New-York tribune., 1876-05-13

with the idea of the beautiful. The beautiiui, 10
them is what the supernatural is to the fJsltlVists
"a metaphy steal nOtoa, which can Only get one lhto
a muddle and is 10 be severely let alone Let u
alone they say, and il viii come AT It's own pleasure;
the PAINTERS proper eld is simply the actual ard 70
give a vivid impression of how thing happens to
look. at a particular moment, il the essence Of his
mission This attitude las something in common
with tnat Of the Eng sh Preraphaelites, 20 years
ago, but this little band IS OH all grounds les, in
teresiing than tho group out of wnch Miilals ana
Holman Hnnt rose into fame. None OF its members
show signs of possessing frst-rate talent, ara
indeed the Impressions" doctrines strike ne az
incompatible in an artists mind, with the existence
of tirst-rato talent To embrace them you must 10
provided with 4 plentiful absence OF Imagination.
But the diyergenco in method between the Ensllsh
Pr raphaelitcs and this little group Is especially
striking and very characteristic Of ;he moral diner
euces Of the French and English races When the
Englsa realiss went n," the phrase - for hard
truth and stern fact, an irresistible instinct 81
righteousness caused them to Try and pnIchafe FOR
giyeness for their inddcty 10 the Old mofe or less
moral proprietics and conventonalites, by an
exquisite, patient, yirtuOus manipulation-by beng
above all things laborious. In. the ImpressioniSt~,
who, | think are more consistent, ablnro Nlr'no
aiog and declare That sabccs which has been
crudely chosen shall b. loosely treated. They send
dciail to the dogs and concentrate Themselves On
general expression. Some Of their gencrliizatlons
of expression ara in high degree cnrlou'. Inc
Epglishmen IN word, were pedantS and tho 1 ffehch-
men are cyuicS.
Among the exhibitions / take it. NAV be ranked
NJ. Mermefs new opera, "Jeinne UArc" WHICH,
after being kept bsck for many wears and great
deal talked about has at last been produced. Il
was ia rehearsal at the time Of the destruction oy
fire Of the oil opcra-houso, and ho comp score
was OF the verF few objects snaithei Hoil mo
flames. Thus proyideltially rescued, II Wohid H"'ih
that NJ MermeCs work had been reserved tor q bril-
liant destiny. /; has found ono to L cord'h extent
in beinc pnt upon the stage at the new Opera with
extraordinary splendor, and rendered by i'aGre and
Mile Krau,s with exemplary zeal; but here rs eo'N
f,,t.,u, Sio,s l. has made M aivaGce ia the pub
lie favor II il pronounced hopclassiy uul and tame
Even 10 an auditor 20 whom musical things are
iathomless mys seros. and VINO, If be fails 10 apH'-
ciaie good music finds IN general n compensation III
mi suffering from bad. the poldarDsiy of ' Jeanne
d'Arc" seemed the ether night sufficiently
palpable There is only 0ns yoico 10 pf'-
claim it, and N. Mormet must wih hrs
work had been left to the charity Df the flames
they w0a.d have been kinder than the 0.Hcs idr
opera i, played TO full houses however. blanks to
the splrndor OF the spectacle aad ,he aluonco ot
The misc en- soae is indeed superb, ard moro p'r.cct
than anything Of the sauo SOFT that have ever
seen. There is in particular certain repfcscn atom
of the gardens Of the castle of G!,s with tl' long
mass Of the Chateau forcshortoned ~ Che sunshine
above tium and the coodly Loiic country re''diHS
in the distance beyond the winding, shining n'aiS'
and beneath vast, bright summer SSy, "A''h
reaches the highest ideal Of scone-pIintins There
is also ballet Of 4Hi-so11 pna!den, AMI 1aIraie
vac1londS-which IS the perfection Of the expensive
picturesque.
have Oh my table three or fonr books OF which J
had meant to speak but have as usual leit myself
hitle space for literature. The literary rlains "i
Sain,e-Beuve are being brought to light visa 'le j.
less euergy-t 20 Chroniques PaIsienues and iho
"Cahiers de Sainte b suyo" having appeared WITHIN
two or three weeks OF carn other. us3 1ho wo.d
'nercless" rather with re;ard 10 The c.ctt ciiic'
viciims th4n TO Us own reputation. TIE cinPtjng
of oftablc-1rawers and memoranda after an eminent
writer's death has always a di'ayroeabie ana p1ini'
side bat if tAs posthumous rlmmGgng IS over Jh'n-
liable II may pass IN tho case OF Ssn,c-B'nye his
literary house was always in sIch good order that
an irregular visit will discover 10 uE'idlncs' aud
moreover he belonc5i 10 that only snail order OF
minds Tor which tnly be clamcd that Their li-htcst
thou gits and utteTaI oes have value BnS some oi
Eis ffe ads ami acqua, .tDces viii "n moT' IT -ere'ted
he made upon thr.f conversation and talents FOR
his own use. Iic was sharp enough in his
caaseri3 with tbs public. but 40 was sharQr sti"
IN fiedif'c viii. himself. II is interesting to hayc
a glimpse Of his literary practces-to soo no" nc
lived pen in hand aud took notes not only upon
what bs read but upon what he hoard, thousht icit
AID dreamed Never WA there 40 lterarysa life.
Another book Of the hour is Emile Zolas ncw novel,
" Son Excellence EupeBe RonsOn,' when nas oh
tanned success, nos hthog.o enjoyed by the prodn'-
tons Of this IonarAable young winter i!e success "l
the present work is owing partly to its clover e-''
partly TO the fact that IL is pr''cnta;ion through
n transparent vail, Of actual persons, o. q chiefly
suspect, to its brutal indccency Eugene RodgoA
j. Eugene Rouher, -. dc Marry IS ~ do MornY' ana
The inflated VIII tell you who CoFnda l'albi. the
heroine il. This l.sJ is most amazing portrait
Emile Zola, a "pupl" of Gustaye l.aubcrt ~. ~ a
novelist tho most thOrou31-g0ing OF te niue paGh
of the Ou:-and-out re1iists Unfortunately me
real for him, means eEcusyelv the nnclca,i, ud he
NIT ars his crIdi:.es with ar Of hrayaIo when
| Ina1es Them dOubiy in,OlerdDle.
HKSRY JAMES, J2.