Page:The Waning of the Middle Ages (1924).djvu/327

Rh By losing the impeccable gravity characteristic of them in preceding epochs, the ancient conventional forms of erotic poetry became penetrated by a new meaning. Charles d'Orléans makes use of personifications and of allegories like all his predecessors, but, by some slight surplus of stress, he adds an almost imperceptible flavour of raillery, and this gives them an affecting note, which is lacking in the graceful figures of the Roman de la Rose. He sees his own heart as a double of himself.

Occasionally in his extravagant personifications, the comical element has the upper hand:

Un jour à mon cueur devisoye Qui en secret à moy parloit, Et en parlant lui demandoye Se point d’espargne fait avoit D’aucuns biens quant Amours servoit: Il me dist que très voulentiers La verité m’en compteroit, Mais qu’eust visité ses papiers. Quand ce m’eut dit, il print sa voye Et d’avecques moy se partoit. Après entrer je le véoye En ung comptouer qu’il avoit: Là, de ça et de là quéroit, En cherchant plusieurs vieulx caîers Car le vray monstrer me vouloit, Mais qu’eust visitez ses papiers”

Not always, however; in the following lines the comic is not dominant: