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J t. 
 
 /<fc. 
 
 French Litcrahirc iv Louisiana. 
 
 l\ 
 
 *III. — French' Literature in Louisiana. 
 15v ALCEE FORTIER, 
 
 PROFESSOR or 1.KKNCH LANCIAOK AND l.ri.KATlTRK IN TULANK 
 VNIVEKSrrV ok l.Cn-ISIANA, NKW OKLKANS, LA. 
 
 I. — Introduction. 
 
 In the paper which I had the pleasure of presenting at the 
 last convention of our Association, I spolie of the French 
 language in Louisiana, and took the opportunity, while giving a 
 brief history of the language in our State, to assert that the 
 Louisianians speak a pure and correct French. I think, in order 
 to pro\'e this, that it may be advisable this year to give an ac- 
 count of our Louisiana literature, and I hope that the subject may 
 be of interest to the members of the Modern Language Asso- 
 ciation. 
 
 During the French domination, the colony o'" Louisiana 
 improved very slowly, and although the inhabitants were gener- 
 ally men of culture, the population Vi-as so small that there could 
 be no literary enthusiasm. VV'e find, therefore, during that 
 period, no works written in Louisiana, e.xcept the reports of 
 officers, among which may be mentioij^cl a paper in 1745 by 
 Deverges, an engineer, upon the mouths of the Missi; jippi 
 river. Another document is also of great importance; it is the 
 celebrated " Memoire des negociants et habitants de la Louis 
 iane sur I'evgnement du 29 octobre 1768," written by Lafreniere 
 and Caresse, two of the chiefs of the Revolution of 1768, which 
 was to end so unhappily i)y the execution of several distinguished 
 men. 
 
 During the Spanish domination, the most warlike and popu- 
 lar governor was Galvez. As Achilles found a Homer to sing 
 his exploits, so Julian Poydras wrote in 1779 an epic poem in 
 r reach on the campaigns of the yoiing go\ernor. The work, 
 unfortui^.ately, has not come down to us, but the poet has not 
 been Ibrgotten, for one of our principal streets in New Orleans 
 bears the name of Mr. Poydras. 
 
 In 1794, appeared ' Le Moniteur de la Louisianc,' probablv 
 the first iKiper published in Louisiana. 
 
 * RepriiitL-d from 'I'kansactkins (u- thk .Modern T.angiiace AssoriATK.N of 
 
 Amukic^, iSSfi. 
 
 
 -" ''"Trrr'i ■ tw 
 
32 
 
 Alci'e Forticr, 
 
 JefTerson having acquired the colony for the United States in 
 1803, its population and the material interests of the people in- 
 creased so rapidly, that the territ(^ry of Orleans became a State 
 in 1 81 2. Two years later, the first book of our own literature 
 was published, a tragedy, " Poucha Houmma" by Le Blanc de 
 Villeneufve. I shall not speak at present of this work, as 1 wish 
 to divide my subject into several parts : history and biography, 
 the drama, poetry, novels, and miscellaneous works. I may add 
 that in this review of our Louisiana Literature I do not speak of 
 the journalists, of whom many were quite distinguished. 
 
 IL — History and Bio(,raphv. 
 
 The history of Louisiana is exceedingly interesting, and it 
 early attracted the attention of a distinguished man. Judge 
 Franfois-Xavier Martin, of the Supreme Court, who wrote in 
 1827 his history in English. Before that time, we had had the 
 works of Charlevoix, of Le Page du Pratz, of Laharpe, of Bossu, 
 of Chevalier, of de Vergeunes, of Barbe-Marbois, and several 
 others, but these histories or travels had been written in French, 
 and were very incomplete. 
 
 As the majority of Louisianians in the beginning of this cen- 
 tury only spoke French, a history in that language was very 
 necessary to them, and Mr. Gayarre e\inced his patriotism when 
 he published in 1830 his ' Essai Historique sur la Louisiane.'' 
 The author was then but twenty-fi\e years oid, but we can see 
 on e\ery page a great enthusiasm for his subject and his de\o- 
 tion to the State. The narratixe is clear, and the method is 
 good, and we can already recognize in this essay the author of 
 the "History of Louisiana." Mr. Gayarre has been the 1' ri 
 Martin, we might add the J. R. Green of Louisiana. He nas 
 spent almost his whole life in writing and re-writing the history 
 of his native State. 
 
 In 1845, lie published his ' Histoire de la Louisiane "= in two 
 volumes. It comprises only the P'rench domination, but the 
 work is uf great value, as Mr. Gayarre, who had been United 
 States senator and afterwards Secretary (jf State of Louisiana, 
 had been able to procure many documents of our colonial period, 
 
 1 Chaki.ks (iAYAUU ', ' Essai Historique: sur l;i l.ouisiane.' i Vol. 121110, 441 pp. 
 Inprini,' par FSenjamin Lev, , NouvellcOrleans, 1830. 
 
 2 Chaki.ks Oayahh', 'Histoire de la l.oiiisiaiif:.' -.: Vol. 8vo. Manne and Weisse, 
 Nouvelle-Orl ans, 184G and 1847. 
 
 f, 
 
 \ 
 
French Literature in Louisiana. 
 
 33 
 
 and had j^iven them in full in his history. The author seemed 
 in this work to wish to divest his writings of his own personality, 
 and he adopted the plan whicl" has rendered de Barante's 'Dues 
 de Bourgogne ' so interesting, that of giving the documents of 
 the times, and causing the personages to relate, as it were, their 
 own history. This method is very attractive, but it is not the 
 philosophy of history. Mr. (^ayarre's own views were ot too 
 great importance to be ignored, and his countrymen were highly 
 pleased when he gave his last work on Louisiana written in 
 English a more philosophical cast. Mr. Ciayarre was greatly 
 honored by his State in his youth, and although he has now no 
 (official position, no one is more venerated and esteemed in 
 Louisiana \\\k\\ our historian. 
 
 In 1841, Mr. Victor Debouchel published his ' Ilistoire de la 
 Louisiane, depuis les premieres decouvertes jusqu'en i840.'3 
 The work is interesting and the style is clear and concise. The 
 aim of the author was to write a history for schot.ls, but which 
 might be read with profit, e\en by men of culture. The dates 
 :;re very carefully given at the beginning of every paragraph 
 treating of a different subject, and the contents of each chapter 
 or " esquisse " are indicated by a well chosen title. Mr. De- 
 bouchel gives some amusing details about our old laws : in 1808, 
 the fees of a lawyer were $16.00, before the Supreme Court or 
 the Circuit Court, and before a parish court $5.00. In 1809, 
 howe\-er, the fee was fixed at J;^ii.oo for every case. The last 
 part of Mr. Debouchel's book is devoted to the great financial 
 crisis of 1840, when a spirit of speculation seemed to have taken 
 possession of the Louisianians. The history ends with the fol- 
 lowing very encouraging enumeration of the schools in Louisi- 
 ana in 1840: three large colleges: Franklin in Opelousas, Jef- 
 ferson in St. James, Louisiana at Jackson ; thirty academies, of 
 which six were for young ladies, and three convents. 
 
 Mr. Debouchel's work was followed in 1854 by Mr. Henri 
 Remy's, who published a well written ' Histoire de la 
 Louisiane '■» in the "St. Michel," a weekly paper of the parish of 
 St. James. It is very much to be regretted that the publication 
 of this history was discontinued when the author had only gone 
 
 3 VicToit Deiidvchel, ' Ilistoire de la Louisiane.' i Vol. ifimo, 190 pp. J. F. Lelievre, 
 Nouvelle-OrL'ans, 1841. 
 
 4 Henhi Ri'my, ' Hisloire de la Louisiane.' cf. Le Journal 6V. JZ/V/u'/, Paroisse St' 
 Jacques, 1854. 
 
 ■aiBg j.].ii H »j | ii, iir > ii I mi l l liiJu.u 
 
i 
 
 34 
 
 ■iki'c FoHier, 
 
 as far as 1731. The wars aj>;ainst the Natchez ami the Chicas- 
 sas are rehited with many (U-tails and ^^reat inipartiahty, and we 
 see very of<-en that justice was not ahvays on the side of the 
 white man. If the sa\age was cruel in his warfare, it must be 
 achnitted diat he had j^enerally been led to hostility by the act 
 of some inferior French officer, as was the case with Chepar, at 
 Fort Rosalie. Mr. Remy praises Hiein ille as governor, but is 
 very severe against the h'rench government and its unwise 
 colonial administration. 
 
 Two works written by ladies, Ixjth teachers of reputation in 
 New Orleans, are now to be e.xamined. Mme. Laure Andry 
 imitated Lame Fleury's simple and con\ersational style, and 
 succeeded in producing a really charming ' Histoin; de la 
 Louisiane pour les enfants.'^ I have never read a book which 
 pleased me more ; it is so unassuming and, at the same time, so 
 entertaining. 
 
 Mme. D. Girard, an old lady of most wonderful energy, who 
 still leaches, although some of her pupils are now grandmothers, 
 published in iSSi her ' Histoire des I'ltats-Un's sni\ ie de I'llis- 
 toire de la Louisiane.''' It is a small book and more a chronicle 
 or chronology than a history, but is very useful for reference. 
 
 We now come to a work which was recei\ ed In- the people ot 
 Louisiana with almost filial respect. Bernard de Marigny. 
 whose ancestor hatl been a companion of Iberville, alter ha\ing 
 been a member ef two State constitutional ecniventions, and ibr 
 n>any years, of the House and Senate of Louisiana, presented in 
 1854 to the legislature of the State his ' Retiexions sur la 
 Politicpie des Etats-Lnis. Statistxiue de I'Espagne, de I'lle de 
 Cube, etc."'' The author was then se\ enty years old and 
 struggling with achersity, ahhough he had oncc' a fortune ot 
 $4.ooo.oe)0, and his father had received with princely hospilality 
 the e;:iled Louis- Philippe d'Orlcans. Mr. de Marigny was out 
 of the most tvpical men of the old regime, generous, elegant, 
 brave and witty. His "calenibours" ha\e become as celebrated 
 .IS his duels, and his eloquence was natural and pleasing. His 
 W(jrk begins with the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 174S, explains- 
 
 5 Mmk. I.avki- Andhv, 'Hisli.i^- ilc l;i l.oiiisi.im: puur les Enfants.' i V.il. i6m(i, 163 pp. 
 Kii^. Aiitoinc. Noiivellc-Ork'ans, 18H2. 
 
 6 Mmi;. I). (jiKAKi), 'Histoire (lev Kiats-Uiiis ^iiivie de I'Uistoire ilc la l.iHu^ianc.' 
 T Vol. i8m<i, 84 pp. Eiig. Amniiie, Noiivi'llc-* )rli.'ans, 1881. 
 
 7 Hi:nNAUi> i)H Mahkiny, ' R tiexion:, sur la l'oliti«liie des EtatsL'nis, Stalisliqin. dc 
 I'Kspagiie, de I'lle dc Culie, etc. \ \'A. Hvn, ^,5 pp. J. 1.. tioUee, NoiivcUe-Orltaiis, 1854. 
 
 4- 
 
 i 
 
i 
 
 French I.ilfrahcr in T-oiihiann. 
 
 35 
 
 i 
 
 'h 
 
 k 
 
 the causes of the Auicricaii Revolution, aiul ^ives a raj^id 
 review of the annexations to the United vStates, ur^ini,'^ on the 
 latter to take possession of Cuba. The author then enumerates 
 the conquests of the I'.uropean nations, and j;ives a jrlowing 
 account of the future of our union. Strange to say, only seven 
 years before the Ci\ il War began, he did not seem to have fore- 
 seen the terrible events that were approaching. Mr. de Marigny 
 ends by claiming in a few touching words the indulgence ol his 
 fellow-citizens: " en raison des motifs cjui raniment mes forces 
 et me font presque oublier mes malheurs et mes vieilles annees." 
 
 ' Histoire des Coniit6s de Vigilance aux Attakapas,'^ by Alex- 
 andre Harde, is a true story, but has all the interest of a romance. 
 It rehites the eftbrts of some valiant men to free their parishes 
 frowi the bandits, who, like the chauffeurs, were committing the 
 greatest atrocities, and whom the law was powerless to punish. 
 The vigilants were men of courage, of wealth, and of culture, 
 and among them, were Alexandre Mouton, ex-governor and 
 United States Senator ; his stm Alfred Mouton, the lirave gene- 
 ral killed only a few years later at Mansfield; Major St. Julien, 
 a real chevalier; Alciljiade I)e Blanc, afterwards a judge of our 
 Supreme Court; Alcee Judioe, mo.st el'xpient and intrepid; the 
 Mart'ns, the Voorhies, the Hroussards, and many others of the 
 best and n;ost respecteil families. .Mr. Harde not only gives 
 the history of the committees ; he describes most accurately the 
 picturesque Teche country, and relates all the legends and tra- 
 ditions of the Attakapas region. I do not think that any 
 history of Louisiana can gi\e as correct an idea of life in our 
 ce)U' J"y parishes before the war as Mr. Barde's work. No one 
 can begin to read it without finishing it, cUid the adventures of 
 our Louisianians are as interesting as those of Dumas' cele- 
 l)rated " mousquetaires." 
 
 ' Esquisses Locales"'^ par un Inconnu (Cyprien Dufour) 1847. 
 This work was first published in the " Courrier de la Louisiane," 
 and excited the greatest interest. The audior presented a series 
 of pictures of the most ])rominent men of the day, and showed 
 the most consummate tact and skill in his criUcisms. His style 
 is sprightly and witty, and he displays throughout the utmost 
 
 S Ai.uXAMiHK I'.AKLuc. ' Hisloiic lies Cuiiiit 's do \' i,;4il;ince aiix Allakiipas.' i Vol. 3vi). 
 428 pp. Inipriineric du Mescliacth.' et de I'AvaiU-Cour'.'iir, St. JcaM-l!apti;ste, 18C11. 
 
 (^ Un iNLiiyNii (CvruiEN ni'Fofni, ' E.M)iiisses Locales.' i Vol. Svo, 147 PP- J. I^- 
 Soil e, Nouvelle-Ork'ans, 1847. 
 
 ■ uMiiiaiBEi ; 
 
36 
 
 Alcic Foriier, 
 
 finesse. For us who road that l)()()k after forty years, and who 
 are ahnost posterity for the men mentioned by Mr. Diilour, we 
 must admit that his judj4^ment about his contemporaries was 
 ahnost always correct, and that his predictions about their 
 future were (juite prophetic. I'"or instance, wlien he s[)eaks of 
 John Shdell, the jj^reat Louisiana poHtician, so widely known 
 afterwards through the "Trent" affair, he portrays the wily 
 diplomat in the most graphic manner, ' Es(ir.isses Locales ' is a 
 very useful work for the student of the history and literature of 
 Louisiana. He can see in looking (Aer the pages of this little 
 book all manner of men of the old rjgime : lawyers, statesmen, 
 journalists, prose writers, and poets. I only regret that Mr. Du- 
 four did not extend his gallery of portraits to the physicians of 
 the time, of whom so many were distinguished, and that he did 
 not give us a glimpse of old jilantation life, by presenting to us 
 some of our refined, chivalric and intelligent sugar planters. It 
 is a great loss to our literature that " Un Inconnu," who was an 
 able lawyer, has produced only one work, for such a brilliant 
 pen could have given us some charming comedies of real life. 
 
 In the parish of St. James, there is at a distance of five miles 
 from the river a settlement in the woods ; it is called " la Grande 
 Pointe," and is very prosperous. The inhabitants are all 
 descendants of the Acadian exiles, and have retained the energy 
 of their fathers. The men are great deer and duck hunters, and 
 culti\ate the land ; the women are verj' pious and industrious. 
 It is there that old Perique manufactured the famous tobacco 
 carrots which bear his name. ' Le Destin d'un Brin de 
 Mousse,''^ by Mile. Desiree Martin is an autobiography, and 
 reveals to us the daily life of these worthy people. The author 
 speaks with great reverence of her parents, especially of her 
 gran<lfather, a patriarch surrounded by a progeny of seventy- 
 eight children and grandchildren. From having been a most 
 happy "gardeuse d'oies," Mile. Martin became an unhappy 
 nun. After many years passed in a convent, she retiree' to " la 
 Grande Pointe," and related her story and that of her ancestors 
 to her little nephews. Although an ex-nun, there is not a word 
 of irreverence against religion in the book ; the author seems to 
 have been of a thoroughly truthful and honest disposition. She 
 communicates to us all her feelings and we can but respect her 
 
 lo Mlle. DfsiRliE Martin, ' I.es Veillt^es tl'iine Soeiir ou le Destiii tl'iin liriii de Muusse.' 
 I Vol. i6mo, 230 pp. Iniprlm. Cosmopolite, Nouvelle-Orltaiis, 1877. 
 
 I, 
 
 ^■' 
 
 j: 
 
 !^ 
 
\ 
 
 Frcucli Literature in I^uisiana. 
 
 yi 
 
 filial piety, her devotion to her God and her love for Louisiana. 
 Here is a pleasino characteristic pa.ssaj,'e : "Avant di' niettre j)ied 
 a terre. devinez done, ines chers enfants, (luelle idi'-e enfantine 
 me vint?— De hoire dc I'eau de votre tleuve tant ainie ? . . 
 
 • — Tout juste, ehire Louisa ; je nie fis ap])orter un verre 
 d'eau du Mississippi et je le vidai d'un trait en disant ; 'Fon- 
 taine, je ne hoirai jamais de nieilleure eau (pie la tienne." 
 
 Hetore passing to another subject, I wish to mention, under 
 the head of history, though not strictly belonging to it, an 
 address by Mr. Gayarre in op[)osition to Mr. Livingston's 
 rejjort to the Legislature on the abolition of capital punish- 
 ment." The work was publislu.-d in 1.S26, and was one of the 
 earliest in our Louisiana literature. 
 
 i 
 
 i' 
 
 ( 
 
 HI.— Thi. Dkama. 
 
 Hefore the revival of the drama in FVance by the rise of the 
 romantic school; before ' Henri HI et sa Cour,' before ' Her- 
 nani,' and wiiile Marie-Joseph Ch6nier, Lemercier, and Ducis 
 were still masters of the stage, we had in Louisiana a tragedy 
 which may be read with some interest. Le Blanc de Villeneufve, 
 an ex-officer in the Frencli army, wrote at the ag(; of seventy- 
 eight, a drama on an episode of Indian life. While employed 
 by the government among the Tchactas, from 1752 to 1758, he 
 heard the story of the father who had sacrificed himself to save 
 his son's life, and he says that many years afterwards he 
 thought of wridng a play on this subject, in order to defend the 
 Indians from the imputation of having been savages without 
 any human feelings. 
 
 This work, ' Poucha-Homnma,'" is a regular classical tragedy, 
 and the unities of time, place, and action seem to be well 
 observed. The style is somewhat too grandilocpient and Cor- 
 nelian for Indian personages ; for instance, the play begins thus : 
 
 Au^iistes descendants trim peuple sans iKireil, 
 Tres illustres ent'ans des enfans du Soleil, 
 Knliii \()i-:i le jour, on la saisnn prospere 
 Va payer vos tra\aux d'un i)tecieu.\ salaire : 
 Ce jour, vous le savez, jadis par iios aveux, 
 
 iiCiiARLRS Gavai(k(c, ' IJiscoiirs adressJa l.i I.t'gislature, en rtfutation du Rapport de 
 Mr. I.ivingstun sur rAlKilition tie la Peine tie Mort.' i Vol. lamo, 35 pp. Benj. Levy, 
 Nouvelle-Orl.'aiis, 1826. 
 
 12 \.v Pi.A.Nc DU ViLi.K.Ni;i-|-vii, ' Pouclia-Houmma.' i VmI. lanui, 58 pp. Iniprimerie 
 «lu Ciiiirrier de la I.,e, Nouvelle-Orkans. 1814. 
 
38 
 
 ^■l/(ic Fortiir, 
 
 (d /)art). 
 
 I'*tit tuiijotirs mis an raiij; lU-s jinirs Ifs plus hfiirellx. 
 
 !»• ii'ai jamais maiu|Ui' d'fii t rU'ljrcr la tcli', 
 
 Ih'pnis snixant*' hivi-rs ('•coiiU's siir ma XdXv, 
 
 (JiU' \i)s cniirs salis'aits s'l-xprinu'iit par vos chants; 
 
 I. a ti-rrf, sons vos ytux, a place scs prt'st-ns : 
 
 A notre biciifaittnir ofrrez-en les pr^'miros, 
 
 I'nisst-t-il anr(-i'r \-os picnx sacrillccs ! 
 
 I'oiir nioi, Iristi- joiU't dii sort ic pins crnfl, 
 
 jf n( puis i)r«'si(lfr a I'actt- solt inifl. 
 
 I.'aiii iiii tif nos xii'iiiards ponrra i)rfn(lrc ma place, 
 
 Je (lois nif rt-linr, jf lu demanik' lmi ,i;ra( i-. 
 
 Mallu*nrin\ iinc jc snis, nn rt\ c nu- confoiul. . . . 
 
 We see then that, as in ' Athalit',' a circ am is pursiiinji;- I'cntcha- 
 Houmma with its sinister onuMi. \\v docs not wish to |)resiclc 
 over " la I^'etc <lu Petit Mle," the most important of all the fest- 
 ivals of the llounnnas. Tehilita-Hs-, I'oucha's brother. i-.\horts 
 him to attend to his duties of chief, and asks him to relate his 
 dream. The latter says that he had dreamed that his son Cala- 
 Be, who had escaped after hrt-.-iny killed a Tchacta, was to be 
 put to death the next day. In the second act, Cala-Be, accom- 
 panied by his wife l-"(nichi wliom he had married amonj; the 
 the Attac-Apas, returns to his village. hi the third act, is 
 related the festival of the " Petit Hie," one feature of which was 
 that the children were to be downed unmercifully by their 
 mothers on that day. While the " IVtit Hie" vvaL; bein.y cele- 
 brated, arrives Nachouba, a friend of Poucha-Houmma, who 
 says that the- 'J'chactas are cominiL; to claim die inurdenr. The 
 Homnma chief, thereupon, orJers his son to escape from his 
 enemies, and there is a touchinL;; strut^^le bt-tueen the father, 
 who wants to save the son, and the latter and his wife who want 
 to brave the enemies. At last, C'ala-Hc and l'"onclii withdraw, 
 and Poucha-Houmma recei\es the Tcliacta cnxoys. There is an 
 assembly of the tribe, and the Homnma chiefs offer all their 
 treasures for tin; life ofCala-lk'. The Tchactas insist, howe\er, 
 upon the law of retaliation, and Poucha surrenders himself to 
 save his son. The tribe, in consternation, allow their cliiet to be 
 led away. In the fifth act, Cala-He returns to submit to his fate, 
 but he only arri\es after his father has l)eeii put to death, in his 
 place, and he listens with horror to Xachouba's recital ot the 
 last moments of Poucha-Houmma. 
 
 If we consider that the author of this tragedy was seventy- 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
hrcnch Lilcraturc hi /.ouisiaua, -^tj 
 
 fi«1it years old when he wrote it. ami if wt reinomher 'AK^'silas' 
 and • IVriharite ' oiC^mieille's (.Id aye, we inii.st admit that our 
 tirst L(.ui.siaiia <iraiiia was, iiiidir the cireumstaiiccs, a work ol 
 some merit. At our hi.st p:.\positi(jii, was the portrait of Mr. tie 
 Villeiiejfve dressed as a Tchacta chief. 
 
 In 1S39, A. I.ussan pnl.lished in Donaldsonville ' Lcs Martyrs 
 <le la Louisiane,'- ) a trayedy in five acts. It is worthy of notice, 
 as the personajrcs are the heroes of the Re\(;lution of 1768. 
 The I.ouisiai. .ns could hear on the staj4:e their ancestors utter- 
 in.ir words of defiance to O'Reilly and offering their lives for their 
 country. The principal character is Josej)h Viller^-, father of 
 our .second governor, a man of a maj^nanimous temper. Hav- 
 iiiK heard of the arrest of his friends in New (Jrleans, he left his 
 I)lantation to share their fate, and was placed on a frij(atc, where 
 he was killed by the sentinel on his attemj)tinjr to run to his 
 wile, whose voice he had recojj;nized. ilis last words ire 
 really fine : 
 
 1 1 . A'-- 
 
 Jc te (levais mon sj-nR. . . .toi. . . .qiif j'ai taiit vhvfUf. . . . 
 
 l.oaisiaiie adoree A ma iiohle patric 
 
 Dis, si j'ai sii Karder I'lioimcur ct inoii sermeiU 
 
 ((MvinK his Ijjoody haiidkerrliierto a sailor). 
 
 Pour ina fenmie. . . .elle est lA. .c'est mon dernier pr^-sent ! 
 
 In the last act, LafrC-niere and his friends are in ])rLson, and 
 the former s.iys : 
 
 Adieu done a la vie, h cet .iim.ur sacr<*. 
 
 Dans le fond de dos cdiirs si lonjjteinps ^piir^-! 
 
 mon pays! adieu ! iioiis toinboiis sans nous plaindre. 
 
 Si par liotre trepas, les man\ doivent s'eteiiulre. 
 
 The conspirators are then led to execution, all of them dressed 
 most elegantly, .md Lafreniere exclaims: 
 
 Nous sonuiies prC-ts, monsieur! D'aujour 'liuii celte enceinte 
 Pom- la post^rite deviLMil illnstre it s-.ijnle, 
 i''t, martyrs dn devoir, son burin redoute 
 Crave iios noms au seuil de rimmortalite. 
 
 This tragedy is of the Romantic school ; the unities of time 
 and ])]ace are not observed, and the \)\:\y seems to be of the 
 -style of ' Hcrnani ' and of ' Marion Deiorme.' All Louisianians, 
 ali Americans will rend ' I.es Martyrs' with enthusi.ism, for it is 
 indeed a most patriotic work. 
 
 ij A. I.rssAN, ■ Martyrs de I.t IxJuisiane.' i \ol. 8vo, 122 pp. K. Mariin and V Proii 
 I)i>nald.soiiviIlf, 1839. 
 
 I M.U. i H.'lJ B B ' IWie ' . 
 
40 
 
 Alii'c Forticr, 
 
 Mr. Lussan's seco'id drama ' Sara, la Juivc' in five acts and in 
 fjrost; luirdly de.ser\es to be mentioned. 
 
 Amon^ our most jjopular dramatists is Mr. L. Placide 
 Canonize of L'Abeille de la Nouvelle-Orleans. He wrote 
 the librettos cl' several operas and many poems which have 
 not been ^atheretl in book form. His two most celebrated 
 works are ' Qui perd <;agne/;'» a comedy in one act and in prose, 
 antl ' Le Conite de Carma!;nola,''5 a drama in five acts and in 
 prose. The comedy appeared, in 1849, and was dedicated in a 
 v'jrv clever letter to Alfred de Musset. The work is a prrverb, 
 and Mr. Canon^e has succeeded quite well. His comedy is 
 light and witty. A husband wagers with a frientl thut he will 
 come to a ball with him and leave his young wife at home. 
 "i lie latter has heard their conversation, and induces her hus- 
 band to play a game of cards with her, on condition that if he 
 loses, he will spend the evening at h>)me. She renders herself 
 so agreeable during the game that the husband loses on pm-pose, 
 and tht.. acknowledges that he has played "A qui perd gagne." 
 
 " Le Comte de Carmagnola" (1856) was acted several times 
 in New Orleans, and was always seen with pleasure. The sub- 
 ject was well chosen, as the history of the Mil.uiese shepherd 
 who rose to be general-in-chief of Milan and then of \'enice, is 
 in itself intensely dramatic. The au^-^-.or supposes that the 
 duchess Beatrice de Tenda, while being led to the scaffold, gives 
 a paper to the young Carmagnola in which she says that Bianca 
 de Visconti is not her daughte-, but an illegitimate "hild of the 
 duke, and that the real heiress to the throne is Michaela, who 
 has been lirought up by Carmagnola'.; fuher. 
 
 Carma.gnola is in love w'th Micliaela, and it is in orde;- to re- 
 co\er lier crown that he Ix't-omes great. A prett\ incident in 
 the plav is thai boih daj,i;iiters ot \'is';nnti low Carmagnola, 
 wiiom <he duke fears and hates. The captain, after many thril- 
 ling e\ents, falis at \ enice in the ])resi'i,ce of 'dichaela and 
 Bianca, who had \;'inly tried to saw him. 
 
 This ilrama, by i;s numerous incidents, may be reckk)!ied in 
 the class of the ' Trois Moiisciuetains ' aod oi the ' Bossu.' 
 
 Among our Louisiana authors Dr. .-\lfred Mercier i.-; cue ■■ 'i 
 the Ir-'st known. He has tried all subjects except history, and 
 
 t 
 
 14 ' (Jiii I'crd Oagnc' i Vr>l. Svo. Le CourriiM- ile la I.oiiisiane, X<)nvelle-Orli''ans, 1849, 
 
 15 [.. Pi.ACiDi! Canonce, ' Le C'onite tie Cirniiisiiola.' 1 Vol. Svo, 58 pp. Lc Coiirrier 
 (Ic la Limi-iiam:, Xoiivellt-Orraiis, iS;fi. 
 
t 
 
 French Lifcratnrr in I.oiiisiaiia. 41 
 
 has succeecled well in e\ery oik-. He is a (Iraiiiatist, a poet, a 
 novelist, an essayist, a philosopher and a scientist. His views 
 are always oriirinal, and his style, both in poetry and in prose, 
 is ele<jant and correct. 
 
 Dr. IMercier published his first works in Paris in 1842. They 
 comprise 'La Rose de Smyrne,' ' L'Erniite de Niagara' and 
 ' Krato.' I shall mention at present only ' L'Ermite de 
 Niagara,'"^ as it may be ranked as a drama, tlie author himself 
 calling it a mystery. 
 
 Pere Daniel, a hermit dwelling among the Tuscaroras, has 
 received in his ajoKpa (his hat) a stranger, Ellfrid, whom he 
 loves as his son. Adina, a young Indian girl, comes every day 
 to visit the good father, and soon love* the white man. She 
 relates with a charming and almost biblical simplicity her first 
 interview widi Kllfrit! : 
 
 Un jour, j'allais puisfi a la source voisine : 
 C'(5tait un jour suixtIk', ct j'allais en cluuUant, 
 Heureuse de I'air frais et d'lui riel eciatant. 
 je ra]HM-i;us a I'onilirc, aupres tie la foutaine, 
 Aussilol je me lais, et j'hesite, incertaine 
 Si je (lois avanccr, niais avanyain toujours. 
 II paraissait pensif: st-s yti.x suivaieni le cours 
 Oe I'eau .\\\\ luiuiuurail a voix plaintive et basse. 
 Eu trenil)lant j'v pl(>u.L;eai uia vide calehasse ; 
 II la ju-il sai.s ricu dire, cl sans rien dire encor, 
 •Sur nia tele 11 la mil pleine jus(|Ues au hord. 
 -Moi, je leve les bras ixjur prendre I'eiiuilihre. 
 INIais lui, voyarU alors (jue je ne suis plus lihre, 
 11 depose un luUNer snr lua |)eaii (|ui brul.iil. 
 
 In the second act, we are introduced to the council of the 
 ciiiefs, where Maktagol, jealous of Adina's lo\e for Ellfrid, 
 excites the Indians .against the |)ale-face. The warriors attack 
 the young man's hut, Init are i-epulsed, and Ellfrid wanders in 
 the night around the cataract. There, he is met by the genius 
 of the h'alls, who, Adamastor-like, addresses him, and exhorts 
 him to go and explore the subterranean palace of the Ri\-er 
 (iod, old Niagara. The young man throws himself in the 
 cataract, and sees at the bottom Niagara and his tributaries. 
 The description of the poet is here very fine : 
 
 II. IJu. Ai.iuiii) Misucii-.u, 
 I'ari.s, 1842, 
 
 1,'Kiniilu de Niiiiiura.' 
 
 121110, 176 |)|i. l.ile- l,;iliitlc 
 
 ' 
 
42 
 
 Alcec Fortier, 
 
 Je ne sais (iiiels rayons (Jolaireiit ce lieu pAfe, 
 Pareils a des reflets d'aurore ljort*ale : 
 On dirait ciu'inie gaze, un cr^piiscule d'or, 
 Tend de plis transparents le i^rofond corridor. 
 
 On his return from Niaji^ara's palace, Ellfrid meets Adina. 
 whose joy, on seeing him ahve, betrays her love. Pere Daniel 
 marries them, and the Indian girls conduct the bride to her hut. 
 During the night, however, the Tuscaroras attack Ellfrid, who 
 is mortally wounded with a poisoned arrow. Adina sucks the 
 blood from the wound, but Ellfrid cannot be sa\ed, and his wile 
 does not sur\'ive him. 
 
 The plot of this mystery is interesting, and the verses are 
 good. As it is the only work of the kind in our literature, I 
 thought necessary to give some details about it. 
 
 The last dramatic work published in book form in Louisiana 
 is a comedy in verse by Dr. C. Delery, ' L'Ecole du Peuple.''? 
 It is a keen satire of carpet-bag nile in our State, and very 
 entertaining to those who ha\'e known the personages who 
 appear on the stage. 
 
 Although but few dramas have been published in Louisiana, 
 many good comedies have been written to be played by 
 amateurs. Judge Alfred Roman and Felix \'oorhies, of St. 
 Martin\ille, have probably been the most successful in these 
 " comedies de salon." 
 
 IV. — POETRV. 
 
 Louisiana, with its romantic history, its stately river, its magnifi- 
 cent forests, its luxuriant vegetation, its numerous bayous oxer- 
 shadowed by secular oak-trees, and its picturesque scenery on 
 the cofist of the ( lulf, seemed to be a fit abode for poets. They 
 were insi)iretl by the climate, by the nature of the country, Ijy 
 patriotism, by the chivalry and bravery of the men, and above 
 all, by die beauty and grace of the women. Our literature, 
 therefore, is ricb in poets, richer perhaps tlun that of any other 
 State. We ha\ e many venses published in Louisiana, and prob- 
 ably more still which their authors ha\ e not given to the pul)lic. 
 Often has the father or the motlier recited touching lines, which 
 have been treasured l)y the children of the family as most 
 precious legacies, and which were yet to remain imseen by alien 
 eyes. I am familiar with many Creole poets whose works. 
 
 1 
 
 k 
 
 17 Ok. Chas. Dkm'hv, ' L'Ecole du I'uuplf. 
 C;itholii|iie, Xoiivelle-Orl''aiis, 1877, 
 
 I \'ol. ii!!iio. lm|)riiiieriL' ilu I'ropagiitf iir 
 
French fAteraturc in Louisiana. 
 
 43 
 
 ;? 
 
 k 
 
 though unknown to the great world of Hterature, would be read 
 with emotion and pleasure, their themes being the most sacred 
 feelings of humanity. Indeed, the gift of verse seems a not 
 uncommon endowment among a people characterized by so 
 much sensibility and vivacity as our Creoles. Of the poems 
 published by my countrymen, I regret to say that I have not read 
 all. In spite of their merit, the works of Louisianians are now 
 rare in our State, and many of them I have not been able 
 to procure. 
 
 Among our earliest poets is Mr. Tullius St. C^ran, who wrote 
 ' Rien-ou Moi,''^ in 1837, and ' Mil huit cent quatorze et mil huit 
 cent quinze,''9 in 1838, In this author we find a lively imagina- 
 tion and the greatest enthusiasm for his subject. His poetic 
 talent cannot be said to have been of a high order, but his works 
 may be read with interest, as they show a sincere patriotism, 
 and give an idea of the feelings of the time. 
 
 Another work of great local interest is an epic poem in ten 
 cantos by Urbain David, of Cette, a resident of Louisiana. 
 The book, like that of Mr. St. Ceran, was inspired by the glori- 
 ous events of 18 15 and is entitled ' Les Anglais a la Louisiane 
 en 1814 et 1815.'=° The history of Packenham's defeat is related 
 with some force and with many details which must be pleasing 
 to the descendants of the heroes of the battle of New Orleans. 
 
 In 1846, there appeared in New Orleans a poetical journal 
 called ' Le Taenarion.''^' Mr. Felix de Courmont took the 
 satirical pen and wrote several satires which were severely 
 criticized. It is amusing to read the defence of the author ; his 
 replies are sometimes quite correct, but he generally allows him- 
 self to be carried away by his passion, forgetting that it is as 
 natural to be criticized as to be praised. Mr. de Courmont was 
 neither a Juvenal, a Horace, nor a Boileau, and it is with 
 pleasure that we turn from his satires to his minor pieces. 
 ' Le Morne Vert,' ' L'Amour,' ' Le Dernier des Caraibes' are 
 really graceful poems. 
 
 18 Ti-Li.H's St. Ci'han, ' Kicii-oii Moi.' i Vol. 8vo, 194 pp. (!. IJnislt', Noiivclle-Orleans, 
 >837- 
 
 19 Mil huit cent qiiatorzc et Mil liiiit lont qiiinze.' 1 Vol. 8vo, 51 pp. (lanx et Cie, Nou- 
 velle-OrU'ans, 1838. 
 
 2n Urisain David, ' l.e>i .Anglais fi la Louisiaiic en 1S14 et 1S15.' i Vol. litiio, 60 pp. 
 Nmivelle-Orli'ans, 1845. 
 
 21 Ki^Lix UE (JoruMoN 1-, ' l,e Tauiiaiioii.' i Vol. 8vo. (laiLX and Cie., Xmivelle-OrK'ans, 
 1846-47. 
 
44 
 
 Ucce Foriicr, 
 
 •'Les Vagabondes'" by Camille Tliieny, contain?, some 
 charming verses. ' L'Amant tin Corsaire ' begins thus : 
 
 Petit oiseau de rtiur, to! (|iii rcvieiis sans doiitc 
 
 D'lin rixage lointain, 
 Oh ! dis-nioi, n'as-tii |)as renconlrt- sur ta route 
 
 Le svelte brigantin. 
 
 ' Mariquita la Calentin-a ' is a work of touching melancholy ; 
 it speaks of a poor woman, legendary in New Orleans, pursued 
 in the streets by the gamins, and who had once been a beauti- 
 ful Spanish girl : 
 
 Tu parlais de I'amant fiddle, 
 De rEspa^no] qui, chaque soir, 
 Agrafait sa let^ere echelle 
 Aux nuirs vieillis de ton niaiK^ir. 
 
 ' Les Cenelles,'^3 a word which signifies a small berry, is a 
 collection of poems v/hich are of some merit. The authors are 
 V^alcour, Boise, Dalcour, Dauphin, Desbrosses, Lanusse, 
 Liotau, Riquet, St. Pierre, Thierry, and Victor Sejour, whose 
 work ' Le Retour de Napoleon ' was favorably received in France. 
 
 Mr. Constant Lepouze,--* a Frenchman residing in Louisiana 
 for twenty years, may be considered one of our most correct 
 and classical j)oets; he translated beautifully the odes of Horace 
 and his ninth satire, ' Le Facheux.' It is to l)e regretted that 
 Mr. Lepouze's translations are so litde known, for the author 
 must have been a remarkable Latin scholar. 
 
 ' Les Lazareennes,-^ ' Fables et Chansons, Poesies Socialcj^' by 
 Joseph Dejacque, is the only work of its kind published in 
 Louisiana, where, I may add, it had \ery little success, although 
 it contains poems of no little literary merit. The author seems 
 to have been a socialist, and in his book attacks the fmiily ties 
 and ijroperty, repeating with emphasis Proudhon's celebrated 
 words: "La jjropriete, c'est le vol." This is the only work 
 lHil)lished in Louisiana which speaks unfavorably of our city 
 and its inhabitants; the others evince a most sincere patriotism. 
 Mr. Dejacque had talent, as can be seen from the following 
 lines: ' D'Esprit Rebelle a Malin Esprit.' 
 
 22 Camii.i.f 'i'HiKKHV, ' V,c^ Vagalxiiulcs . ' I Vnl. 121110. P.iri.s. 
 
 23 * Les Cenclles." i Vol. itimo. Nouvelle-Orlcaiis, 
 
 24 Constant LEPouzf, Pojfties Diverstjs. i Vol. 3vo, 188 pp. linisl.; and Lcsseps. 
 Xouvelle-Orlc'aiis, 1838. 
 
 25 Joseph Di'jacxh'E, ' I,es Lazart'cnus, etc' i Vol. 8vo, 199 pp. J. Lamarre, Non- 
 velle OrU'an-i, 1857. 
 
 \\ 
 
 4^ 
 
 \ 
 
V 
 
 i 
 
 French Literature in Lonisiana. 
 
 45 
 
 11 scmble <]ii'iinc- Ft'f, a litre d'apaiia.ire, 
 A siir \ oils, blond liiliii, seme ses dons d'amour, 
 Qu'elle a d'lm dianiant forme votre visage, 
 Et dt^Tohe vos yeiix ail tendre email dii jour ! 
 
 One dcs plus belles Henrs exprimant les flnides, 
 Kile en fit line arj^ile el modela vos chairs, 
 Oil bieii, — comme Cypris, de ses lan<;es huniides, — 
 Oii'elle voiis a liree, autre perle ! des niers. 
 
 During tjur civil war, Mars and Bcllona, as the poets would 
 say, had chased away Apollo and the Muses, and but one poem, 
 inspired by the war, was produced. It is ' Les Nemesiennes 
 Conltdt-rees'-^^' (1863) by Dr. C. Delery. The work, as was to 
 be expected, is most bitter against the Federals, and stigmatizes 
 Cieneral Butler. 
 
 We have one specimen of didactic poetry in Louisiana, 
 ' Homo, '^7 by Mr. Chas. Oscar Diigue, a well written poem in 
 seven cantos, but which is of Httle interest, and no more read 
 than 'La Religion,' 'La Navigation,' or 'Les Jardins.' Mr. Dugue 
 also published, under the title of 'Lssais Poetiques," a volume of 
 poetry said to be very good. Unfortunately, I could not pro- 
 cure a copy of the work. 
 
 It is with pleasure that, according to the division of my 
 subject, I return t(j Dr. Alfred Mercier's poetical works : ' La 
 Rose de Smyrne '-^ and ' Erato.' The former is a graceful and 
 touching orientale, and relates the love of Hatilda, the Moslem's 
 wife, for :i young and beautiful oiaoiir and the sad fate of the 
 lovers. The introduction of this work is another proof of the 
 intense love of all Louisianians for their State : 
 
 O'dii \ienl done eelte \(iix iiiii nie lra\'erse Tame, 
 
 Cdinnie passe le soir la biise sur la lame ; 
 
 \'a,!.;iie conime le son ([lie soiipire a loni;s trails. 
 
 La liarpe eolienne an militu ties forets ? 
 
 C'est la voix (111 passe, celle voix earessante 
 
 (jiii parle an voyatjeur de la palrie al)sente. 
 
 Une ombre, nn mot, c|ue sais-je, 1111 rien I'eveille en nous, 
 
 Ainsi, tloux soiuenirs, loujours me sui\ re/-voiis ? 
 
 ( 'h 1 mainleiiaul, la.iulis tpie sous ee ciel de brume 
 
 l-ailre mes doi.L;;ts !.;iaces je sens frtiiiir ma plume. 
 
 Sous ce ciel, ofi juillfl est plus froid a Paris 
 
 (Jue lie le lul iamais decembre en nmn pa\s. 
 
 .;6 I)u. C. llKr, 'liv, ' I.4.- "' insVlLinics Cimt', d.ri'cs.' i Vol. 161110. Moliile, 1863. 
 J7 Chas. Osr.,i< llir.r',' loiiio.' 1 Vol, 121110, 205 pp. Paul Oallls, I'avi.-, 1872. 
 28 Dh. Alfuki) Mi.kc n;i;, 'La Rose de Smj-ine.' 'Erato.' lamo, 103 pp. Jules 
 i.aliiUe, I'an's, 184-j. 
 
 \ 
 
46 
 
 A/ct'c Forticr, 
 
 'Erato' is a collection of short poems, of which the best ure 
 'Sur Mer,' 'Patrie' and 'La Lune des P'leurs n la Lcniisiane,' 
 I cannot resist the temptation of giving a few lines of ' Patrie :' 
 
 Aprt^s Iniit ans ecoiili^s dans I'ahsencL-, 
 Je viens revoir le ciel dc nies aicnix : 
 Doii.x S'Uivfiiirs dc nion hL-iireiise fiifance, 
 Apparaissez iiu moiiRMit a iiu-s yi-iix ! 
 Voici nion tleiivc aiix va^Mics soleniiclles : 
 ¥a\ deiiii-liine 11 se courbe en passant, 
 Et la cit^, comme iin aiplon naissant, 
 l\ son llanc gauche ^tend ses jennt'S ailes. 
 * * * * * * 
 
 Apr^s huit ans (?coules dans I'ahsence, 
 Fiddle oiseau je reviens fi nion nid ; 
 Le souvenir vaut jiarfois I'esp^rance : 
 C'est un doux songe ou I'anie rajeunil. 
 
 Scarron, the first husband of Mme. de Maintenon, whose sole 
 title to a pension was to be " le malade de la reine," found the 
 time, in spite of his sufterings, to write ' L'Eneide Travestie ' 
 and to ridicule the heroes of antiquity. His was not a touching 
 note, and the song of his poetic lyre had no pathos. If his 
 body was affected, his mind did not seem to suffer, very differ- 
 ent in this from Gilbert and Millevoye, whose beautiful elegies 
 one cannot read without being deeply moved. Louisiana had 
 her Gilbert, her Millevoye ; his talent was of the highest order, 
 and his tender and melancholy A'erses can well be compared to 
 ' Le Poete Mourant ' and ' La Chute dcs Feuilles.' It was in 
 1841 that Alexandre Latil published his ' Ephemeres, Elssais 
 Poetiques.'=9 The author was an in\'alid and a prey to an 
 incurable disease, and his poems are a lamentation and a prayer. 
 Very often did the pen fall from the weak hand, while from the 
 heart were surging his rhythmical complaints. The preface to 
 the work is exceedingly well written ; it is a protest against the 
 modern school and, at the same time, an affectionate dedication 
 of his verses to his countrymen. The book was well received 
 in Louisiana, and Alexandre Latil's name will be long remem- 
 bered as that of our most symphathetic poet. Among the 
 ' Ephemeres,' I have noticed 'Amour et Douleur," ' Deception 
 et Tristesse,' ' Desenchantement,' 'A mon Grand -pere,' and 'A 
 mon Pere et a ma Mere,' the dirge of the jxiet: 
 
 '' 
 
 1 
 
 29 Ai.F.XANDHE r.ATii,, ' [.cs Kjilu'incTes, Essais I'outiques.' 
 Moret, Xo\ivelle-Orlc;uis, 1814. 
 
 1 \'ol. 8vo, 198 p; . Aliretl 
 
Jtiiii/i Lite rat It re in Loidsiaiia. 
 
 47 
 
 
 ^' 
 
 -^. 
 
 F.ncoiv iin ckTiiitr cliant, v\ ma lyre c'plicmtiv 
 SV'chappt.' (k- UK'S mains, ct s't'liiiit tii cc jour, 
 IMais (|\ii' CL'S sous moiiraiits, o mou ikti', ma mt-wt ! 
 ^>oit;iU fxliak's pour vous, ohjcts cU- mou amour. 
 1 )(-■ i:i'l liymnc d'adiiii si la uoti' ])lainti\i' 
 S'envok- IristfUU'Ut pour ut- plus rcM-nir, 
 Vous lie roul)lirt-z |)as; \u\w oreijic altculivi- 
 I/empri-iiidra pour Jamais daus voire souxcuir. 
 
 * * I: * ;•: ^- j|! 
 
 J-k'las ! si du tomJHau pcrvant I't'lroit uspace, 
 
 l\Ion uom pouvait, un jour, vok-r a Tavc'iiir, 
 
 il irait, parcoin-ant sa luuiimnisf trace. 
 
 De \()s douces vcrtus graver \v souvenir. 
 
 J)ans sou sillon de j;loire ."i travers tons Ics a,i;es, 
 
 .1! i>arit'rail de vous ;iu.\ Ltres ^'iiereux ; 
 
 ]1 leur dirait comljien fureiit nobles et sat;es 
 
 Les sentiments di\i-rs de vos coeurs verlueux. . . 
 
 iNIais non ! le faibie accord dc ma lyre i)laiini\e 
 
 lv\pire autour de moi ,saus |)roduire d'echos. 
 
 Ainsi soupire et meurl la hrise Uij;ilive 
 
 (Jui d'lm lac azure vieut ciresser les Hots. 
 
 All! si raCfretix oul)li d;ms son liuceul immense 
 
 I'-usevelit hieiilot et mou uom et mes \crs, 
 
 Je conserve, du luoius, la loiicliauie esperauce 
 
 On'ils seront a \ os coeius loujours presents et chers. 
 
 One of our most [jroliljc writer.s is Dr. Clias. 'I'esttit ;>' he tried 
 ])oeiiy and prose, l)iit lias a mn-ater reiiutatioii ;ls a ])oet than as 
 a noxelist. His small \ohiiiu, 'Les Lchos,' contains maiiv 
 pieces written ill all kinds of rhythnis. One can see that the 
 author is a thoroii.yli master ol' \ tirsiiicaiioii. and whether he 
 tries the Ale.\;mdfine, or the short verse, even the fonr toot 
 \ erse, his ])(X'trv is always con-ect and iiattiral, and tlie rhymes 
 are remarkaMy rich. Dr. Testut is a strikin-.;- example of the 
 Heiifrally imsnrcesstiil practical lile of a jjoet ; he is now (piite 
 'lid, and altlious^h he has wiiiten many \()lmne-s and been iinich 
 admired, he is now, after liftv years residiiice in New Orleans. 
 ill a position to which a man of his talent should not ha\-e been 
 rediu-ed. His jjoems aw i^raceful and iisn.illy savl, ,ind his sub- 
 jects are ])rincipally meditations or descri])tioiis of touchiiio 
 domestic scenes. His \ erses to l.atil ari' amony his finest, and 
 also • l.a 1 )ciniere I b-m e <hi Coiidair.ne,' ' Le ]inw des Morts ' 
 and •.\u\ jeuiu's billes,' iVom which I take the U 
 
 toiiDwnn. 
 
 lines : 
 
 3o^l)i;.eiiA^ TusTii, ■ I..-S Kill..-.' 1 Vol. ijiiu), 204 pp. n,.MtriiliLr. X.,iivellcOilra.i 
 1849! 
 
t 
 
 48 . l/ci'i- Forlicr, 
 
 Si voiis savit'z (|ir1 r(^-v(.', 6 jciincs filles. 
 Nous JL'ttf iiti coc'iir votrt; re,q;:ir(l si doux ; 
 Conime souvcnt, mi hriiit cle vos ni;iiitiilt.'s, 
 Nous tonilierioiis iiuu'ls a vos j^a-noux ! 
 Si \()us saviez, i|Uaiui votrf front balaiux' 
 Les .-.oiiyes d'or caclit'S dans votre oeil noir, 
 Quels cliants il'aiiionr tout rtmplis dVspt'rance 
 Nous conlions a la i)i"is(_' (\\\ soir. . . 
 Si vous saxiez i-omniu, an front dt-s jioL'tes, 
 \'os lifaiix nonis d'anj^e allumeiit dus rayons ; 
 Coninif nos voix a vous chanter sont pretes, 
 Coniine pour vous, loin ties yt-ux, rtous prions ! 
 Nos premiers ciiants, notre premier delire 
 X'iennent de vous conmie I'air \ient des cieux ; 
 Et des doux sons (ju'exiiak noire Ivre, 
 Nous \-ous di'vons les plus liarmonitnix. 
 
 In our Creole population, many ladies write I' rench admirably, 
 but throutih a mistaken sense of modesty, their works have not 
 been published. It was not possible, however, in tlie nineteenth 
 century, where women, in Kurope anil in America, ha\e shown 
 themselves ecpial to men in mental ability, that no poetical 
 work written bv a woman should be published bv a Louisiana 
 lady. It is, therefore, with the orcatest pleasure tliat I read 
 ' I'ne couronne Blanche, Roman poetiqiie,' bj' Mrs. Emilie 
 Evershed.'' Don Fernand de Meres, after a life of dissipation, 
 marries a very youni^ ';irl whom he lo\es, but who'-.i his je.dousy 
 renders unhappy. A child is born, and is the consolation ol 
 the countess ; t'\t'ry day, o\'er the little cradle a white wreath is 
 placed, emblem of innocence and pietw The intancy of the 
 child is beautifully described, and we look with joy ;it tlu' little 
 thinj^', when she tries her first ste|)s, and when she f»ndly 
 caresses her mother. One day, a littU' .i_;irl knocks at the yate 
 of the palace; her nanu- is Rosita, and she is lilind She 
 pronounces the word Dolora and holds a ])icture in her ha.nd. 
 The countess understands the sad story : on her de.ath bed, 
 Dolora, the \ictiin, sends her child tu her lather. The injured 
 wile pardons the i^niltv IiusIkuuI and receives Ro'sita .is her 
 daui;hter. .She and lliancha are broU'^ht nj) toi^ether, l)Ut when 
 the white wreath is placed on IJianca's t'orehead for her first 
 communion she dies, and "la loiu^onne lilanche " is deposited 
 on her tomb. Is not this plot of . romance simple and i)oetic, 
 
 k 
 
 31 Mmi".. Kmii.ii: 1'.\ i;i;sHi 1), 
 i'aiis, 1S59. 
 
 ' I'lic e'uiiroiinc lll;im;!'.c.' i \'ul. S\ u. 2fi3 pp, H. llos ange. 
 
i 
 
 7 
 
 Froult /.itcnt/inr in /.oiiisiaiia. 
 
 49 
 
 and ill) \vt' not recf)};nizt' the di'licaU' toiicli of a woman in thosi- 
 clianiiiiii; i)ictuixs ? 
 
 (Ju.md Jc 111- pKiirc plus jo vols ccs jours lieuruux 
 
 ( )ii \i- pouvais l)aisi-r tcs cluTs jx'lits picils roses, 
 V.\ Ws ptlilcs uiaiiis, tt tcs lev res mi-closfs ; 
 I'lnV'uillc- en souvenir Ions ces Mens pr<;'eieiix ! 
 
 I'arfois je reve eiuor les prtinieres caresses, 
 I",l tes premiers haisers, et puis tes jHtits liras 
 
 S'altaclianl a nion cou je suis les premiers pas! 
 
 Mais pour res hiius perdus. je n'ai i|ue nus tristesses. 
 ICsl-ce done tiniruuinr, 1 )i( ii (|ui bristz inon coeur? 
 \'ous me I'aviez domiee el \(ius I'ave/ reprise 
 Ma douce lleur du del, pur souilK- de la laise : 
 Est-ce done niurinurir un lon,^ cri de doukar? 
 
 ' Les Epaxcs, par I'n Ldiilsianais,"'' a xoluine larj^e aiui well 
 hound, published in 1S47, is now before me. Accordinij to the 
 editors, the manuscript was found in a trunk saved irom the 
 wreck of " I'liecla,"' a steandjoat on the .Mississipi)i river. 
 Although a well known Louisianian was supposed to be the 
 author, the name of the poet was ne\er positively ascertained. 
 
 The work com[)rises many poems written in a lively and witty 
 manner, but what is of j^reater interest than the original verses 
 of " Un Louisianais " is his translation of the epigrams of 
 Martial, which may be Ciimi)ared to Le])ouze"s translation ot 
 Horace, mentioned above. 
 
 We now see the names of two brothers mor<' widely known 
 outside of Louisiana than any other of our .poets: l)omini(jue 
 antl Adrien Rouquette.3-' To them may truly be api)lied the 
 " i)oeta nascitur, non lit." l'"ro;n their earliest youth, they held 
 in their hands the lute and the lyre, and in old age, the 
 language of poetry st-ems to be nalm-al to them. Only yester- 
 day, I met Dominiipie Roncpiette and, on my asking him a lew 
 (piestions .about his works, he began reciting with the tire and 
 enthusiasm of a )oung man some ot his taxonte verses, and 1 
 could not help admiring the old i)ard's real love for his art. 
 Poetry v,as a passion in the two brothers, and both lun e written 
 many poems. iiorn in Louisiana, they were educated m 
 I'~rance, in the old Armorica, the land of drmdical legends, 
 where everything recalled poetical souvenirs. On their return 
 
 52 ' Les I'.pavi.-, par I'm l.ciui^.i.uiais.' r Vol. 8vi), 388 pp. H. I'.u^sanjii;, I'ari;-, 1H47. 
 
 J3 I)(iMiNii,)ii' K(irvii-i'ii:, ' I-l"^ Mcsi.hactbi;L'i;:ies.' 1 \'i'l. i^'nui, 159pp. I'^iris, iSjS. 
 
 ' Klciirs a'Aiiu'iiipic.' I Vi.l. 8v(>, 303 pp. H . -M riiliLi, Nc.uv.;!!.; Orleans, 1859. 
 
50 
 
 ■llctf Fortiir, 
 
 . 1 
 
 to their native State, they H\c(l in solitary Hoiifoiica, in thr 
 iiia^nititent pine forests watered by those romantic rivnlets, tht- 
 Tchefuncte, llie Hoj^ue-Falaya and Bayou Laeonihe. Around 
 tlieni were thi' remnants of the Chactas, the faitht'ul alhes of thi- 
 l-'renclj ; and in the wigwams of the huHans, the brothers use<l 
 to sit to smoke the cahunet with the iliiefs, or to look at the 
 silent squaws skillfully weaving the wicker baskets which they 
 were to sell the next morning at the noisy " Marclu' l'"ran(;ais." 
 It is thus that Adrien and Dominique Rouquette learned how- 
 to love nature and solituile, and that they were impregnated 
 with the sentiment of jjoetry. When they write about the 
 prairies, and the forests and the Indians, their descriptions are 
 most realistic, and it seems to us that we see the graceful 
 Chactas girl in her canoe or swimming in the linq)id waters of 
 the bay<nis, that we hear the cry of the whip-poor-will, and that 
 we are [)ermeated with the perfume of the melc~ ■, of the />ois- 
 forf and of the resinous ])ine tree. 
 
 We may perhaps regret that the i)rothers Rouquette did not 
 vary their themes a litde more, but»their [)oems have '' un gout 
 du tcrroir'^ which cannot fail to be appreciated. 
 
 Doniini([ue Roucpiette's first work was ' Les Meschacebeen- 
 nes' published in 1M3S. Fie published also in 1S57 a large 
 volume ' Meurs d'Americpie," I shall cpiote only a few lines of 
 the latter : 
 
 r 
 
 f 
 
 (-(•: sotK. 
 
 \)C-]\\ (laiis lis buissDiis dort la i;ri\e bAlarde r 
 
 I, a \()ix (111 hiiclH'i'oii, ([ui dans Ics hois s'.utarck-. 
 
 .\ travt-rs les grands pins si/ fail fiUi-iulii- an loin ; 
 
 Aiix hofufs liliri's (111 j(iu,n as ant iloniii' \u toiii, 
 
 .Sillhtnl unc cliaiisoii, li- cliarrctii-r rf,na,!i;nt' 
 
 Sa (•al)ani- oil I atleiui iiiii- noiri' lonipagnf, 
 
 \-A fume tacitiiriR", accroui)! siir im banc, 
 
 Sa jiipe, aux Ionics rt-lli'ts du mt'-lezf tlamhant. 
 
 Loin (If riiiimiili- ahri di-s Joins iiu'illi' abaiuloniiL-, 
 
 La moiisti(iiii- partoiit el \(tlliij;e et boiiidoniic, 
 
 V'.X iioctiiriU' taurcaii caclu' dans It- linidii, 
 
 La .s^ri-nouilU- liox ini- ciiflf uii raiuiiii' poinnoii. . . . 
 
 I'll silence iniposaiit ct tonnidablf plane 
 
 Sur les eaiix, la toiet et la noire savaiie ; 
 
 L.i unit, connne I'lipas, sons line ombre de iiiort. 
 
 Senil)le com rir an loin la terre (|ui s'endort. 
 
 Adrien Rouquette is ;i jiriest : his principal work is ' Les 
 
In I )i(li /.ifrtiiUn f in f.oiiisiana. 
 
 51 
 
 SavaiH'S,'" a hunk dI pociiis mi Louisiana sul)jt.'cts. He has also 
 vviitti'ii ' rAntoiiiadc on la Sdlitiidc a\fc Dini,''^ aloii)^' eremitic 
 jjiniu liom ul)i(li I take llic totluw ins^ patriotic lines: 
 
 .Xiiu'riinir, I'l |»;iiri<' I Anu'iii|iiu, o m,\ nu'Ti- 1 
 
 S'il est nil (if ti'S Ills assi'/ l.'iclu' ct \ iilj;aii'f, 
 
 I'niii- t'tiUciKlii' od'i'iisir v\ pour {(■ rcnier,, 
 
 Sciil sans plcnis, sans rc<4ri'ls, (iii'i! nunrc tont I'litifr! 
 
 (Jno son noin i-tt'act' ilcs paj^fs dc riiistoiif, 
 
 ICffacL- dc toni ccicur ot dc loutr iiK'nioirf, 
 
 I'jiIoiik' (ill lincciil d'liii ('icrni'l oiilili, 
 
 Dans la luiil dn loiiilxaii (lcs( I'luk* (.'nscvt'li ! 
 
 'riie tollowini; rxtiaet tVoin ' Ics Sa\ anes * is \v\y tine: 
 
 f 
 
 I. AKitKi; in:s ciiaitas. 
 
 f't'lait nn arhrc immense ; arlirc aiis rameaMx sans nombre, 
 IJni siir tout ini dt'serl projetait sa f^randi' onil)rc. 
 .Sfs lacint'S, pion^eanl dans un soi sal)l()iin(.nx, 
 Rejaiilissaicnt partoul, boas anx niiile iKHiids; 
 I".t, se j^onilant a I'oeil, comme d't-nornus vcines, 
 < )ii eut (lit d'lm liaiit-imrd les caliles et les iliaines. 
 Arhrc inmieitse et ij.('ant. les arlires ks plus hauls 
 A sou pied s'inclinaieiil comme des arbrisseanx. 
 Deployant dans les cieiix sa \aste el noire cime, 
 11 s'y plaisail anx chocs (|Ue ronra,!;an imi)rinie. 
 De sa cir(dnt('rence emlirassant riiori/oii, 
 Sons son (h'liiU' sonore, i-n I'aKlenle saison, 
 
 II poiuait aliriler, eiidormis sui les lierl"-s, 
 
 Tout le peuple cliactas et ses tronpeaiix snperhes. 
 
 ^ iK :>,: -.l! >i: !j! :;; 
 
 Puis, antour di' cet arhre, arhre aux rameaux immenses, 
 \'oltij;eaienl (dlii)ris, aux changiantes nuances ; 
 I'apes \iTts, iieais d'aziir, llamiiovants cardinaiix, 
 Nuai^es d'ois(.'anx hlaiics et de imirs (r'lonrneanx 
 l".t leiirs plumes semhlaient dYhlonissantes pierres ! 
 
 III Tailzie, en les xoyaiit, eut t)aiss(:' les i)aui)i(>res ! . . . . 
 
 ;;: .■;: :■;: * -J,: * * 
 
 ICli hieii I cet arhre-roi, ce jL^eant des fortl'ts, 
 
 Cetle arclie, celU- t'chelle anx inliuis dej;rt's, 
 
 I'll liomnie aux muscles ("oris, un luniime a rude tache. 
 
 Siianl (U's mois Liitiers, rahatlit de s,i hache ! 
 
 II I'ahattii eiilni ; et puis, s'assit content; 
 
 Car, dans I'arhre, il xoyait (|Uel(|Ues jiieces d'arnent ! 
 
 ji AiiHiiix Koi'ijiKii 1;, ' l,fs Savuiics.' i \ .)!. iimi), 306 pii. Jules l.uhiitc, I'ari' 
 Alfred Miirol, NollvcJK'l IlK'alis, 1H41. 
 
 35 , ' L'Amoiiiailc.' 1 Vol. iivu. 1,. Marcliainl, N'ouvclle-(Jrk-aiis, i860. 
 
ja ' if'i''' f'orticr, 
 
 Mais si tii Ins viiiiKjiiLiir ilf I'arlur (Its Cliaclas. 
 Im|)ir, il v\\ est un (|iit' lit n'abattras pas; 
 I'll arhrc liirii plus haul, hicii plus fort, fl doiit runilm- 
 C'DUVif I'lakii si Irais rt rnnivcrs si somhn-. 
 Kt Cft arldi.' est celiii «|U(; Dicu iikiiu- planta, 
 I.'arliif saint iK' la Cmix ; raihrc du ( 1011,^.11^1 ; 
 I.'aihiv (pK- riiDiinnc 111 vain f'lappf aussi ilc sa liai hi' , 
 II Iv frappt- i-n t^us points, it riin iif s'cn drtailu' ; 
 Kicn ; car rarbn- tonjuurs, -i.iranlfsipu , I'trrnt-I. 
 S't'laiici;, ft va st' pcrdir anx aliinu.'s du cii'l ! 
 
 VV'c had also in l-taiisi;iii.i, Ijusiilus the aiithor.s whom I h;i\i 
 nuiitionc'd, sonu' i)octs whose works I could not proctirc, anions 
 whom ari' AK-xandro Bardi', Duperroii, (iuirot, ar.d Calonj-nc. 
 In the ditfcrcnt poems whiv:h I have read their names are men- 
 tioned ([iiite favorably ; Mr. Harde seems to have been the best. 
 
 Oi the poets whose works hive not been published, Anatok 
 Cousin, Valerien Allain and Euphemon La Hranche were the 
 most popular. 
 
 In speakinij of oiu- Louisiana authors, I do not refer to those 
 who have left our State, .such as Albert Delpil, llem-j Vionauil. 
 and Mme. llelene AUain. 
 
 In cmulndino this review of oiu" poets, I think 'hat it can 
 truly be said that a selection of thiir works would compare 
 faNorablv with those of many authors, whose rejuitation is 
 
 much yfeater. 
 
 \'.— No\i;i.s. 
 
 It is extraordinary that with her romantic history our State 
 did not produce more works of fiction. The romances ot 
 Louisiana have not yet been vritten in prose, although our 
 poetic .scenery has i.'spired many a songster. We have, how- 
 ever, a few novelists, whose success should have encouraged 
 others to follow their example. 
 
 1 have ri'ad two novels of Dr. C. 'I\'stut : ' Le \\ ■. 
 Salomon '5'^ and • Les Filles di- Monte Cristo." The toniier is 
 intended to reiiresent scenes of plantation life, and was written 
 in KS58, but i)ublished only in 1S73. It is to be reijretted that 
 die author, in his pity for the institution of .slavery, should have 
 introduced :n !,>- work a [ilanter worthy of Mrs. Beecher 
 
 36 Uk. C. 'I'l. Sit • ■ A ■ :.:.\ Salninoii.' i Vol. 410, 176 j.p. N'.iivcllo-Orli'aiis, 1S7J. 
 ' Lcs Flllcs ■•■; >;.'Mi<:-Crist;..' I'amplilct lorin. Kvc, 520 pp. iniprinipri.; CoMncipdliti-. 
 Notivcllc-Orlt-.Tiis. 1876. 
 
 t 
 
 t 
 
Fruit fi l.itrratiirc in Louisiana. 
 
 53 
 
 + 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 T 
 
 Stowc's I^i'^rc'c, prcsL'titinLr tlms as a tvpt' what was really an 
 exception, a planter rrnel to his slaves. 
 
 ' I.es I'iJli's (!' Monte Cristo' is a continuation of Dumas' 
 admirable I'pic, aii<l has a nioral purpose. In the orij^inal novel. 
 Dantes tiie millionaire, appi-ars as inexorable as fate, and 
 piniishes sternly and without pity, rewarding sometimes, but 
 those always who h.id been ■itood to ilu- poor sailor boy. In the 
 seepiel, Monte Cristo devotes his inunense fortune to ai(lin,y ail 
 who arc unh.ippy. I lavinj^f lost Ilaydce, he returns to France, 
 after an absence of twenty years, with his daui^hters, Mcrces 
 and ("leinma. On nieetinii bi^ Mercedes, his old passicm 
 returns, and the beautiful dUalanc becomes his wife. Sur- 
 rounded and assisted by all thost; whom he had saved formerly, 
 Dantes now forms.in association ofwhich the aim will be t(dook for 
 misery and relieve the unfortunates. Merces anil (iemma, from 
 fear ol bein.^; loved for their money, live as ouvri^rcs for some 
 time and are married to two deserving; youni^ men. They and 
 their husb.inds help Monte Cristo in his threat undertakin.t;-, and 
 every day some wretch is reconciled t.) I lie. At la.st, Mercedes 
 dies, and the count soon follows to the ,14 rave his adored one. 
 Their bodies are coiucyed to the isle of Monte Cristo, and the 
 filial piety of the daughters transforms into a blooming oasis 
 the harren rock, wheie had landi'd, so ni.my ye.ars before, the 
 vscaptd prisoner of the "Chateau i.\'\{'' 
 
 One can see in Dr. Testut's book a i^enerous idea ;ind an 
 ardent lovi' for cNerythin.n- i^ood aii<l true, and many incredible 
 e\-ents and \ isioniry "deas may be pardoned when one remem- 
 bers that thi' author was inspired by a i^enuine philanthropy. 
 
 Mme. .S. de la Houssaye,-? of the .\tlakapas, a member of one 
 of our oldest faniikes, is another of f)ur lady writers. She h;is 
 published se\eral no\'els in the ])apers of her ])arisli, and she i.s 
 said to be ])re[)arin,i; for a Paris editor a work on Louisiana, lor 
 which she is well (jualified on account of hi^r li\ el\- imagination 
 and her numerous family traditions. Her most interesliui; 
 novel is ' I.e Mari de .Mart;uerile,' published in " TAbeille de la 
 Xi>ii\elle-( )rK'ans "' in i.SS^, as a faiilletou. It is the story of a 
 spoilt and ,ain \'irt;inia ;^'rl. proud ks{ her L;randfather"s 
 plantation and I'ortune, and dreaming; only of heroes of romance. 
 Slit.- discards her cousin and intended liusliand at the siL;ht of a 
 
 37 .Mmi:. S, 111: la HorssAvr.. 
 1883. 
 
 ' I.I.- -M.iri ill- .M.ir.^uerile.' .\h,-Ul,- ile l.i X();ivelle-<)rl an 
 
54 
 
 AIccc Forticr, 
 
 handsonu' 111:111, and abuuloiv- Iht Ikhvc to follow liiiii to Xrw 
 England. Very soon, however, she regrets the luxury ot her 
 \'irginia life and treats her husband uk st unkindly. Tlie great 
 civil war breaks out, and Win. dray is reported to \\\\\v be(?n 
 killed. Then begins the punishment of .Margu-rite : lur graiid- 
 tatlier dies in a battles and she loses her fortune. Reduced to 
 pox'erty. the frail southern girl, like so many noble women, 
 sliovvs an indomitable energy, finally becoming a governess. 
 Her husband returns uncler an assumed nanu- and ret"ses to 
 recognize her ; he is at last touched by her lo\e and sorrow, 
 and they both live happi]\- in the old family mansion reco\ ered 
 from the Federals. 
 
 The story is (juite romantic, and itie style is good. 
 
 Father Rouqiiette published in 1S79, ' La Xou\elIe .Atala,'-^'^ 
 an Indian legend. The work is adniir.il)l\' written, and niu' can 
 see the great entliusi.ism of the author tor his subjert. As in 
 TAntoniade,' father Rouciuette si)eaks of solitary life, and e.xalts 
 the sacriiice of a young girl who leaxes the world to li\e in 
 a forest. The descriptions of nature are \ery poetic, and 
 Cliatah-Ima's Atala is no unworthy sister of Cliateaul)riandVs. 
 
 Dr. Alfred Mercier's first work of fiction, ' Le Fou de 
 ralernie,''9 is a novelett(.', in which is related a touching lo\e 
 story. The plot is very simple, but at the same lime ,ittracti\e. 
 
 •La ImIIc du I'retre ' is a work of great philosophy; the 
 author attacks the celibacy of priests with as nuici, vehemence 
 as (ieorge .Sand had .ittacked confession in ' .Mademoisc'lle de sa 
 Ouintinie." The no\ el is ilixided int(j three parts: " Fausse 
 Route, {■■\piation, Rc'habilitatiou." .A young man, Tlieotiice 
 de Ke-rmarec, is forced into the jiriesthood by his jjarents, and. 
 shorlh- after, succumbs to his passions. His \ictim. |e.miu' 
 Dubavle, fL'cs from her home, and writes to her lo\er that she 
 is going to die-. Theotiuu', in despair, .ibandons the priesthood, 
 and wants to sacrifice his hie foi- ,1 noble c.uise. the independence 
 of Italy. He joins ( laribaldiV aiiiiy and behaxi's as a hero. 
 After the fill of the kingdom of Xapk'S, he t;d<es part in a 
 rexolt of Poland against Russia, is l.iken prisoner and .-.eiU to 
 
 38.Aiikm:s Knr(.iri<] u-, ' I,;i Nnm ell.j At;il:i .' i \'ol. loiin, i ^S \.\^. I'rcipaLjaleiir Cath- 
 oliiiue. Nt^ti\'L*llL--OrKan>. 1H70. 
 39 Hit. .\i.ii(i:i) Mi:i;( li n,' l-e K..11 .1.. I'akTnic.' i \m1 I'.iiin, 1 |.i i'].. Xmivrllc-O'l, aiis, 
 
 >873- 
 ,'l.a I'ill.j (111 I'rln.' ' \.)l,Sv(>. I mprinicrit: Cisninpuliti', N..mm:11i' Orli'aii- , rS;;. 
 
French Literature in Louisiana. 
 
 55 
 
 Sil)cria. This is Expiation. Rehabilitation must soon follow, 
 lor Theotiine has suffered and his crime has been forgiven. 
 
 Jeanne had not killed herself for while in the act of throwinjj; 
 herself in the Seine, she is saved by maternal love for her un- 
 born Iial)e. She becomes the friend of Louise, a woman who 
 is in the same position as herself, and both go to the hospital, 
 where a young physician, Ludovic, takes the greatest interest in 
 Jeanne. The description of the hospital and the philosophical 
 thoughts insoired by it ha\e merit, and can be compared to the 
 like scene in ' Les Mysteres de Paris.' Jeanne dies and leaves 
 a daughter, Jeannette, who is adopted by Ludovic. 
 
 Many years passed, and P>ance has been vanquished at 
 Sedan, and the Commune has begun its atrocious deeds in Paris. 
 Theotime is a captain in the army of Versailles, when the capital 
 is taken. There is a terrible fight in a cemetery, and Ludovic, 
 Louise and Jeannette' are engaged in it. Theotime saves his 
 daughter without knowing her, and after the war, goes to Italy. 
 He finally finds Jeannette, marries her to Ludovic, and is 
 rehabilitated by paternal love. 
 
 I give the entire plot of Uiis work, because it created cpiite a 
 sensation in New Orleans, where there are so many Catholics. 
 Whether Dr. Mercier was right or wrong in his crusade against 
 celibacy does not concern us ; but we must admit that he 
 handled his lance fearlessly and well. 
 
 ' L'Habitation St. Ybars'+" is a Louisiana story, in which life 
 before the war on a large sui^ir plantation is very v,ell described. 
 Although the work is of great interest as a r.o\'el, it is of still 
 greater importance for the study of philology. Di. Mercier, 
 who is a master of the Negro-French or creole [xitoLs, usi's it, 
 freely in his book and keeps thus an admirable couicur /oca/r. 
 The following t'xtract is reallv charming for its simplicity and 
 truth : 
 
 " Demon, St. Ybars" litde boy, comes into the kitchen with a 
 cage, and Mamrie, the old nur.se, tells him : "Asteur assite la e 
 conte moin coman to fe [)ou tra])e pa]) laic." 
 
 * H; * --): ^- :(; * * Mc * :;; * 
 
 " Demon tcrmina son epopee, en accom])agnant sa parole de 
 grantls ge.stes (jui epouvanterent les oiseaux ; le mille renouxela 
 ses ertbrts pour passer a travers les barreaux de sa prison ; sa 
 
 40 ' l.'llahiUiliuii Si. \ liars,' i Vol. 1211U1, i-'Ji \iy- Kug. Autuiiit, Nuuvflic-Orli'aiis, iSSi. 
 
56 
 
 Alc^e Fortier, 
 
 tete etait en sang. I)6nion le repoussa a I'interieur, en disant 
 avec imj)atience : 
 
 Resle don tranquil, b6te ! 
 
 To bon toi, lui dit Mamrie ; to ote li so la-liberte e to oule li 
 contan. Mo sre voudre oua ya to sre di, si ye te mete toi dan 
 ain lacage conime 5a. 
 
 Mete moin dan ain lacage! s'ecria D«imon siir le ton de la 
 fierte indignee ; mo sre cacr ton, mo sre sorti e mo sre venge 
 moin sur moune laie ki te emprisonnin moin. 
 
 Ah ! ouette, ton 9a ce bon pour la parol, repliqua Mamrie ; 
 si ye te mete toi dan ain bon lacage ave bon baro en fer, to sre 
 pa cace arien ; to sre mete en san, epi comme to sre oua r;a pa 
 ser\i ain brin, to sre eourbe to latete e to sre reste tranquil 
 comme pap la va fe dan eune ou deu jou. 
 
 Non ! repartit Demon, mo sr6 laiss6 moin mouri de faim. 
 (^a ce ain bel reponse, dit Mamrie ; to fier meme ! to pa ain 
 St. Ybars pou arien. 
 
 La malhenreux pape, brise de fiuigue etait affiiisse sur ses 
 pattes ; sa poitrine se gonflait douloureusement ; ses yeux noirs 
 etincelaient de colere. Sa femelle, refugiee dans un coin, 
 taisait entendre de petits cris plaintifs, Apres un moment de 
 silence. Demon dit : 
 
 Mamrie, ga comme fumel la triste. 
 
 Ce pa etonnan, reprit la bonne negresse, lap6 pens6 a so piti ! 
 ye faim, yape pele y(t moman ; m6 moman va pli vini ; c(t 
 lachouette ou keke serpen ka vini e ka mange ye. Demon 
 devint pensif. Tandis que sa nourrice voyait a une chose ou a 
 une autre, il contemplait ses prisonniers. II se leva, et sortit 
 sans rien dire. An bout de quelques minutes, Mamrie le vit 
 rentrer ; son trebuchet etait vide. 
 
 Eben ! dit-elle d'un air etonne, "cote to zozos." Une fausse 
 honte empecha Demon de dire ce qui en etait; il repondit d'unc 
 \-oix mal assuree : " Y6 chape." 
 
 " Y^ chape ? rejjrit Mamrie en secouant la tete, to menti ! mo 
 pari6 to rende ye la liberte. 
 
 " Eben ! ce \ rai, avoua Demon, ce vou faute ; <;a vou di moin 
 su fumel la e so piti te te moin la peine." 
 
 Les yeux de Mamrie se remplirent de larmes ; elle tcndit les 
 bras a Demon en lui montrant toutes ses dents et en disant : 
 
 " Vini icite, celera ! vini mo mange toi tou cru." 
 
 It is a pity that ' THabitation St. Ybars' has not been 
 
 I 
 
 
 I 
 
French Literature in Louisiana. 
 
 57 
 
 \ 
 
 translated into English, for it is a iinich more correct picture of 
 Louisiana life than is to be found in many other works better 
 known outside of our State. 
 
 VI. — MlSCKLLAXEOUS WoRKS. 
 
 Under this tide we may mention a collection of thoughts and 
 maxims of different writers, prepared by L. N. Fouche.-t' It is 
 the only work of its kind published in Louisiana, and contains 
 some maxims of real philosophy. 
 
 ' Les Yankees P\)ndateurs de I'Esclavage aux Etats-Unis et 
 Initiateurs du Droit de .Secession,' by Dr. C. Delery,'*^ was writ- 
 ten like ' les Nemesiennes Confederees ' during the war, and is 
 ot course a party work. 
 
 Not only did father Rouquette write ' I'Antoniade ' and ' la 
 Nouvelle Atala" in which he describes the charms of solitary 
 life, but in 1852 he had produced ' la Thebaide en Amerique ou 
 Apologie de la Vie Solitaire et Contemplative.'-t3 I must admit 
 that, in spite of the numerous quotations from the fathers of the 
 church and the piety of the author, the book had no attractions 
 fur me, and that I found it most dry and uninteresting, and 
 better suited to the monks of the middle ages than to the 
 christians of the nineteenth century. 
 
 ' (iombo Zhebes,' by Mr. Lafcadio Hearn.44 is a dictionary of 
 Creole proverbs selected from six Creole dialects. I have read 
 with pleasure the fifty-one proverbs in our Louisiana patois. 
 The translations in English and in French are very accurate. 
 Major J(^hn Augustin has published in the Times-Democrat^^ 
 some charming Creole songs. 
 
 Our literature for the last ten years is contained almost 
 exclusively in three large volumes, ' Les Comptes-Rendus de 
 I'Athenee Louisianais,'*'^ the journal of a society established in 
 order to encourage the study of the French language and 
 literature. It is almost impossible to mention all the papers 
 
 41 L. y. FoucHft, 'NoMveau Keciieil dc l>en-,a>s.' i Vol. :8mo, 144 pp. Cupo. Xotivell.; 
 
 OrU'ans, iSlia. 
 
 42 l)K. Chak[.ks DKi.ftisY, 'l.es Yankees Fundiiteiirs ile I'Esclavage aux Ktats-Unis et 
 liiitialeiirs chi Droit lie Secession.' 1 Vol. 8vo, 31 pp. Paris, 1864 
 
 43 AnmiiN R(>ui,n'RTTF,, ' La Tlubakle en Aini'riiine.' i Vol. 8vo, 144 pp. H. Nhridier, 
 Nouvelle Orleans, T852. 
 
 44 Lafcadio Hiv\un, • ' '.oniljo Zliibes.' 1 Vol. 8vo, 42 pp. W. 11. Coleman, New 
 
 York, 1885. 
 
 45 John Augustin. 'Creole Songs.' Tiincs-Dcmoirat. 
 
 46 ' Comptes-Rendus de I'Athenee Louisiauais.' i Vol. 4'o. S'S pp. 187U-1S8J. i Vol. 
 3vo, 718 pp. 1882-1884. I Vol. 8vo, 521 pp. 1885-1S86. 
 
58 Alct'c For tier, 
 
 published in the ' Comptes-Rendus.' Many of them are works 
 of great value. I notice in the first volume: ' Chroniques 
 Indiennes,' by Dr. C. Delery. ' Souvenir," a touching Indian 
 story, and 'de Tlnterjection Ha ! Ah !" by Dr. C. Turpin ; 'Ces- 
 sion de la Louisiane a la France' and ' Esquisse biographique de 
 John Rutledge'by Hon. C. Gayarre ; ' Emploi des Torpilles, 
 Batteries blindees, et Canons ray6s a Charleston ' by Gen. Beau- 
 regard ; 'de la Poesie dans I'Histoire et de quelques Problemes 
 sociaux' by Mr. C. Bleton ; 'de I'H diteaspiree" l)y Dr. Du- 
 Ijaquier ; ' La Tarentule ' by Dr. Hava ; ' Etude sur les Eclairs' 
 by Dr. Alfi-ed Mercier, and by the same author an interesting 
 paper on ' la Langue Creole;' ' Elle,' a poem by Mr. J. (lentil. 
 It is with particular pleasure that I mention ' Etude sur Racine ' 
 by Miss Leona Queyrouze, a work of literary criticism which 
 excited the highest opinion of the author's talent. Mr. O. De- 
 bouchel contributes several pretty fables, and Mr. George Des- 
 sommes, many poems, of which ' Geoffroy le Trouliadour' is a 
 charming romance of the times of Chivalry. 
 
 In volume II. of I' Athene c I note Dr. O. Huard's remarkable 
 paper, ' De I'Utilite de la Langue Fran^aise aux Etats-Unis ;' 
 ' Longfellow,' by Jas. S. Hosmer ; ' Un Ancetre de la Sainte 
 Alliance' by Mr. P. V. Bernard; 'Cent huit Ans ' by Mr. B. 
 Rouen ; ' Le Matin,' poesie by Dr. Alf Mercier : and two lec- 
 tures, one classical by Dr. Mercier, ' La Femme dans les Poemes 
 d'Homere,' and one philosophical, ' I'lndulgence,' by Miss 
 Queyrouze. In this volume also, is a poem on La Salle by my 
 dd fither, Mr. Florent Fortier. May it be permitted to his son 
 to inscribe in the ' Transactions ' of our society the \erses oi one 
 who was so dear to him. and who was a true representati\e ot 
 our Creole planters, whom the war had ruined, but who were to 
 the last energetic and noble. 
 
 LA sAi.i.K. (16.S2-1S82). 
 
 Quel fst done cc- lieros, ce fils de raiuicn nioiide, 
 Oui liravaiit la tcmpett.- et la furtur de roiule, 
 Ari,a)naute nouveau, sur des hords iiicomuis, 
 A plant^^ son drapeau ? Deux cents ans revolus 
 L'ont vu s'a.i^enouillant sur la terre etranjiere, 
 (Jlfrir d'aburd a Dieu sa ter\ elite priere, 
 Et prenant du Sauveur le synihole adore 
 L'(?lever vers le ciel daus un concert sacre. 
 Vous I'avez tous uonmie : Ce iK^ros, c'est Lasalle ! 
 
 f 
 
 ) 
 
 t 
 
French Literature in Louisiana. 
 
 59 
 
 f 
 
 \ 
 
 t 
 
 Lasallf, doiit la <;l()ire fst pour nous saus rivale, 
 
 Si le .Sei};ntur cr^'ant uu miracle nouveau, 
 
 Te fesait, aujonrd'liiii, sortir de ton tombeau, 
 
 Ouel sfntiuifut d'orjiueil t;ontlerait ta poitrine, 
 
 Kn voyant k-s hientaits de sa s^race divii . 
 
 Ce fleuve, maljjjre lui, retenu sur ses bords, 
 
 I'aisant pour les briser d'inutiles efforts, 
 
 Donipt^ par !e ,i>(?nie, et i)ortant sur son onde, 
 
 Dans des palais tlottants, tons les tr&ors du monde. 
 
 Ces cit^^s, ces palais, ces ei;iises, ces tours, 
 
 Remplayant le wigwam dispani i)our toujours. 
 
 Et ton nom, pronouc^ dans la langue ch^Tie, 
 
 Par les fils descendants de ta noble [latrie. 
 
 Ce noni ne niourra jias, et tu verras deniain 
 
 Tons les peui)les unis, se tenant par la main, 
 
 Le cceur rempH d'amour, relever sur la plaj^e, 
 
 Cette croix, (jue jadis tu pla(;ais au riva.i;e, . , 
 
 Et qui pourra redire aux peui)les a venir, 
 
 De tils reconnaissants le i)ieux souvenir. 
 
 Volume III. of t'At/unee, like the two others, is quite interest- 
 iiij^-, but I shall note specially: 'les Aheilles ' by Mr. J. J. 
 Martinez; 'la Race Latine en Louisiane ' by Hon. C. Gayarre ; 
 • Influence cl'un grand Caractere en Bien ou en Mai sur la 
 Destinee des Differents Peuples' by Mr. Maxinie Oueyrouze ; 
 'Dante Alighieri,' conference, and 'La Curoe, poesie ' by Dr. 
 Alf. Mcrcier; ' Le Bouvreuil," a story by Dr. C. Turpin ; ' Le 
 Soir, poesie ' by Dr. J. J. Castellanos ; 'Le Talisman de Gerard, 
 nouvelle,' by Mr. Gustave Daussin : 'A ma Soeur ' and 'A ma 
 Pllle, poesies," by Mr. Max. Cousin. xMiss Leona Oueyrouze 
 contributes se\eral poems to this volume, and I think that there 
 is no better way of maintaining the reputation of Louisianians 
 tor chivalry and courtesy to ladies, than liy closing my very 
 long review of our Louisiana authors, by the last work published 
 in the journal of IWtlicncc for 1886, a delightful sonnet by 
 Miss Oueyrou l- : 
 
 SONNKT. 
 
 Reponse au ciuatrain sui\ant de mon \ieil ami. Monsieur 
 
 Anatole Cousin. 
 
 "J'aurais voulu ;.;arder i)oiir voire doux visaye 
 Tons les baisers d'uii autre temps ; 
 lis ne sunt <lesorui,us qu'uue injure a votre aKe, 
 
 Et ne foul i)lus (ju'ouUager le priulemps." A. C. 
 
i^^5« 
 
 - '-Jra.!^ 
 
 60 Aleve fortier. 
 
 "Sous son premier hiiiser le printeiiips (pii sV'vtillf 
 Fait d" sein de I'hivers'^-panoiiir la lleiir ; 
 Ranimant la Nature :\ sa l^vre vermeille, 
 11 lui rend de nouveau la vie et la cUaleur. 
 
 Dans sa coupe enibaumee il distille a I'abeille 
 Un parfuni (pi'elle change en divine licpieur ; 
 Versant I'ardente seve aux doux fruits de la treilk- 
 gui fait veiller I'amour et dorniir la douleur. 
 Sous ton beau front blanchi Taernelle jeunesse 
 I'alpite, et le printemps et toute sa tendresse. 
 Kt I'art te j^arde encor ses plus cliaudes hieurs. 
 Toujours t'aime la muse, amoureuse innnortelle ; 
 Quand s'incline ton front, ee n'est pas sous les i)leurs, 
 Mais c'est pour ecouter cette amante fidele." 
 
 •Receive, ladies and gentlemen, my sincere thanks for your 
 kindness in listening to this lengthy paper. The pages which 
 I have read to you are the results of several months labor. Let 
 me hope that my toil has not been in vain, and that you will 
 carry to your homes the idea that the great Latin race has n..t 
 degenerated in Louisiana, the old colony of two noble countJies. 
 France and Spain. 
 
I 
 
 
 i