Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/73

SAINT-AMANT 57 death. The publisher of the Custode de la JReine, a satire of that time, was hanged, and the printer would have been hanged too, if caught. It is a pity that, in what are pleasantly termed civilised nations, poor poets can no longer hope to see such extreme justice done to those concerned in bringing out their works ! II In this same year of 1643, our poet went with the Comte d'Harcourt to England, on the mission already mentioned. Looking up to Charles I. with the un- perturbed reverence of those who had not yet thought of doubting the perfection of kings, and, as a French- man, devotedly loyal to Henrietta Maria, he had not only no sympathy with the Parliamentarians, he had not even comprehension of the sanity of the thoughts working in those " malign Roundheads," as he very roundly terms them. Cromwell was not then full to the front, and so escaped his wrath ; but it is delicious for us jn these times to read his Epigramme En- diabl'ee sur Fairfax, his Bedevilled or Devilish (how translate ?) Epigram, on that really conscientious and able, if not great, leader. Can you try to imagine why, in 1643, this good Lord Fairfax was still left on earth ? You might guess many times before you guessed the real reason — that is to say, the reason of our good friend Saint- Amant. This reason is that the devil, his Satanic Majesty, who, of course, has a fellow-feeling for other kings, and especially for kings in bad estate, fears that the said Fairfax, by some attempt at assassination {attentat), or by some