The New York herald., 1874-07-12
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY JULY H. s74.-TRIPLE SHEET.

fame more or less legitimate OF some few persons.
Bat when q deInigOd is dead and buried, when his
bust 10 PLACED In the national atrium, inter sigma
ndj0rty., 1t ls not only tmpiety, but the height
of impcndence to demand that his bust should be
removed TO the garrets. Why make the collection
make nobody jealous, they even useful at times,
for their reputation, henceorth unquestioned, may
should, then, have the best possible grounds for
singing the praises Of the Old Academician who
has just done dying II prefer to tell you frankly
free trade and international coinage, 1t seems to
me dishonest to give foreigners copper-gilt
VINO Is ever fond OF plying u.s. ana finds it to her
interest to do 80, Is already purchasing immor
.Poor Francel Alter so many disasters, only this
was wanting, that she should lose jules Janin."
Many thanks AXIS for your pity, my dear cama,ndes dc
sequence--a ch,ld's balloon when has broken its
string and got spiked on the garden rallings. The
explosion took You by surprise Calm yourselves
and resume your usual pursuits, as we did ours
the very day OF the accident.
The originality OF Jules Janin and his chief merit
can be explained in few words. lie was the first
journalist who introduced bauGrdage into criti-
cism. Thrown by stroke Of good luck among dis.
and dull, who used to weigh tragedies and, II need
be, vaudevilles IN the scales OF 4acus and Rhada-
manthus, he took gay view OF the sacred prOies-
sion, gave reins to his fancy, and put into his
ye,sttieforss everything that came into his head.
it, and people acquired taste for rambling artl-
ces which were one series OF parentheses, where
LHt tOpiCS tndt OupNs 10 nave Dceu SuDOTuiudtc
were the rum OF the principal theme, and the
jcct was lost among heap OF paroles tOtlBues.
Like those takers OF tne salons whoshine at small
ideas, he achieved by stratagem the character OF
wit. He used and he abused his reputation,
Tor good, lor bad. encouraging and discOuraglng
true merit exaltng the true ana the false, accord
ing to the wind that blew. His eulogIums, which
few readers took seriously, were greatly sought
after by artlsts for ne borrowed RON the Journal
des Ds6dts some portion OF Its great and legitimate
influence For over thirty years sann talked ;s
most select public OF France and OF foreign coun-
tries. he spoke about everything under the sun,
his iOes told all his little AFFAIRS, even his mar
rage, with great minnteness. quoted Horace in
ties with the Latin tongue, nis knowledge
OF which was but Indifferent. Thanks to all
OF critics without exciting any great Storm. Storm
Fortune smiled on the ndtce vanity which
had entire possession Of him: This great spoiled
happiest men oi the day. His Importance puned
him out vlsibly IKE La Fontaine's frog. 10 the
celved embassies he perused petitions and suppIi-
cations, as he lay on the sofa to which gout and
Passy to read MIN their pieces, actors to spout
their parts before HIM. The French Academy came
10 ss n Long nd 81 Justly
public allowed him to criticize new works, with
out quitting his villa, upon the reports OF certain
ire. 1t was only last year that the editor Of the
De6dts put him on the retired list in consequence
OI
scribers. The most patient gave up deciphertng
that senle drivel.
The true critic does not wholly die-witness
Sainte- Beuve. VINO has left strong and lasting
work. And the poet, too. VINO, Ike TheOphile
Gautier, has abandoned his true VOCATION and
writes dramatic teutlletOn, still leaves some
dying pages which outlve the men and works
whom he criticizes But what survives OF bGpdr-
ddge, even the most happy, the most admired, the
most iamOusr The echo OF name. The heirs Of
the name OF Janfn are quite rich enough to reprint
the thousands or eutUetOnS that he scribbled they
cannot get them read. Even his books, and
COD knows he published dozens, will not DC re-
perused, Tor they are not written.
Une owes the, truth to the dead and the whole
truth. will therefore not conclude this sincere
and severe Judgment without doing homage TO the
qualities OF the man. This critic without capacity.
this writer without style, was man OF letters to
the tips OF hts fingers, and that in the most noble
OF the word. lie loved reading, he adOred
BOOKS he had passion Tor ies chooses de pesprf, he
tOiled without ceasing, like q man to whom ntera-
ture is ali IN all. II he was led astray, and even got
into the mire at times by meddling with politics.
he acted from entirely disinterested motives, and
anu snecures. His hklnrs were sincere, his hatredS
no less So He did good and evil indiscrimlnutely,
but ever copscientlously. All who enjoyed ms
intimacy mourn in him the best OF men and the
most devoted oil friends. HIS door was ever open
to tue young. He encouraged Ponsard and aided
him during mis- life, took hum to his house and COM
forted MIN to the day of his death. Ii ne created
alse school Of writing and leaves In his 200 vol
umes only models to be avoided, 1t Is none the less
true that his LIE did honor to our profession.
EDMOND ABOUT.