A Living Lie. By Paul Bourget. Translated from the French
by John De Villiers. (Chatto and Windus.)—M. Bourget writes a preface for this translation of his novel, in 010 he makes an apologia pro libro suo. The substance of it is this, that though the individual reader may be harmed, the world gains. "The safety of society depends upon a true knowledge of human life." Novelists, therefore, who describe the vilest phases of it are "saviours of society," a term, by the way, of sinister omen in France. For the sake of argument, we let the assumption stand. There are two considerations to be urged. First, why dwell with almost exclusive iteration on one particular part of life ? There are "seven deadly sins," but your analytical novelist neglects all but one. Why ? Because the delineation of this one has a sinister attraction which brings him readers. Second, if the novelist must analyse this part of human nature, let him do it with all the austerity of the man of science ; let him not add to his analysis voluptuous description. There are passages in this book which can only have been added as an attraction. M. Bourget's plea utterly breaks down. As for our judgment of the whole, we will give it in the brief description which one of his characters, the Abbe Tacouet, gives of a piece of analysis of character made by another of them, Claude Larcher,—" All this is filth." Of course, M. Bourget and his fellows will go on writing, and writing in this fashion. "By this craft we live." But do not let us hear any more about "saving society."
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