The Story of the Plebiscite, told by One of the
Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand who voted "Yes." From the French of MM. Erck- mann-Chatrian. (Smith, Elder, and Co.)—This is a tolerable, but not an excellent translation of the least interesting amongst the joint works of the famous collaborateurs. The peculiar flavour of the phraseology of Alsace is occasionally injured in the rendering into English by too much literalism. The contemptuous and bitter epithets lavished upon Napo- leon DI. become simply foolish by translation, and the invariable adherence to the construction of the sentences as in the original pro- duces an unpleasant monotony. In this work the enmity of the celebra- ted partners to the Empire finds full vent, and the power of their picture of the political ignorance of the provinces, and of the dreadful results of the war is undeniable. But we object to the unscrupulous and, as we believe, unfounded accusations of personal corrupt motives and dishonest dealings which they bring against the late Emperor (who died a poor man), as much from the literary as from the moral point of view. Much of the value of the important series of historical and political novels produced by MM. Erckmann-Chatrian is due to their lucid moderation and convincing justice. The Story of the Plebiscite will never take a place among them; it is no more than a scurrilous party pamphlet, cast in half-dialogue, half-narrative fashion.
Previous page
