Landscape through literature Le paysage à travers la littérature

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U N I T E D K I N G D O M / R O Y A U M E - U N I
William SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)
Under the greenwood tree,
Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird’s throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather. …
Who doth ambition shun
And loves to live I’ the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleased with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
In “As You Like It”, Act II, Scene V
(setting – the Forest of Arden, rural Warwickshire).
n a t u r o p a n o 1 0 3 / 2 0 0 5
Sous l’arbre verdoyant,
Qui aime à reposer à mes côtés,
Et souffle sa note joyeuse
Dans la gorge de l’oiseau enjoué,
Viens ici, viens ici, viens ici:
Il ne verra ici
Nul ennemi
Que l’hiver et ses durs frimas. […]
Celui qui l’ambition méprise
Et aime à vivre au soleil,
Cherchant ses nourritures
Et content de ce qu’il trouve,
Viens ici, viens ici, viens ici:
Il ne verra ici
Nul ennemi
Que l’hiver et ses durs frimas.
Extrait de «Comme il vous plaira», Acte II, Scène V
(décor – la forêt d’Arden, Warwickshire).
Alexander POPE (1688-1744)
Something there is, more needful than expense,
And something previous ev’n to taste – ’tis sense:
Good sense, which only is the gift of Heav’n,
And tho’ no science, fairly worth the seven:
A light, which in yourself you must perceive;
Jones and Le Notre have it not to give.
To build, to plant, whatever you intend,
To rear the column, or the arch to bend,
To swell the terrace, or to sink the grot;
In all, let Nature never be forgot.
But treat the goddess like a modest fair,
Nor over-dress, nor leave her wholly bare;
Let not each beauty ev’ry where be spied,
Where half the skill is decently to hide.
He gains all points, who pleasingly confounds,
Surprizes, varies, and conceals the bounds.
Consult the genius of the place in all;
That tells the waters or to rise, or fall,
Or helps th’ambitious hill the heav’ns to scale,
Or scoops in circling theatres the vale;
Calls in the country, catches op’ning glades,
Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades;
Now breaks, or now directs, th’intending lines,
Paints as you plant, and as you work, designs.
Still follow sense, of ev’ry art the soul,
Parts answ’ring parts shall slide into a whole,
Spontaneous beauties all around advance,
Start ev’n from difficulty, strike from chance;
Nature shall join you; time shall make it grow
A work to wonder at – perhaps a Stowe.
In “An Epistle to Lord Burlington”.