The descriptive poetry of nature in 18th century France

Abstract

This study begins with an analysis of a descriptive poetic genre dedicated to nature that evolved during the XVIII century in France. It harked back to the pastoral and bucolic poetry of Ovid, Virgil, Lucretius, Horace, Longus or Theocritus, that was later recuperated by Metastasius, Thompson or Gessner. This body of poetry dedicated to nature is rendered by an enthralled and sensitive poet who endeavors to share his sentiments and move his reader by his precise description of each and every element portrayed on contemplating a sunset in a rural landscape or the beauty of a garden. In this way, the portrayal of nature which had previously been considered quite prosaic, now acquired a poetic distinction. There is then a brief study about the three most outstanding French poets of this genre accompanied by our own translation of a passage of their most representative pieces: Jean Francois Saint-Lambert (Les Saison), Jacques Delille (Les Jardins ou l’art d’embellir les paysages) and Jean-Antoine Roucher (Les Mois).