The New York herald., 1874-09-14
Review of the Latest Productions
of the Paris Press.
The Life of Scribe-Stories for
Big People.
uTHE REGENTS DAUGHTERs.u
Works by Legouve, D'Herviny, Eyma,
Barthelemy and Others.
PARIS, August 27, 1874.

PARIS, August 81, 1874
SCRIBE" PAR N. E. LEGOUvE (DIDIER).
THIS DOCK Is one which merits the attention OF
dramatic authors, for Scribe was a master OF
certain kind OF composition In which no American
or English writer has yet exceled. Nevertheless
such writing merits more study than has yet been
devoted to It, for 1t ls of all kinds the pleas
ing 10 busy people. who generally desire, after
the exhausting branwork OF the counting house,
to be amused without effort Now M. Legouve offers
very valuable assistance to writers VINO intend 10
try their hand at light comedy. 1t would be diff
fcult to concentrate q greater number OF ingeni-
GUS and useful observations in 30 few pages. lie
brings into vivid relief the qualities OF invention
and the knowledge of theatrical effects which
raised Scribe to the first rank among the French
writers OF his time; and he does not conceal the
weakness OF ScriDe's talent the slovenly incOr-
rectness OF his style. He also shows how COM
pletely the author OF an opera Is at the mercy
OF the composer. ana quantity observes that
whenever one finds particularly bad line in
Scrlbe's writings one may be sure that musician
had hand In 1t. Thus he points out that the
famous Alexandrine in the ''HuguenOts''-"Se
'Ours sont nenaces. An je dOts w sO1strairer'-is
not from the pen of Scribe, but from that of Meyer
beer. 1t seems, also that Auber was terrible
partner to a literary man OF grammatical pro-
clivltes, and In the recttative of "Gustavus' he
insisted that bis collabOrateur should inform the
audience that a carriage wished to speak to the
King. M. Legouve says, very truly, that to call
scribe man OF genius would be to say too much
for him. and that to describe him merely as a man
of talent would be to say too little. He adds very
happily, that Scribe was the most amusing writer
who had appeared in the world since Voltalre, and
that even now M. Dumas the younger is the only
French author who can compare with him for pop
RITZ Tuho ihno ocI,D bon
living representative; and the old French vaude-
vile. which was 30 gay and delightful and often
30 witty and wise. so that we learned some OF the
best lessons of life while we laughed at 1t, has
given place to the extravaganza and the leg
piece, which form very stupid sort OF entertain
ment.
CoNTEs POUR LES GRANDEs PERsoNNEs. PAR M.
D'hERvILLY." (CHARPENrIER).
new writer has just entered the career Of let
ters with volume OF pretty stories in his hand.
They are but trines; yet they are antast1c, emo.
honal and charming tribes. The story OF "Jean
Tracy Judd" is written after the manner of Hor
mann, and the short story tale, entitled "Un Sc
cret" Is evidently inspired by Edgar A.Poe. "Trem
blevin' and "Porte, Sill Vous Plaft," are touching
stories OF disappointed love; "LOln des Yeux lOn
du C9ur" ls humorous narrative IN the style OF
Stene One OF the funniest Of the tales is called
the 'Telegramme," and it Is very sprlghtly
effort OF the imagination in which NJ d'Hervily has
perhaps not borrowed more than he could help
from Paul de KOck. l have given place to this
book in my review because 1t is always as wen to
encourage young writer OF good promise, and
also because the ''Contes pour les Grandes Per
sonnes" s sort OF book that is becoming far too
rare In France, though the demand Tor 1t Is con-
stantly increasing. Nobody cares to read
q crazy treatlse on politics or a scientific
inquiry during a summers journey on
railway; what travellers who are the great read
ers nowadays, really want is light reading, which
may be got through easily and which beguiles the
tedium Of q dun road. Any one who finds himself
at an 0utofthe way station in Brittany might do
many less sensible things than buy the book OF Nj.
d'Herviy. For instance, he might cry, "Vipe Ia
RepaIoltQuer' for which rash exclamation he would
be Immediately taken into custody. II he shouted
"Viue le ROtF' or "Viue pEmpirer precisely the
same thing would happen to him; and moreover,
he must take especial care not to blame any OF
these French institutions in loud voice.
LES GAAINERIEs DE NINE. RIvIERE. BY NJ. Xavier
Eyma. vol +. Dentu.
This Is another agreeable little book; but 1t is
written by literary veteran, and not by novice.
NJ. Eyma Is journalist of fair repute, and he has
told US the history of mother and daughter
who entertain themselves with the practice of
adultery. He partially justines the younger lady,
because she is the daughter OF the elder
one; or, in other words, he insists that
the talnt Of vice Is hereditary and cam
not be obliterated, either by sermonzing
or good example. NJ. Eyma IS nevertheless OF
opinion that although the mother has betrayed
her husband and ruined her child she is never
:heless gifted with fine sense of morality, be-
cause she is sincerely attache1 to her lover. Her
sentiments toward this gentleman, indeed, are so
complicated that she refuses to marry him, be-
cause she Is convinced that she would make any
husband unhappy, and therefore prefers to have
two. To be beloved and rejected by strong.
minded FrenchwOman Is perhaps privilege only
reserved for the exceptionally fortunate; and M.
Eymas hero is to be congratulated, If we rightly
understand the purpOrt OF the authors advice.
The younger lady is represented to us as deli
cate and beautiful girl, who delights in torturing
an unucky general, who is united to her in the
bonds OF wedlock M. Eyma, however, assures
us that he has not written logical
treatise, but romance, and with that
statement we are enjoiDed to be content.
Such nonsense would be handled very sternlyAf 1t
were written by an American; but NJ Eyma makes
II not only readable, but truly exquisite fooling.
We ore introduced to world which certainly does
not exist, and no human being ever met such
creatures as those who move about in It, But they
are very droll; they say absurd things with an
epigrammatic smartness that acts upon one's
nerves like dash OF iced water in July. M. Eyma
has sold his composition and is extremely well
satisfied. do not believe that the morality OF
French men or French women Is in any way
anected by such fiction; they seem to like it be.
cause they certainly read 1t; but they remain very
good people after they have done so, French
wife is an admirable helpmate to her husband, and
niuety-nine French girls out OF hundred are
pure as snow which has just fallen upon hill top
lies FILES DU REGENT" PAR EDOUARD DE
BARTHELEMY. In Svo Firmin Didot.
The period Of the regency OF the Duke OF Or.
leans in France has always been lavOrite date
with the lighter historians and it is very full OF
color. The life OF those times in 80 far as it is
known to Us by popular writings and traditions,
seems TO have been perpetual holiday, and few,
indeed, have cared to lit the curtain which con.
cealed indescrlbable horrors There was the Re .