Elfinspell: François Villon, Introduction to Ballades by François Villon, by Thomas B. Mosher from The Bibelot, Volume I, Number II, a reprint of Poetry and Prose for Book Lovers, chosen in part from scarce editions and sources not generally known, Literary criticism, rare poetry, rare prose, free online text, e-book, 15th Century Medieval French poet, online text, free e-book, on www.elfinspell.com (Bibelot1Villon)

From The Bibelot, A Reprint of Poetry and Prose for Book Lovers, chosen in part from scarce editions and sources not generally known, Volume I, Testimonial Edition, Edited and Originally Published by Thomas B. Mosher, Portland, Maine; Wm. Wise & Co.; New York; 1904; pp. 29-30.

[29]

The Bibelot

THE Ballades chosen by the editor of THE BIBELOT and here set forth are taken from the latest edition of The Poems of Master François Villon of Paris, done out of the original French by Mr. John Payne. (London: The Villon Society, 1892.)

The text is, with one exception, reprinted verbatim. And as it is the THE BIBELOTâS object to make known versions not easily accessible, no other source is drawn upon.

To give a desired ensemble to these lyrics, preference has been had for those of The Greater Testament: there is the purely personal note, the lyric cry in them that makes this poet of Dead Ladies not of an age but for all time.

It is a hope to hearten every lover of Literature that one of the two born [30] translators now alive, — Algernon Charles Swinburne and Andrew Lang, — may yet achieve that faultless version of Villon, despite the faithful rendering of Mr. John Payne, the world of English letters yet awaits to see.

II. BALLADES FROM FRANÇOIS VILLON

The Bibelot

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