CORRESPONDENCE.
SOME MODERN FRENCH BOOKS.
[TO TH2 EDITOR 011 THE " SPROTATOR."]
Sin,—Among French memoirs recently published few will be found more interesting than M. de Freyeinet's Souvenirs, 1848-1878 (Delagrave, 7fr. 50c.). Not many men now living are in his position—that of a man who took his own dis- tinguished part in the tragedy of 1870-71, as well as in the long political struggle which ended in the establishment of the Third Republic. As Gambetta's colleague in the Dele- gation of Tours, M. de Freycinet was charged with the organization of the provincial armies which so gallantly, but ineffectually, tried to roll back the flood of invasion. More remote, but very fascinating, is M. do Froycinet's account of his experience in the Revolution of 1848, when he and his friends, pupils at the Ecole Polyteohnique, offered their services to the Provisional Government and spent a few strenuous days and nights in actively carrying out the orders of Lamartine and his colleagues. Gambetta, of course, is M. de Freyoinet's special hero, but this does not affect his admiration for the character of Marshal de MaoMahon, of whom, as well as of other striking figures of the time, he paints a life-like portrait.
A better example of French historical study will not easily be found than M. Pierre de Vaissiere's new book, De Quelques Assassins (Emile-Paul, 7fr. 50c.). It is concerned with the religious and political struggles of the sixteenth century, and it tells in careful and arresting detail the story of certain famous murders—that of Francois Duo do Guise by Poltrot de Mere, of Coligny by Jean Yanowitz, called Berne, of Henry Due de Guise and his brother the Cardinal by Henry III. and his band of ruffians, of Henry III. himself by the monk Clement. Excellent portraits and plans help to a vivid realization of the life and manners of an extraordinary time. The name of M. Funok-Brentano as general editor of the historical series " L'Histoire do France raeontee d tous " (Hachette, 5fr. each volume) is guarantee enough of its quality. Two new volumes have been lately published : Le Grand Sado, by Jacques Boulenger, and La Edrodution, by Louis Madelin. Both are well done, each representing long and careful study of all the best authorities on the chosen period. Both are easy, agreeable reading, especially, perhaps, the volume by M. Boulenger. But his subject, though difficult enough, is not so thorny and contentious as that of M. Madelin, whose work has a special value because it shows the present attitude of the best Liberal opinion towards the facts of the Revolution. Nor ought students to neglect the four series of M. Arthur Chuquet's Etudes d'Histoire (Fontemoing, 3fr. 50e. each), the latest of which appeared not long ago. Most of these penetrating and informing studies are concerned with the eighteenth century and the Napoleonic era; but they actually extend from Bayard to the German " Red Prince," and include such unfamiliar characters as Napoleon's godfather and such forgotten episodes as the " affair° Abbatucci."
I believe that Madame de Geniis : sa Vie Intime et Politique which M. Jean Harmand published a few months ago (Perrin, Mr.) is the most complete life of this remarkable woman that has yet appeared. It is naturally full of curious interest, for the character of Mine. de Geniis was as com- plicated as her influence was great. M. Harmand does not hide her faults and failings, and he treats her writings with only tolerable respect; but as a pioneer in education he com- pares her, not to her disadvantage, with Mme. de Maintenon. The value of the book is increased by M. Faguet's agreeable preface. Another personal study of some importance is Mousimilien Robespierre, by Raymond Olauzel (Societe Fran- caise d'Imprimerie, 3fr. 50c.). This is the first of a series called Etudes Humaines, to be devoted to the scientific examination of various types of humanity, among which that of " Fanatiques " takes the lead. Robespierre, " cet agneau- tigre, appears in anything but an admirable light under " M. Clauses microscope, and it is rather difficult to imagine what his apologist can still find to say on the other side of the question. In a recent volume of Grands Serivains Strangers (Blond et Cie, 2fr. 50o.) M. Firmin Roz successfully performs the task of introducing Tennyson to his fellow country- men. His work is quite up to the really high level of the series, and English readers may find a good deal of entertainment in these friendly foreign views of our famous writers. To translate large portions of Tennyson into French is a bold undertaking ; it is surprising how well M. Roz overcomes tho difficulty by the mere force of a simple and literal directness. Much the same may be said of Edgar Poe, in the same series (Bloud, 2fr. 50o.). M. Lauvriere has already treated his subject on a larger scale and from a more purely scientific point of view, France has admired Edgar Poe ever since Bandelaire made his marvellous translations, and this tragically interesting little book ought to find. its way where the more ambitious study may not penetrate. I must also mention M. Claudel's translations from Coventry Patmore (Riviere et Cie, 2fr. 50o.), with M. Victor Larbaud's curious and enthusiastic study of a poet whom he places higher than Tennyson I M. Larbaud has also recently published a new edition, with critical remarks, of his trans- lation. of " The Ancient Mariner " : La Chanson du Vieux Marin (Victor Beaumont, 2fr.). Some of my readers may be entertained by La Litterature at les Iddes Nouvelles (Figuiere, 3fr. 50c.), a new volume by the clever critic, M. Alexandre Mercereau, in which, among other matters, he passes in review the literary production of France during 1911. His conclu- sion, startling if satisfactory, is that the age in which he lives is " an riming egal celui de Platon, de Racine, de Voltaire ou de Balzac."
Among recent French novels La .Neige our lea Pas, by Henry Bordeaux (Plon-Nourrit, 3fr. 50e.), stands easily first. It is an attractive story of love and Borrow, beautifully written of course ; and one hardly knows which to admire more, the clear and tender realization of the characters, especially of Ther4e Romenay, the repentant and forgiven wife, or the perfect painting of the cold, terrible background of Swiss mountain and glacier. Monsieur des Lourdines : Histoire d'un Gentilhomme Campagnard (Grasset, Mr. 500.) is the work of a young writer, M. Alphonse de Chitteaubriant, who ought certainly to go far. It is a novel of considerable power and charm, the story of which—a variation on the old theme of the Prodigal Son—is told with real grace and distinction of style. The pictures of country life in a forest district of Poitou, some seventy years ago, are painted with a rare truth to nature. The hero, M. des Lourdines, himself the gentil- home campagnard, outwardly so like his own peasants, is a pathetic and beautiful figure. The most literary among the author's countrymen have shown their high appreciation of his work by awarding him the Prix Goncourt. In Le Moulin des Djinne (Fontemoing, Mr. 50c.) Mme. d'Ivray tells the touching and interesting story of an unlucky Greek corn- merchant who settles with his family in a haunted mill near the Nile. The author's intimate knowledge of Egypt makes her descriptions valuable. As a social study, too, the novel is curious and worth reading. In his pretty novel L'.Aube (Plon- Nourrit, 3fr. 50c.) M. Henri Ardel is decidedly on the aide of the angels. His Breton heroine has so real a charm that we leave her, after the sad disillusions of the first year spent with her agreeable Parisian husband, hoping that against all probability she will be able to keep the personal devotion which by the force of beauty, goodness, and character she has won from a dangerous rival. Readers who remember 117alencontre will not be sorry to meet with a new book by " Guy Chantepleure." La PcutsaOre (Pierre Lafitte, Mr. 50c.), with its pretty cover and plentiful contents—a French novel of 430 pages is a rarity—is a quite attractive and pleasant story, and might have been, with very little loss, entirely suit- able for readers of any age. The heroine is a charming little person, who makes up for a misunderstanding with her husband by risking her life on board his aeroplane in a, rash flight from France to Corsica. It is not likely that any one will mistake M. Antoine Baumann for the more famous novelist of the same surname. But his historical novel, Hugues Capet (Perrin, 3fr. 50c.), is worth reading as a spirited account of the beginnings of the royal dynasty which succeeded the Carlovingians and reigned in France for eight hundred years.
As its appropriate title, L'Envers du Decor, suggests, M. Bourget's new volume (PIon-Nourrit, Mr. 500 is a set of stories dealing with the tragedy that lies behind too many fair-seeming lives. M. Bourget would be among the first to agree that such a background is not quite so universal in society as some novelists assume. But it exists, of course, and art and science are deftly mingled in these studies of it. We can generally trust M. Bourget to treat his subjects, how. ever painful and horrible, with good taste, and his moral sense sets a sharp dividing line between white and black. Hence a strong, melancholy, and very clever book. The author of that attractive novel of the South, Par Aventure, has lately published a volume of short and picturesque stories of peasant life entitled from the first of them Le Bel tcts de Jean Clochepin (Grasset, 3fr. 50c.). The work of M. ikon Laface. delicately touched, yet realistic enough to be real, sometimes tragic, more often humorous and pathetic, has that note of truth which never fails to convince and to charm. The title L'Homme aux Papillons (Grasset, Mr. 50c.) gives little idea of the character of M. Thdodore Cahu's new hook. The " papillons " are the thoughts of a crazy genius, Chanove by name, who in a series of dramatic and more or less fanciful sketches describes some of the adventures of his life to an old friend who visits him in his retreat at Beaugeney. The book has a certain power. The tales told by Chanove, especially that of his presence in the crowd at his own funeral, are mostly of a gloomy and cynical character. The editors of the late Academi- cian mile Gebhardt's literary remains have collected from his papers a few short stories and sketches—Coates et Fantaisies (Bloud, 3fr. 50c.)—which have all the thoughtful charm and elegance of style so remarkable in his longer writings.
Fortunate, indeed, is the country which possesses so patriotic and so wide-minded a writer as M. Hanotaux, and fortunate is the young generation for whom he is ready to spend his great talents. La Fleur des Histoires Francaises (Hachette, Mr. 50e.) is meant to supply the children of France with a complete bird's-eye view of their country and her history and with the keen realization of national life that results from such a view. But the book, with all its breadth and variety, is not only for children. No student of things French need think himself too wise to join M. Hanotaux and his young compatriots in this " promenade nonchalante aux jardins fieurie de notre France ' taut jolie.' "—I am, Sir, Ste., E.
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