American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-01
DEATH OFGEORGE SIND.

Sand.
Amantine Lucille Aurore Dupin
was born in Paris in 1904. She was.
in an irregular manner, of noble,
perhaps of royal descent, and her
grandmother, the Countess de Horn,
was a daughter of Marshal SAKE.
Aurore's father. captain in the
army of the Empire, was killed by
an accident, and the girl was brought
up by the grandmother already
mentione d. a lady whose religious
ideas we're derived from the writings
of Rosseau, and who was less noted
for sound judgment than for viva
cious spirits.
Aurore was taught to ride and
shoot and dance, and she had
naturally taste for literature, which
was gratified in the home of the
Countess de Horn, ut Nohant, with
books scarcely suitable for a young
girls reading. Undoubtedly the
loose morality of the first novels of
George Sand was Cue in p.rt to her
early education, or lack OF educa-
ton, and the effect of an unrestrict-
ed course of reading upon her young
imagination.
When Aurore had attained her
fifteenth year, however, a sensible
friend Of her grandmothersu gg ested
to that volatile lady the advisability
of teaching her ward something of
religion other than that embodied
in Rousseau's works, and the young
woman was accordingly placed in
Convent of the Danes Anglaises, in
Paris.
Auro:e was charmed with the
poetry Of the Roman Catholic faith,
and became devOut pupil OF the
nuns and upon the death of her
guardian 1.-TWO years afterwardt was
only deferred from taking the veil
by the authority of her family, who
arranged for her a marriage with
the Baron Casimir Dudevant,
retired soldier of mature years. To
Baron Dudevant, the little fortune
which Aurore brought was very ac-
ceptable, for it enabled him to i'm
prove his farm; he bought fine
merinos, improved the quality OF
his fruit trees, and left his young
wife to her own pursuits.
Two children were born to this
ill-assorted pair. and with her in
fants some years afterward Madame
Dudevant went, by order of her
physicians, to Bordeaux. Here,
for the first time since her marriage,
she received the homage of brilliant
society her mind revolted against
the sOmbre home in NOhant, and her
dull, imaginative husband. When
she returned it was to throw open
her house to the world of art aud
literature. Among her guests was
Jules Sandeau, Il yOun g law student,
whose attentions to Madame Dude
want excited the jealousy of the
Baron.
Soon afterward the husband and
wife were separated, and Aurore,
resigning all her fortune. went to
Paris and began with Sandeau q
struggle with poverty. Madame
Dudevant lived at this time in q
little garnet in the Quai st. Michel,
and while Sandeau built air castles
lit is not on record that he did much
else), Aurore earned a few sous
daily by decorating match boxes
and the like for a toy vendor
1t has been said that these cratic
young persons were advised to give
their attention to literature by La
touch, the editor of Figaro /; aad
although it scarcely seems possible
that SO experienced a Journalist
could have advised two untried
persons to do anything of the sort,
yet they did give their attention to
literature, and together they wrote
a series CT articles for Latouche's
journal, and afterward contributed
to the same periodical novel called
"Rose ct Blanche,'1 under the pen
name of Jules Sand. arose ct
Blanche"was followed by.'Indlana,"
which was written entirely by Nine.
Dudevant, and upon its title page
appeared for the first time the non
de plume of George Sand. Sandeau
was to have written a part of this
novel; but he had neglected his
work, and was too honorable to share
the glory so new signature had
to be chosen, and as the discussion
occurred OIL st. Georges day, Nine.
Dudevant adopted that name as a
prefix. The popularity of Georges
Sand was soon established but
Jules Sandeau, the companion of
her poverty disappeared altogether.
Her next two novels were "Valen
tine" and "Lelia," the latter being
published in 1888 in the Revue DIES
Deux Mondes. She travelled
through Italy in 1884 in company
with Alfred Mussett, and she after
wards wrote ''Les Lettres dun
Voyageur," in which she IT corded a
great many of her early impressions.
as well as an account of her jour
ney. jacques" "Andre." and Gle
Secretaire Intime," three novels OF
considerable power, followed Cues
Lettres" in rapid succession ; and
after adding to her list of acquaint-
ances such men as Michel de Bour-
ges, the gifted advocate; Pierre Lee
roux, the socialist, and the Able
Lamenais, she showed the influence
OF their arguments unOn her mind
in her succeeding novels-"Simon,"
sSpiridon," "ConsuelO," which is by
many critics regarded as her mas
terpiece, and 8 less entertaining