Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/68

 52 BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES genius which Boileau accords him for works of de- bauch and extravagant satire. Considering, in effect, the time and the place in which the 'Cabarets' and the ' Chamber of the Debauchee ' were composed, these poems are the masterpieces of their kind. When he wrote them, Uke the drunken poet of Martial, or like Master Adam, on a wall, with a bit of charcoal, by fits and starts, amidst bursts of laughter, jests, and the clinking of glasses, the poet scarcely thought of Boileau, and still less of the advice which the satirist after- wards gave to authors — ' Add sometimes, and erase often.' He wrote without pausing, never corrected, and took good care not to efface ; and, when the inspiration was exhausted, you should have heard the wild re- marks of his friends, no less voluble than himself! You should have seen their jovial grimaces ! A fresh pitcher paid his efforts, a fresh pipe rekindled his ideas ; and all at the same time, without listening to or hearing each other, read again, declaimed, criti- cised, varied whatever verses had tickled their joyous imaginations." Yes, our friend was always guzzling in the cabaret, excepting, be it understood, during the hours of Church service; for mine host caught har- bouring guests during those hours would have been liable to be sent to the galleys. This cruel restriction had, however, the advantage of giving tipplers set times during which they could partially sober them- selves at church, in saintly preparation for another bout at the tavern. In 1 63 1, Saint- Amant made a journey to England, where all that I learn of him is that he celebrated the