New-York tribune., 1878-06-26
THE LITERARY CONGRESS.
AUTHORS IN COUNCIL AT PARIS.

AT A COMMITTEE MEETING
lFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.l
PARIS, juno 14.--Among half dozen good rea-
sons for coming back to Paris at this moment one
Of the strongest was the wish TO be present
at the Literary Congress summoned by the
French Society of Men Of Letters. missed,
nevertheless, the first meeting which was held
In the Sale du GrandOrent, rue Cadet on Tuesday.
For man who is not quite sure about the origin
OF object of such Congress- and who has to explain
BOTH the first meeting was certainly most impor-
tant one. Thanks to NJ. Edmond Abouts speech, Of
which his own journal publishes a report, have
not much to regret in my absence, ex-
cept the pleasure of meeting a number of
delegates who have since left tOwn--amOng them
Colonel HiggnsOn, who went over to London Tues
day night in order to attend Mr.. COnway's Congress
of Liberal Thinkers in South Place Chapel. NJ. Ed
mond About is not the president of this Assembly,
but of the SOci6;6 deS Gems dc Lettres-an organ
izatiOn comprising a good number of eminent
French writers having for its object the interests of
literature general, and of its own members in
particular. The original invitations to the Congress
went out in its name, and were accompanied by
programme in which the subjects to be treated
were indicated with some precision and
even the sessions of the Congress and
the work to be done in each were marked out. As
must deal with them hereafter, need only say now
that they include the whole subject of literary prop
erty-the rights Of authors both at home and abroad
il their largest sense.
What gave a worldwide interest to the announce
ment of the Congress the fact that Victor Hugo,
who was selected in advance as its President. al
lowed the use Of his name and promised to deliver
an Introductory discourse. Victor Hugo is so in
contestaby the first of living French writers
! that his single name is enough to give
authority to such Congress, Were he not Presl-
dent, it might haYe been asked why the project
neither originated with the French Academy, nor
receives any support from the body which is sup
posed to be representative Of French literature.
am not sure. indeed that the Congress counts
among its delegates any other Academician than
Hugo himself. If the Forty had reckoned the legal
protection Of literary rights among Its duties, the
| SOc6t6 des Gems de Lcttres need never have come
! into existence. There IS certainly no pOssibil-
/ ity of rivalry between the two: the younger
! body merely assumes certain dnties which
it was very desirable that somebody should
assume. The Society Is fortunate IN having
NJ. Edmond About for President-and the circum-
stance is also fortunate for the Congress, since
NJ. About is, so far as see, the only man IN the
front rank of modern French writer's whose name is
connected with tins project. The absence of such
men as Alexandra Dumas Emile Angler and Sardou
may be explained by the fact that there
is a society of dramatic authors, which is IN some
sort the rival of the society over which Nj. Abuut
presdcs. But neither Renan, nor Taine nor Lttre,
nor Louis Blanc nor Octave Feulllet, nor John Le-
monne, nor Henri Martin, has yet taken any part
in the proceedings of the Congress- 1t Is
not surprising that foreign countries should
be inadcquatoly represented. The members
Of The Congress called delegates, but it does not
appear that, in fact, they delegated by any
{ rrT,g 4if,rl with
tion. The Royal Academy of Literature in England
Il am not sure that give rs rightly--sends
Mr. Wlioughby TO look after its interests. |
should say however, that al most any foreigner who
ever used a pen might be "A delegate, If be
liked. Men who cared to come have applied for
! cards and got them. OF those whO would be ac-
cepted as representative men Of letters in England
there are few indeed. Among Englshmen who
hold what may he called international position,
/ Mr.. Matthew Arnod's name would be one OF the
/ first He has concerned himself largely with
| French literature. Bat | hear that Dir.
| Arnold was applied to, and declined on
! the ground that no sufficient representation
! of England was possible, and that an inadequate
renresentation would be worse than none, would in
fact leave the French in control Of all decisions
/ while compromising other nations to some extent.
Accordingly Mr. Tom Taylor fgdres as English Vice
| President with Mr.. Blanchard JerrOld as
/ Secretary The ouly other well-known name
| that occurs to me at present in the English
list is that of the Rev. NJ Molesworh the historian,
unless must add Mr.. Charles g. Leland, who does
not ngbtfully belong to England but 10 us. The
American delegates, though far from numerous, are
| happy IN having for their chief man OF real
! eminence-Audrew d. White, president Of Cornell
| University But Mr. White was not member Of
! the Congress when appointed--and his nomination
| "a N WOul0 lImself
have been suitable candidate had be been able to
| rernain. md who carried President White against
! the urooo,al made by another delegate 90 intrust
this honor 70 an Euglishman, whose correspondence
! for Ncw-York journal supposed 10 confer upon
him kind Of brevet nationality. Mr. William Balch,
/ of Boston, a capable and energetic man, Is the
! American secretary. Russia has a distinguished
delegate and vice-presidcnt in the person Of N.
Tnrpenief but the officers Of the other foreign sec
tiops bear names which confess hear for the first
! time.
Let me hastsn 90 add that the Congress none the
| less counts on its roll a sufficient number OF men
who are experts in the subjects it must deal with,
| and that it began it's work on Tuesday, as hear.
| with plenty Of enthusiasm and practical
good sense. NJ. Pierre ZaccoDe, It's secretary
! who charged himself with the laborous
/ and generally thankless work Of organization,
/ had large programme Iedu5, anu Vho "'''" va
! it was entered upon promptly. 1t should be men
! toned also that the Government has given ITS CO.
! 6peratiOn in O certain measure, though not
| of course, so far as to be bound by any
! decision the Congress may take. The MIN
| isfer of Public Instruction, NJ Bardoux, sends
Baron de VAUDEVILLE director Of science and ltera-
ture at the Ministry, delegate. But the SOM OF
! the Congress Is NJ Edmond About, to whom it fell
in the absence of Victor Hugo to open the proceed
| ipps and deliver an address 1t never was antici-