New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-06
LIFE IN PARIS.

LETTER FROM ARSENE NOUSSAYE,
AN AUIpoR's DEFENSE or HIS woRK--A SOCIAL
MoRAIsT-THE PROVINCE or RoM'NcE IN
.. PARIs-ARE NOVELS TIE CAUSE OR TIE EFFECr
OF TIE GENERAL MORALITY
irRoy REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TIE TnIBUHEl
PARIS. Oct. 4.--Ono evening, when had gayly
dined with the "spartans" Paul de ST. Victor, Cen
Read. Lord Lytton, Prince Galitzin, and other
Athenians who pretended TO dine Ike Lacede-
moniaus, wrote my irst article for TIE NEw-foEA
TRIBUNE. and thus became a SOFT Of American
citizen If may trust multitude Of sympathetic
letters which have since received from the New
World. Many newspapers have likewise ex-
tended their friendly welcome. L begin,
therefore. by thanking my unknown friends
in New-York Boston, Philadelphia, and other
American capitals l wish next to say word
in reply 10 a few papers of lower grade which
have been moved to anger Ivy my gossip, my tetes
and my r0mances. They were especially indignant
over my Venetian carnival when they had nothing
to do about 1t but pnt their nght-cops and go 10
bed. WHY should they boil over at domiDoes when
they have no objection to dressesi Ball dresses arc
much more decollet6s. Why should they reproach
American ladies' for coming 10 my house where they
meet the best company of the best social circle
They are certainly not damaged by the contact OF
lew artists for the theater is everywhere school OF
manners.
Romance is equally school Of morals. In my
own Stories if [ hayo sometimes painted
lapse il was to show repentance No one holds VIZ
tue in more profound respect. There are spots on the
sun. but there are no spots on that admirable da-
mond called Virtue. Todefend myself must speak
little of those twenty volumes which have enti-
tied "Ihc Partisan Comedy"
The first volume of this series, which began about
o+;ll aft ski
with light foot over tho deep gulf of the and the
Commune. was called Luciano Mdriani, girl sold by
her mother The second was AddcmOiselie Cleopatra,
the heroine of which was q dOublc-faccd woman well
known in Rome Pors, and st. Petersburg and
which describes the duel between tho wife and the
paramount The GrCat Ladies came next; certainly
know that there plenty Of little ladies IN this
novel, Int there are many noble figures also whicl
dominate them and which show their superiority 10
passion and temptation. The FGriscancs continued
this picture Of women crazed with intrigue and curl
osty charming monsters who have no time fordonp
good so busy they kept, the sweet innoccnts IL
doing wrong without knowing it. In tho COar;cSdns
Of Society, | describe an altogether new variety in
the natural history Of women, the TITLED
woman. the lady Of pride and birth who falls into
.he ranks of the abandoned, through mere gree
Of money and luxury. Last year was publishe
full portrait of the young girl of the world toe
naughty 10 descend to the life of tradespcope, and
who goes into the prison Of o money marriage t.
seek her rcyonges in forbidden paths. Finally in
The Partisan Thousand and One Nights / have en-
deav0red to paint largo number Of Ggures and
types Of this noisy circle, which is composed less OF
native paTisans than of foreigners. VINO by virtue
of their fortunes havc taken the first place in the
capital of capitals. II is impossible at this day moi
TO recognize that in all the amusing salons not 90
sneak of the dali ones the handsome foreigners ar
fully nqturazed rot 80 much through their money
as through their beauty and grace.
These four last stories are not exclusively Occu-
pied with the foreign society; tho true arsian has
its share. Beside the Lady Of Diamonds" and the
Night-walker." there is a crowd of other characters
taken from every circle OF life. | must admit that
many Of these persOnagcs will never DO canOnized
out are wo TO write Of nobody but salntsf The
AbbG Provost is the master of storytellers-was he
wrong 10 mako n book about lost womanf The
molalist who aims to describe types of passion must
seek for them everywhere. 1t has always been my
delight to represent virtue struggling with tempta
ton as in the cases of Jeanne do RancOur Gene
We've de Ia ChataiqueIaie, Madame dc montinarbel.
Vioette do PaIisis, and Jeanne dArmaillac, who
expate their hour Of error by life Of love and re-
pentancc.
If have persistCntly adhered to this class Of sub
jects, the passions of the Supernatural Paris"
Montagne called t-Paris, whose life is luxury.
high coquetry, and confusion, race-cOurses, mas
queladcs and wasted timo-it ia because | have
wished to finish the picture commenced. | cannot
yet call it finished picture, for although few fea
lures may DO successfully touched, how many art
there in talf tones or not even skatchcd or indi-
catedl Bat the initiated have recognized them, OF
will recognize them.
say the initiated In fact it is necessary to have
set foot in this new world to rightly read my ro-
mances This is why foreign wits have accused me
of representing state Of things which has never
existed. 1t is MS If ono should accuse Chinese
mancer of not having correctly drawn tho manner.
Of observation-disclosures. The human heart is the
same everywhere" Whose human hearth What
human heart n cried Alfred de Musset.
know of worse trade than chat Of him VINO
iugCles with words and phrases TO amusc the Idle;
dorg nothing and writing such novels all one.
The romancer who merely amusea himself with the
play OF his imagination deserves TO be confined
in the doorway CT an insane asylum. His ephemeTal
pages have 10 vauc whatever, unless he res0lutely
paints the manners OF his time for thus he does the
work of tho historian; lac preserves iOT future ages
some of the expressions of nature and humanity; he
saws to tho philosopher who is TO come: This
the process OF the agitation OF plSsos Tins was the
scenery and the setting of the follies Of my day"
How many historians of the eighteenth century have
disappeared, while the ADbe Provost holding in his
hand his immortal romance, is still radiant with
truth Men like this are the true historians, like
Lesage, VOltare, and Laclos.
have said Ia another place that most women
woud not want 10 go to Paradise but for the pleas
ure of descending to Paradise Lost Ii is snch women
especially that | have painted. Suppose for in-
stance that were a sort Of pIOfane ST. Peter ami
that instead of having my station at the entrance
gate of Paradise, had il at the exit. My privilege