Mistral’s work has often been compared to Dante’s.  But Dante did not impose his language upon Italy by the sole superiority of his great poem.  All sorts of events, political and social, contributed to the result, and there is little reason to expect the same future for the work of Mistral.  This comparison is made from the linguistic point of view; it is not likely that any one will compare the two as poets.  At most, it may be said that if Dante gave expression to the whole spirit of his age, Mistral has given complete expression to the spirit of his little patrie.  Should the trend of events lead to a further unification of the dialects of southern France, there is no doubt that the Felibrean dialect has by far the greatest chance of success.

The people of Provence owe a great debt to the Felibres, who have endowed them with a literature that comes closer to their sympathies than the classic literature of France can ever come; they have been raised in their own esteem, and there has been undoubtedly a great awakening in their mental life.  The Felibrige has given expression to all that is noblest and best in the race, and has invariably led onward and upward.  Its mission has been one that commands respect and admiration, and the Felibres to-day are in a position to point with pride to the great work accomplished among their people.  Arsene Darmesteter has well said:—­

“A nation needs poetry; it lives not by bread alone, but in the ideal as well.  Religious beliefs are weakening; and if the sense of poetic ideals dies along with the religious sentiment, there will remain nothing among the lower classes but material and brutal instincts.

“Whether the Felibres were conscious of this danger, or met this popular need instinctively, I cannot say.  At any rate, their work is a good one and a wholesome one.  There still circulates, down to the lowest stratum of the people, a stream of poetry, often obscure, until now looked upon with disdain by all except scholars.  I mean folklore, beliefs, traditions, legends, and popular tales.  Before this source of poetry could disappear completely, the Felibres had the happy idea of taking it up, giving it a new literary form, thus giving back to the people, clothed in the brilliant colors of poetry, the creation of the people themselves.”

And again:  “As for this general renovation of popular poetry, I would give it no other name than that of the Felibrige.  To the Felibres is due the honor of the movement; it is their ardor and their faith that have developed and strengthened it.”

[Footnote 2:  Histoire du Felibrige, par G. Jourdanne, Librairie Roumanille, Avignon, 1897.]

[Footnote 3:  The stem of the cup has the form of a palm tree, under which two female figures, representing Catalonia and Provence, stand in a graceful embrace.  Below the figures are engraved the two following inscriptions:—­

Morta la diuhen qu’es, Ah! se me sabien entendre! 
Mes jo la crech viva.  Ah! se me voulien segui! 
  (V.  Balaguer.) (F.  Mistral.)