1 L'univers est une espèce de livre dont on n'a lu que la première page, quand on n'a vu que son pays. J'en ai feuilleté un assez grand nombre, que j'ai trouvé également mauvaises. Cet examen ne m'a point été infructueux. Je haïssais ma patrie. Toutes les impertinences des peuples divers, parmi lesquels j'ai vécu, m'ont réconcilié avec elle. Quand je n'aurais tiré d'autre bénéfice de mes voyages que celui-là, je n'en regretterais ni les frais, ni les fatigues. LE COSMOPOLITE, CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE. A ROMAUN T. CANTO I I. On, thou! in Hellas deemed of heav'nly birth, II. Whilom in Albion's isle there dwelt a youth, Few earthly things found favour in his sight And flaunting wassailers of high and low degree. I IIL Childe Harold was he hight:-but whence his name And lineage long, it suits me not to say; Suffice it, that perchance they were of fame, Aud had been glorious in another day: But one sad losel soils a name for aye, IV. Childe Harold basked him in the noon-tide sun, Disporting there like any other fly; Nor deemed before his little day was done One blast might chill him into misery. But long ere scarce a third of his pass'd by, Worse than adversity the Childe befell; He felt the fulness of satiety: Then loathed he in his native land to dwell, Which seemed to him more lone than Eremite's sad cell. V. For he through Sin's long labyrinth had run, Nor made atonement when he did amiss, Ah, happy she! to 'scape from him whose kiss And now Childe Harold was sore sick at heart, And from his native land resolved to go, And visit scorching climes beyond the sea; With pleasure drugged he almost longed for woe, And e'en for change of scene would seek the shades below. VII. The childe departed from his father's hall It was a vast and venerable pile; So old, it seemed only not to fall, Yet strength was pillared in each massy aisle. |