New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-17
RECENT FRENCH LITERATURE,

never said a truer thing among the wondrous
multitude of truths be uttered, than that
.. osentirDes sxessng Of g fault,
Doth make the fault The worse by the excuse;
Az patches set upon little breach,
Than did the fault before wa 5 patched
which truth notwithstanding, I risk giving the
apologetic reason why have pit 20 long silence
shout French books. l 80 ID to begin with
,ceakipg Of Merlin rEHehaiSHr. 1t is the most
remarkable book that has appeared in France
this season, not to say in these last years. 1t
has been largely remarked upon, as it deserved
10 be. Friendly and unfriendly, strong and
feeble reviewers have filed fcuilletOns and whole
pages of journals, and sheets of stateler periOdi
GALS with notices, analyses, criticisms, interpre-
tatious None of them has succeeded in conveying
n satisfactory notion of what this singular work Is.
Seeing that they, with the advantage of native abll-
ity, and knowledge of the language in which IT Is
written, and high culture aud paper room and verge
enough had failed, il was natural that your uDpr0-
naLle servant should put off and put off the writing
of his cramped descriptive halt column, which can
not tell the whole TRUTH though even successful
effort he made to tell nothing but the truth
For in such case part truth may come 10 much the
same thing rs falsehoOd. Hercules indeed, may be
known by his foOi-tO those who already know Her
culee; u0InlDg Out lnut Ill pnotosidpu aiou ""uiN
not give a very correct IDEA OF the whOie densou
proportions and of his works.
Merlin rFnch0nteur is poem filling two
octave volumes Of prose-poetical prose-which
In worse, if possible, than English hexame-
ters Written by Edgar Quinet, 1t Is made on
the whole toleIable and is often purely apt
and beautiiul but it still remains p0etlcal prose,
doing violence to the language OF Noltalre ana
Bossuet NJ. Quinet says that his purpose was to
omen new routes to the fancy, to revive French
imagination, TO revive rather than create national
poetry based on the old national pOetica traditions
The purpose is admirable; the trouble is that,
though the old story of Merlin may be of French
origin, il is not to-day national. This purpose was
conceived thirty years ago. This poem, when is 10
express it, was actually commenced III Belgium IN
1853, aud finished in Switzerland IN 1850; begun
aud ended, the super eminently French work
of an ardently patriotic Frcnchman, IN
exle-political exile, of late years vol
uutary and all the nObler exile This is not
mentioned for the sake of introducing poll
tics into strictly literary theme but to show the
spirit of tue man, which is the spirit of the book.
1t is the work, of all his works, by which Nj. Qunet
aesiles TO be- Judged Into no other has he put 80
much Of himself. 1.-THE legend Of the human soul,
on to death and beyond death, that IS my subject.
To reconcile all legends by carrying them back tn
I" one; to find in the human heart the final close
- bond of all popular aud national tradlbOns; 10
csnuect them in one coordinate harmonious
ton; TO bind together the discOrdant world that
Z" the imagination Of the peoples has enchanted
a. such is the task j have ventured TO undertake"
Surely very noble task, nObly entered upon, SIN
cerCy labOrod at-nOt succeeded IN, should say, as
awhole but grand and honorable to the author, even
In it's failure. The poem is extensive III mere ma
teteiia volume and in its range of subjects, reach
ing " from heaven through the world 10 hell as 10
render bret analysis impossible, let alone its cOmp
catOus Of eXOterc aud esOterc allegOry and symbol
lem, as to whose meaning the abest and most
friendly critics are IN doubts at best leaving
the reader Of their ingenious lucubratiOns
in the doubt where the reading OF the
poem left him. It's unity, apart from what
Quinets simply rhetorical syl and the bOokbnders
bandiwOrk gives it, consists in a characteristic
laIgenoss and generosity and humanity of expression,
thought, and feeling. The direct charm of the
book, despite its poetical prose aud It's unlthonabe
general drift, lies in numerous passages OF descrlp-
ton aud reflection, fun of light and air and calm and
fairy beauty or fantastic invention. But my hal
column is nearly occupied. OF the seven most
capable notices and reviews of Merlin PEnohanteHr
bet me quote in conclusion, from one: Criticism
." of such a work is impossible and the most album
/" dant citations could give but an incomplete idea
a. of it. And were this criticism possible, should
4" feel repugnance IN making 1t; have 50 little
liking for this amagam OF all sorts of ideas, tones,
a. and styles: fluid in different parts Of the book
" such dis1 grecable contrasts between the tteness
''Of the subject and the p0mp Of dictiOn, so
81 many things that shock my taste, mingled
.. with ~ many others that delight me, that
- 1 should fear to be unjust toward writer
''whOse principles love- whose character honor,
a. md whose genius admire There are two men
" in the author OF Merlin; the one speaks with au-
q. thOrity and great talent, the language OF reason
"he is iudicOus, thoughtful peTspicaciOus; the
Z" advertisements ali rational temperance, prudence,
curb and bounds: h. INDUCES without restraint in
Z" all the caprices of bis brilliant imagination, and
80 gives way TO the most incredible excentrclties.
For me, Nerln rEnchanteur is grand and
beautiful picture whose frame ! do not like.
But take it as il is it deserves 10 be and viii be
read with pleasure and with profit. Ii is in-
spired by grand and suggestive idea; the reader
81 will find il marked throughout with the stamp OF
- pure soul, noble nature, and superior intel
8" lect 1t pTOyokes meditation on the highest
a. themes, il elevates our hearts aud strengthens
a. our hopes"
Monsieur Le Comte de A0ntalcnbert is perhaps
Che first orator in France. 1t is pity he had not
studied for the Church; he would have place to
speak in and would successfully dispute the prize OF
French cOtempOraneOus pulpit elOqucnce with
Father LacordaiIe. Nolonger having access TO the
tribune shut cut from the Legislative Body,
where his indomitable courage broke through the
restraints imposed on and accepted by nearly all
Its members, in way TO shame them and alarm
their master for che dangerous effects Of such mu-
fnous example, MOntalembcrt has transferred to
written pages all the bOldness bTilance, and para
dox that used 10 distinguish him among ilustrous or
afoTs in the parliamentary contests under LOus PHI
Eppe and the Republic His lettertO CavOurthis week
is q philippe and eminently characteristic OF the
man; vehement aggressive, abusive (it cannot be
denied that CayOur had given prOyocahon), but not
vulgaTly 50; too feahessly confident and eager IN