THE SPIRIT OF FRENCH YOUTH 1 MAURICE BARRES [Auguste Maurice Barrès (1862- ) was born in Lorraine and was educated at the Lycée at Nancy. Since 1883, when he went to Paris and entered literary and political life, he has devoted himself to efforts to arouse the French people to patriotic and nationalistic feeling. In 1906 he was made a member of the French Academy. The present article is only part of an address delivered in London at the Hall of the Royal Society under the auspices of the British Academy on July 12, 1916. Like most of M. Barrès' writings since the beginning of the World War it is filled with letters from young French soldiers who have fallen in battle. For their unrestrained revelation of love of country and heroic self-confidence to a degree almost impossible for Americans these letters are invaluable.] Every year at Saint-Cyr the Fête du Triomphe is celebrated with great pomp. Upon this occasion is performed a traditional ceremony in which the young men who have just finished their two years' course at the school proceed to christen the class following it and bestow a name upon their juniors. In July, 1914, this ceremony came just at the time of the events which in their hasty course brought on the war, and for that reason was to assume a more than usually serious character. On the thirty-first of the month the general in command at the school made known to the Montmirails (the name of the graduating class), that they would have to christen their juniors that same evening, and only according to military regulations, without the accustomed festivities. All understood that perhaps during the night they would have to join their respective regiments. 1 From "The Undying Spirit of France," translated by Margaret W. B. Corwin. Copyright, 1917, by Yale University Press. Reprinted by permission. Listen to the words of a young poet of the Montmirail class, Jean Allard-Méeus, as he tells his mother of the events of this evening, already become legendary among his compatriots: After dinner the Assumption of Arms (prise d'armes) before the captain and the lieutenant on guard duty, the only officers entitled to witness this sacred rite. A lovely evening; the air is filled with almost oppressive fragrance; the most perfect order prevails amidst unbroken silence. The Montmirails are drawn up, officers with swords, "men" with guns. The two classes take their places on the parade ground under command of the major of the higher class. Excellent patriotic addresses; then, in the midst of growing emotion, I recited 'TO-MORROW' Soldiers of our illustrious race, Sleep, for your memories are sublime. Of famous names graved on the tomb. Sleep; beyond the frontier line Ye soon will sleep, once more at home. Never again, dearest mother, shall I repeat those lines, for never again shall I be on the eve of departure for out there, amongst a thousand young men trembling with feverish excitement, pride and hatred. Through my own emotion I must have touched upon a responsive chord, for I ended my verses amidst a general thrill. Oh, why did not the clarion sound the Call to Arms at their close! We should all have carried its echoes with us as far as the Rhine. It was surrounded by this atmosphere of enthusiasm that the young officers received the title of Croix du Drapeau for their class upon their promotion, and it was at this juncture that one of the Montmirails, Gaston Voizard, cried out: "Let us swear to go into battle in full dress uniform, with white gloves and the plume (casoar) in our hats." "We swear it," made answer the five hundred of the Montmirail. |