New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-19

tina. am in the presence of the greatest of cotcm
porary writers of fiction and clasp the hand of this
charming. good old woman who sparllcs with all her
carlyyoptlL Douot rcWoach me with this word old
which slIp> from my pen; Sho has not get touched
the snow Of age but cannot forget. if would, that
she WAS born in 1904 Like Rousseau, and
more than Rousseau, George Sand loves flowers, the
whole vegetable world. the beauty of nature have
heard that when her literary life was first begun
that life which revenged her for the home
she had lost, she charming to see, IN
her costume of student or page. her black
hair rolling down her shoulders. climbing
the Swiss hills. with her herbarium upon
her shoulders. while mule carried on its back two
little cradles. 1t the young Consuelo, bathed III
the harmonies of heaven and earth, and breathing
the full breath of life. She writes me IN
answer to my questions: have nothing to tell you
about myself that is very interesting am growing
old very calm and very happy IN the midst OF my
family with the experiences that Iishare with the
rest deaths and the falling-of of friends, and then
the general condition of public affairs where we all
suffer, you and alike the same things.
have lost two grandchildren whom dearly loved,
the daughter of my daughter, and the son OF
Maurice. have still left me two charming little
ones the fruit of his happy marriage. His wife IS
almost as dear TO me as he. have given up to MN
and her the entire control of my house and OF every
thing. / pass my time in playing with the little
Ones in bOtanizing in a small way IN the
Summer in taking long walks tfor L
am still famous in that wayl and in
writing novels when | can find two hours
in the morning and two hours in the evening. L
write easily and with pleasure-it is my recreation
but my correspondence is enormous, and it is such
,Io hat I had m V N
write to ones friendsl But what things people do
ask of me, sometimes touching and sometimes I'M
pertinent Whenever am able to do anything for
one who asks it, reply. When / can do nothing. |
say nothing Sometimes, the thing asked for is
worth irving for even when there is small hope OF
succeeding Then am obliged TO write and say that
will try. All this with personal matters which one
cannot always escape makes a dozen letters a day.
1t is bore but who is not bored with something's
hope after my death to go to planet where they do
not know how to read or write. 1t ought to
be a fine planet. that, to have no need
of these accomplishments. Meanwhile, / wish
that here, at least it little different in that
respect from what 1t 49, ii you WISH
to know the state of my fortune it is easily told DIV
accounts are not at all entangled. / have earned
round million by my labor and have not laid up
cent have given everything away. AS for my
resources, you may truly say that l have always
lived each day what the day has brought me, and
look upon this way of arranging ones life as far the
'happiest. You have then no material cares and you
are not afraid of thieves. Every year now that my
children take care of the house. have time to make
little excursions in France for the byways OF France
are little known and they as beautiful as those
which people go great way to seek. In
this way / find pretty frames for my stories.
like TO describe what have seen. This saves labor
hol, 81 10 aNya hnut a
place should like to have it clear in my memory
and to make my description as accurate possible.
See her there in her house which she
calls NOhant, where she born, where she will
die, which she has left where all her memo
ries clustered, where the pleasures OF her own
childhood and those of her children and grand-chll-
Adren have had their sweet rest where all who find
themselves gathered amuse themselves during
tain hours with the occupations and sports and
where when they separate for the night she nstalls
herself in her chamber before her table and begins TO
write in her handsome. large. round hand with blue
ink on white paper. She has said it herself,
she loves to write 1t is the luxury of the writer's
trade. Unhappy he .whOlnever knew this pleasure
TO spin the words along smooth paper with flowing
ink and good quill pen George Sand loves to
write the Germans love to knit She writes straight
on erasing little not seeking for words, under the
dicatOn of some dream she had during the day, OF
some sentiment which has moved her heart, of some
event which has struck her From time TO time she
stOps to smoke cigarette, and read over to herself
what she has written that pleases her. then her task
finished she rests TO begin again next day" ought
10 add that this slight sketch by Ferragus is really
illustrated by an excellent portrait of George
Sand, engraved on wood NJ Christern will no doubt
be ready TO furnish it to her thousand and Amer
can friends-frends of her youth well as of her
ripe and beautiful age. &C.