For reference: P. de Musset, _Biographie d'Alfred de Musset_ 1877 (naturally partial); A. Barine, _Alfred de Musset_, 1893; Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, _la Véritable histoire de "Elle et Lui"_ 1897; Sainte-Beuve, _Portraits contemporains, vol. ii; _Causeries du lundi_, vols, i and xiii; E. Montégut, _Nos Morts contemporains_, 1883; E. Faguet, _le Dix-neuvième siècle_, 1887; F. Brunetière, _Évolution de la poésie lyrique_, vol. i, 1894; M. Clouard, _Bibliographie des oeuvres d'Alfred de Musset_, 1883; O. L. Kuhns, _Sélections from de Musset_, Boston, 1895, for the sympathetic and interesting introduction. 143. Au LECTEUR. This sonnet was prefixed in 1840 to a new edition of his poems. 145. STANCES. 1828; from _Contes d'Espagne et d'Italie_. 3. VESPRÉES; see note on 7, 10. LA NUIT DE MAI. May 1835. The poet's _liaison_ with the novelist George Sand, begun in 1833, and culminating in the Italian journey of 1834, with its successions of passion, violent ruptures, and penitent reconciliations, was the profoundest experience of his life, and the inspiration of many of his poems, including the famous _Nuits_ of May, August, October and December. 146. 21. PARESSEUX ENFANT; the charge of indolence had often already been brought against Musset; cf. _ton oisiveté_, 150. 3. 147. 29. ARGOS, the capital of Argolis, in the Peloponnesus. PTÉLEON, Pteleum, an ancient town of Thessaly (Iliad ii, 697.) 30. MESSA, city and harbor of Laconia (Iliad ii, 582); Homer's epithet is "abounding in doves." 31. PÉLION, a mountain in Thessaly ; Homer (Iliad ii, 757) calls it "quivering with leaves." 148. 1. TITARÈSE, a river in Thessaly. Homer's epithet (Iliad ii, 751) is "lovely". 3. OLOOSSONE, a city in Thessaly, called "white" also by Homer (Iliad ii, 739). Camyre, no doubt Homer's Kameiros (Iliad ii, 656), which he calls "shining." It was situated on the island of Rhodes; Musset neglects the geographical fact in bringing it into connection with Oloossone. 149. 6. SON TERTRE VERT, St. Helena. 150. 13. LORSQUE LE PÉLICAN; this passage is one of the most famous of French poetry. Compare Ronsard's reference to the pelican, p. 8, 1. 19. With this view of the poet's lot and mission compare that expressed in _les Montreurs_ of Leconte de Lisle, p. 199, and in _l'Art_ of Gautier, p. 190. The fable of the pelican giving his blood to his young is current in the literature of the middle ages. 152. LA NUIT DE DÉCEMBRE. November, 1835. 18. ÉGLANTINE; a wild rose was one of the prizes given the victors in the poetical contests called the _Jeux Floraux_ held at Toulouse; it symbolizes distinction in poetry. 153. 11. UN HAILLON DE OURPRE EN LAMBEAU symbolizes the power of youth wasted in debauchery. 12. MYRTE; the myrtle was sacred to Venus.