exists between beings , the laws of pro- 

 vidence , the types of beauty , the secret of man. 

 Thus the uncertain Ihought which unknovvn to him 

 had reposed on Eurydice , already became for him 

 Ihe harmonious bond of ail his thoughts. When 

 h'e fait this , it was As a positive révélation of ail 

 that till then he had felt confusedly. He neverthé- 

 less feared to give himself up to a dangerous illu- 

 sion , and the rule he had prescribed to himself, 

 tnade his conscience utter an austère cry « Alas ! 

 said he , but not wiihout sorrow, what havè I to 

 offer the daughter of Talaon? a vulgàr life and exile! 

 Ah ! let me alone remain misérable.» 

 ^''cc However he perceived that Eurydice had gues- 

 yèd the secret, he had vainly endeavoured to hide 

 in his breast ; so impossible was it to avoid the al^ 

 îtirements of a sympathy , in some manner idéal , 

 "th'e ihdescribable charm of the fancy , and of the 

 heart , become the enchanting forni under which 

 ihë néw destinies of humanily envelop themselves. 

 When Orpheus with his lyre accompanied the soft 

 voice of the innocent maid , the song of Eurydice 

 assumed a heavenly expression, arid both their 



