New-York tribune., 1870-12-15

-
untes-but that wasyshakespearesn; it shoeksu ",i
the conrenances which had fettercd the frenc =,
since the days OF Racine; but Racine "a' ~ 90
be overthrown, and the young q a, hor
the apostle OF dramatic Eo'P ~, enc
rfed the critics-bu the public were peaSeu' anu nv
-. -, . ,,,,,,os ,yas the most famous man IN Paris
Tho adberents Of the classical Schooi oes"
IN tremble and in view Of the popular iurore or D"
| romantoism addressed memorial 10 the hnis, anu
nraved him 10 arrest "the degradation Win "hlch 'no
ar ~ French theaters menaced' But his Majesty
ror,iod "Messieurs I have power to do what you
desire have only place in the audience Ike any other
| Eronchman" You see" said Dumas, "under witty
Minister everybody is witty, even the King
Thus began furious literary struggle out OF when
Dumas and his imiatOrs destined eventually 10
come victorious The French classical drama was ban
ished from the stage the library anda host OF Parsan
Shskespeares @ founded theatrical era 10 please
pretty actress Dumas undertook to recast Christine
fancied" he writes, that could only perform this
task by making little Journey wheels, and as could
not afford TO travel post resolved TO go by diligence
did not care whittier that got compartment 10
myself. After waiting two hours in the courtyard OF
the MeSsa0ericS, 1 found what wanted-a diligence
without ANYBODY in the coupe The diligence was going
TO Havre Just the thing had never seen seaport
started and in works Of art, the imagination counts
for a great deal my imagination being satisfied with the
mode of working provided for IT, had nothing more 10 DO
but to get TO work at When reached Havre my
| piece planned out-entirely remade' sla!eu III
Havre Just long enough eat oysters take walk
along the sea- buy two porcelain vases for more than
they would have cost in Paris and then took the dill
gence again. In 70 hours my journey was over aud my
| play was finished"
"Christine" was another success; dramas were
eagerly bespOken money flowed in as fast as the now
fashionable author could spend it, The brilhancy OF
Dumas costume and the delights of his luxurious ban
quets became the talk OF the city. He was not only
| "a kps q
cooks in Europe perhaps the mixture OF French ana
negro blood ought tO make an unparalleled COOK. lie
lavished gold on and horses, and meanwhile he
kept steadily at work, writing by night and rolchng
by day, stocking the stage with successful plays, anu
making himself the idol of immense circle of wor-
Slippers The revolution of July 1890 came In the rst
flush OF his glory IF can believe his own story, he
had important share in OvertuInng the Bourbon dy-
nasty and placing the citizenKing upon the throne.
He tells how, the day of the barrcades he dressed
himself carefully in complete hunting costume, which
we nav be sure brilliant possible and how In
the different stages Of his toilet he from time to time
TO the window to see the revolution getting along
When he appeared in the street, with his gun and his
natty shOOtngcOat, the people surrounded hnl' ana
asked "What shall dol" He built three barrcades
alone. He dsarmed party of soldiers and gave Their
musket to the insurgents He first of anybody proposed
| TO salute the Duke of Orleans Your Majesty" He
but whole column Of this paper would not suffice TO tell
the story of his deeds that day At the head OF brave
band patriots who FASTENED to place themselves under
his command he displayed prodgics Of enterprise ana
marves Of inrepidty and calmness. Nothing rufedms
the first sight OF the trl-
color on the tower of Nore Dame At that glorious
tace he fell mOtoness against the parapet of the Pont
de la Revolution with arms outstretched eyes liked ana
tears flowing down his cheeks-in which condition We
should like very much to have seen him! 1t may he
permitted to doubt the value OF his political services
| but Louis Philippe gave him decoration, and the
Of he OF
The Duke OF MOntpensier carried him to Spain as
historographer Of his marriage. Perhaps Dumas wasnot
lust the man write epthalamium but he performed
his part apparently to the satisfaction of his princey
friend and till the revolution Of lSS the familiar inter
course between the Duke and the dramatst remained,
we believe unbroken. The marriage contract between
the Duke and sister of Isabella bore the signature of
Dumas, followed by long string of titles. From Spain
the French Government gave him a manof-war to
take him on a visit Africa and terrible time
| was made about it afterward by the opposition in
the Assembly. Coming home from this tour, he re-
solved ke Shakespeare have his heater, and 80
built play yhouse, full Of architectural eeeentreities
to which he gave the name Of the Theatre Montensier
afterwards changed to Theatre Hsorque. Probably in
venture like this it was inevitable that he should lose
money; but if there any question about that the
Revolution of 1s4s soon settled it: Dumas and the
Theatre Hisorique to ruin chorus OF Girondss
in his drama Of lie Chevalier du MaisOn Rouge, then
acting the house taken up by the insurgents as
sort Of Marseaise and when, in the midst OF the fight
ing the author covered all over with decorations set
out the Tueries to pay his respects TO the royal
family the mob mistakng his sentiments, raised him
upon their shoulders and bore him in triumph TO the
barrcades The charge OF ingrattude 10 the Orleans
family which grew out of this absurd incident was
probably undeserved but Dumas had all the natural
aptitude OF Frenchman for "acceptng the situation"
Accordingly find him establishing newspaper, La
r Libert( and making signal failure political jour
naist the Conservative side; then another periodical
lie MOis which lived two years. but never had any infn-
ence and finally presenting himself candidate for
the National Assembly in which character he also failed
he far reduced in purse that he removed
Belgium Ia get rid OF his creditors but his exile
Ofshort duration.
He had begun ms a novelist early 1885,
when he published Isabelle de Bavere" the first Of
series the history Of France constructed
after the model of Walter Scott from whom may say
i1 passing he used to steal great deal, under the
Portable that men of genius like William Shakes
peare and Alexandra Dumas do not rob- they conquer
II was with the appearance, however OF his famous
Three Guardsmen" in 1874 and the nimtable Count of
Monte Cristo in the year that his glory novel
list burst upon the world. The story euetOn, in
dispensabe adjunct OF the daily newspaper received
from these works its extreme development The Partisan
could no dispense with his regular morning allow
| ance .Of highly seasoned romance than the NewYork
merchant do without his daily report Of the stock
market. The most extravagant sums were offered NJ
Dumas by the conductors Of rival journals and he seemed
equal 10 any amount Of work that might be demanded Of
| him. Sometimes he carried on three four different
rOmances at the same time in many different perOd
Gals. He wrote average 80 printed octave pages
day. In 1916 he made contract with two newspapers TO
furnish them amount Of manuscript equal to sirty
UOies year, apart from his continued labOrs for the
stage.
OF such fecundty raised the question Of the
thenticity Of the which he sent forth under his
lawsuit with the directors Of the PresSs and
Constitutional of the results of this scandal and
though Dumas succeeded in proving to the satisfaction
that he had ennngh 10 do with The