FOOTNOTES:[1]Published posthumously. “Stendhal” died in 1842.[2]The towers of a palace at Granada.[3]An expression which the Mussulmans have constantly in their mouths, and apply to almost every event in their lives.[4]This inscription, as well as several others, is still existing. It is needless to say that I wrote this description of the Alhambra on the spot.[5]The public is already acquainted with this romance. I composed the words for an air of the mountains of Auvergne, remarkable for its sweetness and simplicity.[6]In crossing the mountainous country between Algeciras and Cadiz, I halted at aventasituated in the midst of a wood. I found there only a little boy of fourteen or fifteen, and a little girl of nearly the same age, brother and sister, who were sitting by the fireside and twisting mats. They sang a romance, the words of which I did not understand, but the air was simple and naïve. The weather was dreadfully stormy, and I remained two hours at theventa. My juvenile hosts repeated so frequently the couplets of their romance, that it was easy for me to get the air by heart. To this air I composed the romance of the Abencerrage. Perhaps Aben-Hamet was mentioned in the romance of my two little Spaniards. I may add that the dialogue of Granada and the king of Leon is imitated from a Spanish romance.[7]All the world knows the air of theFollies of Spain. This air had no words, at least none which expressed its grave, religious and chivalrous character. This character I have endeavoured to give in the romance of the Cid. This romance, having got into the hands of the public without my consent, some celebrated masters did me the honour to set it to music. But, as I had expressly composed it for the air of theFollies of Spain, one of the couplets becomes complete nonsense, unless, reference is had to my original intention.My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.In short, these three romances have little other merit than their adaptation to three old airs of undoubted nationality: besides this, they bring on thedénouementof the story.
FOOTNOTES:[1]Published posthumously. “Stendhal” died in 1842.[2]The towers of a palace at Granada.[3]An expression which the Mussulmans have constantly in their mouths, and apply to almost every event in their lives.[4]This inscription, as well as several others, is still existing. It is needless to say that I wrote this description of the Alhambra on the spot.[5]The public is already acquainted with this romance. I composed the words for an air of the mountains of Auvergne, remarkable for its sweetness and simplicity.[6]In crossing the mountainous country between Algeciras and Cadiz, I halted at aventasituated in the midst of a wood. I found there only a little boy of fourteen or fifteen, and a little girl of nearly the same age, brother and sister, who were sitting by the fireside and twisting mats. They sang a romance, the words of which I did not understand, but the air was simple and naïve. The weather was dreadfully stormy, and I remained two hours at theventa. My juvenile hosts repeated so frequently the couplets of their romance, that it was easy for me to get the air by heart. To this air I composed the romance of the Abencerrage. Perhaps Aben-Hamet was mentioned in the romance of my two little Spaniards. I may add that the dialogue of Granada and the king of Leon is imitated from a Spanish romance.[7]All the world knows the air of theFollies of Spain. This air had no words, at least none which expressed its grave, religious and chivalrous character. This character I have endeavoured to give in the romance of the Cid. This romance, having got into the hands of the public without my consent, some celebrated masters did me the honour to set it to music. But, as I had expressly composed it for the air of theFollies of Spain, one of the couplets becomes complete nonsense, unless, reference is had to my original intention.My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.In short, these three romances have little other merit than their adaptation to three old airs of undoubted nationality: besides this, they bring on thedénouementof the story.
FOOTNOTES:
[1]Published posthumously. “Stendhal” died in 1842.
[1]Published posthumously. “Stendhal” died in 1842.
[2]The towers of a palace at Granada.
[2]The towers of a palace at Granada.
[3]An expression which the Mussulmans have constantly in their mouths, and apply to almost every event in their lives.
[3]An expression which the Mussulmans have constantly in their mouths, and apply to almost every event in their lives.
[4]This inscription, as well as several others, is still existing. It is needless to say that I wrote this description of the Alhambra on the spot.
[4]This inscription, as well as several others, is still existing. It is needless to say that I wrote this description of the Alhambra on the spot.
[5]The public is already acquainted with this romance. I composed the words for an air of the mountains of Auvergne, remarkable for its sweetness and simplicity.
[5]The public is already acquainted with this romance. I composed the words for an air of the mountains of Auvergne, remarkable for its sweetness and simplicity.
[6]In crossing the mountainous country between Algeciras and Cadiz, I halted at aventasituated in the midst of a wood. I found there only a little boy of fourteen or fifteen, and a little girl of nearly the same age, brother and sister, who were sitting by the fireside and twisting mats. They sang a romance, the words of which I did not understand, but the air was simple and naïve. The weather was dreadfully stormy, and I remained two hours at theventa. My juvenile hosts repeated so frequently the couplets of their romance, that it was easy for me to get the air by heart. To this air I composed the romance of the Abencerrage. Perhaps Aben-Hamet was mentioned in the romance of my two little Spaniards. I may add that the dialogue of Granada and the king of Leon is imitated from a Spanish romance.
[6]In crossing the mountainous country between Algeciras and Cadiz, I halted at aventasituated in the midst of a wood. I found there only a little boy of fourteen or fifteen, and a little girl of nearly the same age, brother and sister, who were sitting by the fireside and twisting mats. They sang a romance, the words of which I did not understand, but the air was simple and naïve. The weather was dreadfully stormy, and I remained two hours at theventa. My juvenile hosts repeated so frequently the couplets of their romance, that it was easy for me to get the air by heart. To this air I composed the romance of the Abencerrage. Perhaps Aben-Hamet was mentioned in the romance of my two little Spaniards. I may add that the dialogue of Granada and the king of Leon is imitated from a Spanish romance.
[7]All the world knows the air of theFollies of Spain. This air had no words, at least none which expressed its grave, religious and chivalrous character. This character I have endeavoured to give in the romance of the Cid. This romance, having got into the hands of the public without my consent, some celebrated masters did me the honour to set it to music. But, as I had expressly composed it for the air of theFollies of Spain, one of the couplets becomes complete nonsense, unless, reference is had to my original intention.My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.In short, these three romances have little other merit than their adaptation to three old airs of undoubted nationality: besides this, they bring on thedénouementof the story.
[7]All the world knows the air of theFollies of Spain. This air had no words, at least none which expressed its grave, religious and chivalrous character. This character I have endeavoured to give in the romance of the Cid. This romance, having got into the hands of the public without my consent, some celebrated masters did me the honour to set it to music. But, as I had expressly composed it for the air of theFollies of Spain, one of the couplets becomes complete nonsense, unless, reference is had to my original intention.
My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.
My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.
My song shall be a nobler theme than thine, Ere long it will becomethe folly of Spain, etc.
In short, these three romances have little other merit than their adaptation to three old airs of undoubted nationality: besides this, they bring on thedénouementof the story.