free-thought; its thirst for knowledge and its lack of criticism; its sharp social divisions and its indistinct aspirations after liberty and equality; its traditional morality and asceticism, and its half-pagan, half-childish relish for the pleasures of sense; its romance and its coarseness, all its weakness and all its strength, here appear. [Sidenote: Imitations.] The imitations of the _Roman de la Rose_ were in proportion to its popularity. Much of this imitation took place in other kinds of poetry, which will be noticed hereafter. Two poems, however, which are almost contemporary with its earliest form, and which have only recently been published, deserve mention. One, which is an obvious imitation of Guillaume de Lorris, but an imitation of considerable merit, is the _Roman de la Poire_[89], where the lover is besieged by Love in a tower. The other, of a different class, and free from trace of direct imitation, is the short poem called _De Venus la Deesse d'Amors_[90], written in some three hundred four-lined stanzas, each with one rhyme only. Some passages of this latter are very beautiful. Three extracts, two from the first part of the _Roman de la Rose_, and one from the second, will show its style:-- En iceli tens deliteus, Que tote riens d'amer s'esfroie, Sonjai une nuit que j'estoie, Ce m'iert avis en mon dormant, Qu'il estoit matin durement; De mon lit tantost me levai, Chaucai-moi et mes mains lavai. Lors trais une aguille d'argent D'un aguiller mignot et gent, Si pris l'aguille a enfiler. Hors de vile oi talent d'aler, Por oir des oisiaus les sons Qui chantoient par ces boissons En icele saison novele; Cousant mes manches a videle, M'en alai tot seus esbatant, Et les oiseles escoutant, Qui de chanter moult s'engoissoient Par ces vergiers qui florissoient, Jolis, gais et pleins de leesce. Vers une riviere m'adresce Que j'oi pres d'ilecques bruire. Car ne me soi aillors deduire Plus bel que sus cele riviere. D'un tertre qui pres d'iluec iere Descendoit l'iaue grant et roide, Clere, bruiant et aussi froide Comme puiz, ou comme fontaine, Et estoit poi mendre de Saine, Mes qu'ele iere plus espandue. Onques mes n'avoie veue Tele iaue qui si bien coroit: Moult m'abelissoit et seoit A regarder le leu plaisant. De l'iaue clere et reluisant Mon vis rafreschi et lave. Si vi tot covert et pave Le fons de l'iaue de gravele; La praerie grant et bele Tres au pie de l'iaue batoit. Clere et serie et bele estoit La matinee et atempree: Lors m'en alai parmi la pree Contreval l'iaue esbanoiant, Tot le rivage costoiant. * * * * * *