
A sweeping anthology gathers the lyrical brilliance of a 19th‑century French poet, presenting his mature voice across a range of themes—from tender love and exotic travel to sharp social observation. The verses flow with a musicality that captures both the elegance of salon culture and the restless curiosity of a restless spirit, inviting listeners to drift through finely wrought stanzas that balance wit and melancholy.
Among the highlights is a striking piece that contemplates death as a theatrical stage, its vivid symbols of marble, bronze, and stained glass turning mortality into a grand, almost playful tableau. The poet’s eye for detail—whether describing the hushed whisper of night birds or the gleam of jeweled armor—creates a rich soundscape that rewards careful listening. This collection offers a window into the era’s artistic fervor, delivering timeless reflections that resonate long after the final line fades.
Language
fr
Duration
~4 hours (262K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Clarity, Hélène de Mink, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr)
Release date
2014-06-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1811–1872
A vivid voice of 19th-century French literature, he brought poetry, novels, travel writing, and art criticism together with a strong belief in beauty for its own sake. Best known for works like Mademoiselle de Maupin, Captain Fracasse, and Émaux et Camées, he helped shape the movement later linked with "art for art’s sake."
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