The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-03-14

ranks of the. opposite party. With the artless
franRness OF child Daudet expressed these OBJ
jections to NJ. de Morny.
am a Legitimist, he said.
lou may hold whatever political tsnets you
please, answered the DUO, laugbingly, "pro-
'iuSu you will only cut your hairr'
Inls Daudet, however. did not do then, nor
SO far as we can learn has he ever since done
SO. Mrs. Lucy Hooper describes him with
long long hair and dreamy eyes" The Dac de
Morny was full of kind consideration for his
protege, in whom be detected great latent tai
ent-talent that only lacked different surround
lngs and extended experience for development
Ihanks to the Due therefore, Daudet was ena-
Died to travel and even to remain some Time IN
Algiers, Sardinia and Corsca-there to make
the studies which later developed into ripper
fulhlment. Daudet remained for i've years
with Nj. de Morny, whose CABINET was certainly
a most excellent post OF observation for the
study of Partisan life in all its phases During
these five years Daudet published four volumes
of poems. But by degrees this writer of pretty
verses learned that he could do better things,
LII he could not write a great poem he could
send forth to the world noble prose work, and
the lighter productions of his earlier years gave
place to the careful and conscientious studies
OF character which mark his later produc-
lions. dis poems were at first serious draw
back TO his success as a novelist. The public
have their faucies as well as private individuals
and like to classify their idols. They had
placed Daudet among the poets, and at first
resented change of base, for it took the Par
islam world some time to recover from their
amazement at seeing their humming bird trans
formed to falcon. Daudet bided his time and
the hour of success soon came.
His novel entitled Fremont Jeune ct RiSler
Alne is great book, which combines with
powerful dramatic interest scrupulous aud
accurate details. This work has been translated
with marked ability and cleverness by Mrs
Sherwood, of this city, under the name of
ISidonie, and has been issued by the enterprisng
firm of Estes s. Laurat, who propose to follow
1t in rapid succession with certain other works
by the same author translated by the same lady
MIR. L. b. Aldrich ia speaking of .SidOnie, say !:
THE translation is an admirable rendering of
the original, and the original is masterpiece.
Since Balzac, no writer has painted certain
phases of Partisan and provincial French life
with 80 mastery hand as Alphouse Daudet.
One has to go to the Coincide Humane to find
such exquisite creations as the lllustrious Del
lobelle, NJ. Chebe, Rlser and the little Desiree.'
"Rut," Ito quote from the editor of one of the
great NewiYork dailies) "the true psychological
interest of the book consists iu the patient and
accurate development of tn character of Sido.
ME. Sidonie is personification of Paris as
Venillot paints it, child of les odeurs de Paris,
and in the closing scene of the highly wrought
story, Daudet intimates this almost too plainly
implacable Planus, the genns of mercantile
honor and integrity, extend his trembling hands
with angry vehemence toward the city lying far
below, overhung by clouds of smoke and mist,
Wretch! he cried, wretch But no QUE about
him knew whom he addressed, whether it WAS
the fair city of Paris, or the guilty woman who
had wrought such infinite woe The same ar
ticle concludes with these words; sit is saying
good deal, but not saying too much for the
translator to say, that the book has been Eng-
bad ruyfh nafn acfa aIr,
respect, as in divers other respects Sidonie
must be set down as one of the most credit able
publications of the season." Mr.. Aldrch has
expressed his opinion of she work of the pub
Usher in the following words: eff you publish
others of Daudets works hope your list will
include lie Petit Chose and retain the style of
cover which makes Sidonie. SO far as binding
goes, one OF the most artistic books ever sent
from an American press"
But we must give our readers some idea of
other works than Fremont Jeur,e ct Risler Aine.
Jack appeared in the MOniteur as a serial, and
attracted at once the attention it merited from
its pathos and interest Robert belmont was
written just after the Franco-Prussian war liz
1872. 1t is tale of besieged Paris, written out
side the walls by an artist, wounded and left
behind IN the forest, at a farm house. A tone
OF intense melancholy pervades the work. A
series OF monochrome pictures are painted by
the pen of the author as wildly as an artist
could depict them with his brush. Daudet has
figured also as playwright. La Derniert
IdOLe was played night after night at the Odeop
as was u Gitlet Blanc at the Vaudeville, and
later still his dramatised version of Sidonie met
with enormous success at the last named thea.
ire: Daudet apparently never asks himself,
WIN this please my readers? He ouly says Is
this right? Is this the natural sequence Of
events? In real life such incidents must lead
to just such conclusions.
Daudet is happy in his home. He married
some ten years since, woman who was not on.
~ capable OF appreciating her husband. bot Of
sympathizlng and aiding him in all his l4bors
and can herself make her mark in literature
whenever she pleases. She has written fol
more than one magazine in Paris but has al
ways carefully preserved her i,acognita. Mon.
sieur and Madame Daudet reside in that por
tlon OF Paris known as LIE Marais. Their hote
is vast and imposing structure, whose details
Of architecture recall the palaces of Florence.
here, 10 library hung with soft duskv drap
cries, Daudet works day after day His writ
Ing table stands in deep recess A small lac
quered escrltolre is at another window where
SITS MADAME Daudet. A pretty child runs to
and fro. Fresh flowers are on every table, and
Wild grasses and ferns wave in tall vases of Jap
anese bronze. In summer the family take ref.
pae tram. f5s sffsfss'stpf the city at Cham
we cannot close this article aueempt-
ing to give an idea Of the way in which Daudet
works He generally writes a chapter three
Tunes over. The first time he let's the pen 20 a.
1t will, and writes from the abundance of hi.
Impressions and ideas. The second time BIZ
goes over the whole with care, wedding out SEN
fences and words, and finally he gives the las,
polish to his work, weighing each word, and
carefully scrutinizing the general effect We
have described this method of Daudets be.
cause 1t is very clear indication of,his charac-
ter. With the reputation that he has made
Daudet could, if he pleased, acquire large for.
tune, for be really spends as much time on one
romance as would suffice to write three Blu,
money counts for little with him. He prefers
to work slowly, gain less, aud create works
that will build for him an enduring reputation
Such a course in these days, and he who hal
courage to pursue it, deserves every honor