, 1874-11-01
FRENCH HUHOR!SlS.

tho1 Of a. ssuo1es paherts ~ Brothers.
pp +sS' oo'''' IA hare French blood in his
III. Bsss2nt snoa has resprit Ga,.loiz in his
veins; he cer'a41'' cf natural inheritance
breast E1theE, y, ~ 9Th the French character
le has nesf smu' Nv or he has studied the
and tone " ~ literature SO long and 10y
French laneu. s;aa nas become saturated with tho
ingE tpa' nl1 ~ .,otire that pervade both Taine
feeling aoa ao.nrely more OF Frenchman-
himseu - r,,;dity Of requirement which the
There u -, ~, +-a;nue gives, cropping out con-
tough tnsn?1 .oaactions and there is undoubt-
tlnaAn' - ~. NV surface, q warm English heart
edly, uo'e4 ~. o,herviee Mr. Bessant is iden-
throoolus. =. rittv satirical. brilliant and mock
rc21 WV rba huuorists OF France could
ins tA .onnd . more sympathetic, apprecia-
no' ne' ~. .,,d ;mnartial critic and historian
t17e An'u4,' ,hoir vices, their talents, their
1ae1 'Hs1 ',r,,,rehended With the c1earuess OF
1slhDee' 49, rral1 ~ observation: and they are
e1pe4ls ~. .ha do,;cacy the gentleuess, the
ucaeu 49,. ~on1d use in anaton,izing broth
aaee.lop, w.. n,anco of this rare aptitude for
e. !" ,or+.lon Mr.. Bessaut's book is sin
'ns W. w. .snt;,st;ne, Without the drudgery Of
euln1' ,tar,ture NJ half-dozen centuries,
fn'oE wv 49, hafora ,,s the choicest specimens
Fe na'o os. @p h,n,orists Of all that time. And
OF 'pe ''., l,-sa - -;oht ;udemeut and IN In
vs. ue a'r s;o,,,ant of them by an analysis OF
'el'se ~ +ho;r authors. which is as skill
el,41.s sas,chinp A. il is brilliant and amusing
~ -. .o+ faa, in the beginning that there is
.,:.s ,,-+;cr,ar1v eonceuial in the subject Of
r-o.,oh ,rmorists but it is impossible to re-
W.. ths fasc;nation Of Mr. Bese.nt's styla af
a;s.n.s;on Its piouancy, yerve, buoyancy, and
.as,-.nca xonld invest the DR. yest theme with
.n.,;n, ch,rns
4-at..;v. rriteu of Franca
:. s.- ,,,a;r nor+rait. to Mr. Be1sant, and it is
ss.,s~..h1o 1rh.t . strong likeness they Ill bear
~ 40 ,rotbar Tina national traits are present
- o,.h cb,racter-a little difference in
~. o-ono,+;ons constituting the distinct IN
a,r;dn,1;tiea 4 description OF one with =
sl;obr variation in minor particulars, would
A. +,+r for them III, Yhey are invariably light
ho.r,a3 rood-tempe1ed. sa,i1ical irreve1ent, i'm
--o-;aant aensna] md ekeptich +" they have
~ s+rone CONVICTIONS thew are capable Of mar
+r-dor, +bav ,re fn1l of animal spirits and ani-
mai cnjoyment they lore life With al the pas
eion Of a Greek; they are ike children for mock
nv mischief and Irhtnees Of ,heart." 4 COM
h;n.,;on of ona1itias not likely to call out our re-
snsct-not Ar. eren to be 1elished bY the Saxon :;
Int thanks to M1, Beasant, one that We can rs
c,nl with that broad charity that comes from
c,rafu, understanding Of either person or ques-
tim.
q4,. ,r+bor nrrnares the raw for the nroner
,,aso,t.t;o, ~ ,ho hnnor;,ts hr o;v;no in an
;n,rotnctorv cbanter brief raview Of
10 .ond;t;on of 1;teratnra in Franco
u ,,a o1arentb and tre,fth centnr;ea He
r,,;r. for that nation tha honor of havinr
erat hxol.sn thronob tba h1aclnass of tha aI;ddia
.aaa ,nd 1a,-,a3 horr ~ .ne,l xr;to and ainp
.E-,n,ar ~ h. sara up.a tha fr,t in Tho f7a,d of
r.oia-, ,;+or,trra sha i vos WIN chonood 1he
III, for tta rarn,cn1,r. ber neon,a frat tanpbt
M hs-a .1r,va oona on taaching tha aons1itv
NJ m,n ehs hsoon Tho reformation of religion !:
;xz sha VIM nnoat lent ,1;ve the fire of learn
ms md ,,,st ho,nod +ha 1onr slov dare1onment
~ tbe peno;e,once To her halonp tbe ereat
m,;or;tv q, ,oadiavn1 noets ENGLAND bas only
o,s-1,,1v h., fonr She noaaessea tha rnoet
p]orons 1;.t ii, n. n1t,ro a]rrpish b1ood Of En-
Gland + ro,saa ~ uriters' scholars and nh,,oa-
on,ers IT, i tha loroest ro]l ~ 1n,vtvr-hera-
tcs Fror, tho s}.venth n tba fftaanth can-
tnrr 1870. ~ 10 etronoast s,e,oan+
in r-an., ,t.r,.,,r. .nd ,rr r. ia 10
MA IN s-o- In. -, tha f,1so,, +ho
49, .1