19th June, Tue word "Troubadour" instantly. conjures up before the mind of the moderately well-read Westerner a ion of gallant youths, richly attired, full of levity and abandon, serenading the ladies of their choice, under the warm skies of Italy and the south France, whilst the stars above shone brightly, and sin ture herself seemed to listen to the stirring songs and music. Renders of 5 European history know that from the tenth to the thirteenth century the troubadours of Provence were the elite of the knighthood, gallant gentlemen whose gallant deeds on the battlefield were only equalled by their romantic love for the fair, and their devotion to the lady of their choice. In those palmy days lof chivalry these troubadours did not sing for filthy lucre, but for love they did not seek the appreciation of the crowd, but the notice of a single pair of eyes, us the singing bird in Spring sings to attract and captivate the heart of its mate. The earlier troubadours sang for love and the reward of female smiles: their imitators sang for money and the applause of the crowd, What at first was an amusement for the cultured, became to their imitators a serious business, and those who thought the profes: sion suited to themselves, fun; themselves into it, and travelle hither and thither in search of excitement, adventure, and wine, Even lata much later day literary men, when their fortunes were low and the public indifferent, availed themselves thereof in order to gain a livel: hood. Oliver Goldsmith wandered over a large part of Europe at one period of his life, and we are told that his only possessions were riginal fr
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.