Taylor, Edgar [Hrsg.]; Austin, Sarah [Hrsg.]: Lays of the minnesingers or German troubadours of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries: Illustr. by specimens of the contemporary lyric poetry of Provence and other parts of Europe ; With histor. and crit. notes, and engravings from the ms. of the minnesingers in the king's library at Paris, and from other sources (London, 1825)

PROVENCE. 25

of delight and amusement to the Provencaux. Thus
the bishop Folquet de Marseille, in one of his beau-
tiful songs, says',

la no volgra qu'hom auzis
Los doulz chans dels auzellos
Mas cill qui son amoros;
Que res tan no m'esbaudis
Co il auzelet per la planha ;
E illi bclha cui son aclis,
Cella m'platz mais que chansos,
Volta, ni lais de Bretanha.

I would not any man should hear
The birds that sweetly sing above,
Save he who knows the power of love;
For nought beside can soothe or cheer
My soul like that sweet harmony,
And her who, yet more sweet and dear,
Hath greater power my soul to move
Than songs or lays of Brittany.

Surely it is not likely that these popular tales were
told to the audience in a foreign tongue.

But those who are desirous of maintaining the su-
periority of the poets of the North will stdl claim for
them the merit of originating these romances and
tales, even if similar topics be admitted to have been
handled in the Provencal tongue. This may be con-
ceded ; but it is perhaps better not to enter too deeply
upon these questions here, nor to embark on so doubt-
ful a sea of disputation, on which so many hardy ad-
venturers have suffered shipwreck. Thus far is clear,
that the Langue d'oeil soon became the favourite of