(Vol. ix., p. 51.)
As another and historically-interesting specimen of echo poetry, perhaps
the readers of "N. & Q." may not dislike to see preserved in your pages the
following translation from the French. The original publication, it is
said, exposed the bookseller, Palm of Nuremberg, to trial by court-martial.
He was sentenced to be shot at Braunau in 1807--a severe retribution for a
few lines of echo poetry. It is entitled
"_Bonaparte and the Echo._
_Bon._ Alone, I am in this sequestered spot not overheard.
_Echo._ Heard!
_Bon._ 'Sdeath! Who answers me? What being is there nigh?
_Echo._ I.
_Bon._ Now I guess! To report my accents Echo has made her task.
_Echo._ Ask.
_Bon._ Knowest thou whether London will henceforth continue to resist?
_Echo._ Resist.
_Bon._ Whether Vienna and other Courts will oppose me always?
_Echo._ Always.
_Bon._ O, Heaven! what must I expect after so many reverses?
_Echo._ Reverses.
_Bon._ What? should I, like a coward vile, to compound be reduced?
_Echo._ Reduced.
_Bon._ After so many bright exploits be forced to restitution?
_Echo._ Restitution.
_Bon._ Restitution of what I've got by true heroic feats and martial
address?
_Echo._ Yes.
_Bon._ What will be the fate of so much toil and trouble?
_Echo._ Trouble.
_Bon._ What will become of my people, already too unhappy?
_Echo._ Happy.
_Bon._ What should I then be, that I think myself immortal?
_Echo._ Mortal.
_Bon._ The whole world is filled with the glory of my name, you know.
_Echo._ No.
_Bon._ Formerly its fame struck this vast globe with terror.
_Echo._ Error.
_Bon._ Sad Echo, begone! I grow infuriate! I die!
_Echo._ Die!"
It may be added that Napoleon himself (_Voice from St. Helena_, vol. i. p.
432.), when asked about the execution of Palm, said:
"All that I recollect is, that Palm was arrested by order of Davoust, I
believe, tried, condemned, and shot, for having, while the country was
in possession of the French and under military occupation, not only
excited rebellion amongst the inhabitants, and urged them to rise and
massacre the soldiers, but also attempted to instigate the soldiers
themselves to refuse obedience to their orders, and to mutiny against
their generals. _I believe_ that he met with a fair trial."