Shawqi‟s work at the palace played a great role in facilitating ways to gain information, knowledge, and access to European arts, as the Khedive sent him to Europe to learn about both French and English literature. He translated some literary works, such as Lamartine‟s poem, “The Lake." Shawqi was also pleased by La Fontaine‟s poetry and fables. Thus, he was influenced by the French poets in their dealings with new subject matter and their ways of forming their poems. He also took advantage of what he learned in France in choosing new topics, bringing them out in an innovative and exquisite manner; he blended heritage with language, style, music, and imagination and presented them in a smooth Egyptian spirit, which fit emerging Arab tastes (Al-Sheikh, 2006).