Greenwood School - Tree Yearbook (Ruxton, MD)

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But perhaps some other members of the class may like better the passionate lines of Ma1'celine Desberdes Valmore: N'ecris pas! Je suis triste et je voudrais m'eteindre Les beaux etes sans toi c'est l'amour sans flambeau. However, no matter what is our favorite poem, I am sure that the Whole class will join with me in saying that the study of French poetry is the most interesting and delightful course given in the senior year. M. G. MACHEN, 737 U -a Y .5 .5 , ., 'f'-1' 4.21-:TE , .. --'- - 1-iii -5. ' ' . Hy- ' 691 r iffffl?-'-2P'5:fx1iv- ' ' fi .. ' 'T ii i if-tiki, '.r.I ,A . ,, wg. g..:5':j.,,?25 ' L-Egqgj' Xi: -132' ,-iw 5 X ff if f 4 gg Q ll ,J :I 4 i 5 i y A Aj 1, . Q13 -as J -355' B11 ' ' I .fi M- ' eefsf-1 ,543---+'c t I ' 'f--:.r't 1'- V -f--.J s. l ' ' - t .. Q , waz: if,-2 , . , fs. if - -' - - f ff? - -A fzrlhwnzurlilm if R' y , 2 e J ' - 41111111111 - , I : . , ' - s 9 as vufzfzlurruzznnnlflillim an , - .. xl-A, - V' L Page Thirty-'ifve L

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A PROPOS DES VERS FRANQAIS es. I f , X f F you should chance to open the door of the French room around half I past twelve some Monday morning you would probably hear Class VI Q Q 2 E reading French poetry. l l . Charles Sarola in his introduction to Petit dnthologie des Poktes Fnmgais, says of French classical poetry, c'Aucune litterature n'a ete condamnee avec plus d' injustice par le critique etrangere, entr'autre par les Lessing et les Coleridge et ils ne voient que rhetorique et artihce, convention et tyrannief' Since such a great English critic as Coleridge has so maintained, it is rather daring of Class VI, Greenwood School, to disagree. Yet we certainly found French classical poetry far more stimulating than if it had been mere Urhetorique et convention. Moreover, as M. Sarola pointed out, and Class VI discovered, French classical poetry, although unquestionably formal and restricted as to subject matter has a stately beauty of form and expression that much modern poetry completely lacks. Take for instance the following lines by Chenier: Salut 6 belle nuit, etincelante et sombre, Consacree au reposl 0 silence de l'ombre, Qui n'entends que la voix de mes vers et les cris q De la rive areneuse oil se brise Tethysl As for the restricted subject matter, I am not so sure that it was not a good thing. Poets are so fond nowadays of saying something original that they sometimes forget they are writing poetry or expressing ideas. In the French classical period when nearly every poem was about either love, history, or religion, more attention was paid to meter, verse form, and choice of words. It is almost impossible to say which one of all the poets we studied is our favorite, but I for one found De Musset the most interesting. His poetry covers the entire field of subjects then in vogue. I like especially some of his love poems. Quand le sommeil sur ta famille Autour de toi s'est repandu 0 Pepita, charmante fille Mon amour at quoi penses-tu? Page Thirty-four -iw f .-- .,

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,- V .' f, , -' This book plate was designed by lVIary-Elizabeth Campbell especially to be put in the books given to the school by the Alumnae Association. YVe wish to express our gratitude to the alumnae for the numerous books they have given us, the first of which was a beautiful edition of the collected poems of Rupert Brooke. Pave Tllirfy-six O V