Page:Songs of Old Canada.djvu/91

 de Sévigné as a cradle song for the Dauphin. Dumersan and Ségur, in a note quoted in John Oxenford's "French Songs," think that the words were probably brought back by the soldiers of Villars and Boufflers after Malplaquet. At all events verses against Marlborough were in existence in France in 1706.

The popularity of the old air, with the refrain of Mironton, mirontaine, is evinced by its survival among all English-speaking people wedded to the after-dinner sentiment of "He's a jolly good fellow."

It was a great favourite with Napoleon, and many a time it was hummed by him when mounting for battle. The Count de Las Cases, in the Mémorial de Sainte Hélène p. 821, tells the following:—The Emperor, a few weeks before his death, in speaking of this song to the Count, remarked, "'What a thing ridicule is: it bedims everything, even victory.' And he laughed himself as he hummed over the first couplet." Of its popularity with military men, we Canadians have a later example in General Strange's reply to the 65th, a French-Canadian regiment, during the recent North-West rebellion. One morning, after weeks of tedious and toilsome marching, just as the men were about to fall in, the General overheard the remark—"Ah! when will we