Whateverothermeritsthesongsofminorsmaypossess，theyhaveseldomthatofpermittingthemselvestoberead.\"LesCariatides\"
areexceptionalhere.Theyare，aboveallthings，readable.\"Onpeutleslireepeudefrais，\"M.DeBanvillesayshimself.Headmitsthathislighterworks，thepoemscalled（inEngland）versdesociete，areasortofintellectualcigarette.M.EmiledeGirardinsaid，inthelaterdaysoftheEmpire，thatthereweretoomanycigarettesintheair.Theirstaleperfumeclingstotheliteratureofthattime，astheodourofpastillesyethangsabouttheverseofDorat，thedesignsofEisen，theworkofthePompadourperiod.
ThereismorethansmokeinM.DeBanville’srulinginspiration，hislifelongdevotiontolettersandtogreatmenofletters——
Shakespeare，Moliere，Homer，VictorHugo.Thesearehisgods;thememoryofthemishismuse.Hisenthusiasmisworthyofonewho，thoughborntoolatetoseeandknowthenoblewildnessof1830，yetlivesontherecollections，andisstrengthenedbytheexample，ofthatrevivalofletters.Whateveronemaysayoftherenouveau，ofromanticism，withitsaffectations，theyoungmenof1830weresincereintheirdevotiontoliberty，topoetry，toknowledge.OnecanhardlyfindamorebrilliantandtouchingbeliefinthesegreatcausesthanthatofEdgarQuinet，asdisplayedinthelettersofhisyouth.DeBanvillefellonmoreeviltimes.
When\"LesCariatides\"waspublishedpoetshadbeguntokeepaneyeontheBourse，andartistsdabbledinfinance.ThenewvolumeofsonginthesordidagewasaNovemberprimrose，andnotunliketheflowerofSpring.Therewasasingularfreshnessandhopefulnessintheverse，awonderful\"certitudedansl’expressionlyrique，\"asSainte—Beuvesaid.ThemasteryofmusicalspeechandofvariousformsofsongwasalreadytoberecognisedasthebasisandthenoteofthetalentofDeBanville.Hehadstyle，withoutwhichamanmaywriteveryniceversesaboutheavenandhellandothermatters，andmaypleasethousandsofexcellentpeople，butwillwritepoetry——