Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-11-11

will be dropped.
ALEXANDRIA,, November 8.
A REMINISCEkC OF BERANGER.
Beranger loved secluscn above anything !;
during the last years of his life he even hid
himself from the world, aud Was only visible to
the lew friends who had not yet been torn away
from him. Therefore, | should never have
thought of approaching him if it had DOT been
for most particular iDducement. | had been
charged with presenting to him PERSONAL a
new German version Of his songs | started on
my way to see him on bright day 10 May
1855, after having, with grea. trouble, learned
bis residence.
Bcraoger was then living near the Temple, 10
Il house which looked like monastery. Befure
reaching his rooms, one had to climb three
flights Of steep stairs, and then walk through a
long, dark corridor. [ rang the bell. 4 little
waron, with an ld-fashioned, turban-like hood
Oh her head, opened the door, and bade me
come in. The old lady was 20 other than the
same Lisette who had been so often celebrated
IN Soug.
found Beranger at the breakfas table.
He said to me- after some remarks had
made about his "Chauson :" When | was
young, [ was not without ambition. l had
hopes of becoming something very great, and
thought that could reap splendid laurels as a
writer of comedies. As matter of course |
looked on Moliere as being the best model.
But, the more | worked, the more gigantic
the poet of Tartutfe' appeared to NE, the
smaller | seemed to myself; aud l gained
garlands would bloom for me 10 the ser
wee OF Thala. | did DOT care TO strain
myself for the purpose of suffering defeat; so
devoted myself 10 the chaDson-a lighter
genre, to which | feel myself equal. My sue
cess was greater than | expected, much greater
than deserved.
When I asked him. 10 the course of the con-
versatioD, why he was not member OF the
French Academy, be answered:
L know that the Academy has often been
blamed for not having me among its mem bers;
but, as far as that IS concerned, they do the
Academy great wrong, for 1t has offered me,
not only once, but several times, that chair
which SO many candidates are striving tor with
SO much eagcrness. 1t even gave me to under
stand that | would obge it if | would be prt :
posed as member, suce it would otherwise be
forced to yield the place to aDother, who would
not be by far so agreeable 10 1t.
Notwithstanding all this refused decid-
edly, not from modesty but from prlncple for
did not waut to enter into true literature With
NY light songs. Indeed, my wantou muse
would have looked odd enough beneath the
dome of the institute. However that may be,
have, personally, nothing to complain OF the
Academy; nor have ever attacked it, with the
exception of one small satiric poem, II Aca-
dcmic ct lie Caveau.' If were trying to blame
the Academy, it would be for disposiug too ar
titrariIy of our lausuage-tor laying claim to
the light of disposug ot the treasures OF our
language without asking advice OF the other
members of the institute.
If the Academic FraUcaise had wished to
make its dictionary real national monument
it should have given the four other academies a
seat aud vote, aud adopted more liberal mode
of proceeding 10 general But it banishes trom
its dictionary innumerable words aud express
slons that are used every moment by all French
men, aud by the authors Of the academic die
llouary. This Is ridlca lous; and so it happens
that nothing is less Dational than the legitimate
dictionary of the French Academy"
Subsequently asked if he still composed
any verses
For six years past" he replied, II have
not written single verse; yet have III store
volume of imprinted poems that will be pub
Shcd after | am dead.
y w the conversation turned to German lit.
crature and Goelhes Faust" He kuew all
the details of that tragedy, and asked me if it
lad been represented; and, when l answered
him in the affirmative, he was very anxious to
Know the effect it produced on the stage | as.
sured him that this masterpiece was quite over
powcrlng on the stage when the actors are equal
TO their parts, aud that, in the year 1883, when
quite young, had attended. in Frankfort,
performance OF Faust" that made an inex.lo-
guiShable impression upon me. He asked about
the leading actors, and | mentioned Seydel-
mann and John Lindner to him | was obliged
TO repeat those names to him several times.
Then he remarked that, concerning tragedies,
he had his own taste meaning that he liked the
Greek tragedy exclusively. f 'chylus, ,Sophocles
aud Euripldes, were genuine writer's OF tragedies.
Not knowing the German tragedy, he dared not
give an opinion of it; but, as to the French ira
gedy, he never took auy pleasure IN it, because
IL was cold aud conventional. lie knew very
well that Goethe had often talked about hm;
and. during the course Of the conversation,
could not help admiring his extensive reading.
Beranger, being at this time not very produc-
tive, was reading almost the whole day; aud,
Whenever afterward met him 10 the street, he
had great number of books aud reviews iD
the deep side-pockets of his long coat, that
reached almost down to his feet. lo the
course OF the conversation he often mentioned
The classics, which he had frequently read 10
various good traosatons, aud which he was
reading again aud again, with new admiration
ie came back once more to Goethe's
Faust, and, the conversation having turned
Nom thls to hell and Satan, he mentioned