New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-05
CorTHELFS LITERARY RANK.

POPULAR, BUT NOT GREAT-RoUssEAU AND MS Ma
TroSALrY-siR. RUsRIN's DRAWINGS AND THI
rxrRAcrs FROM GoTTHELF.
To the Editor or The Trf6HHe
SIR: In regard to the letter in to-day's
TRIBUNE signed 81. T., permit me 10 say | cannot
see THE TRIBUNE did any injustice to Gotthef the Swiss
writer In speaking OF him obscure" OF IN calling
the extracts him IN the SortonRuskn pamphlet
"prosy" Y0ur article did rot that he Is an unknown
author; ne a, or WIS., very popular among the Swiss
peosautry and the facts stated by IN L" are IN TIC
encyoopedas they may be found in thai OF Apple
ton What your article objected TO was Mr.. Rusku's
styg him the greatest Of Swiss authors whereas he
WAS neither the greatest OF Swiss authors nor so far
can Judge great" at all He enjoyed considerable
popularity among the peasanry OF his country because
he wrote simple stories OF the sort called "gOody"-
usefnl and worthy work that must be done by some
bo1v prenclung the excellence of temperance and the
advantages Of getting n good education and he de-
ncted the peasant life he about him in tales which
were sort OF intellectual cud well adapted 10 the use
Of the ,nild-eyed bovine folk among whom he lived.
Mr. Ruskins duh and totally embarrassing extracts
we'll represent the style OF these tales but OOtthe had
another side he was violent opponent OF The German
Denoerats and wrote some books. that hared no and
made great party heat for time. but soon died down
and ARE now forgotten NJ. T." calls Gotthelf tie
Auerbach OF Switzerland" Judging from Mr.. Ruskn's
extracts should think him rather entitled 10 be called
the Tupper or That country. AT III events, tne
comparison with Auerbach Is not. IN my oriR
ion. creditable 10 the Judgment OF the per
son who makes It, but, II Gottheif be the
Auerbach Of Switzerland, why has be not
the fame Of Auerbach outside OF Switzerland; why has
he never aroused tho enthusiasm. awakened the
warm admiration. that have followed Auerbach's de-
ghtfu works other lands than his owpf You cannot
create greatness" by Act II Parliament, nor 10y
DEGREES of ST. George; you shut up great man
TO be e. cat only among his own people.
Az for Rousseau-callipg him Frenehman does not
make him co. The Swiss claim him, and are proud OF
him large part of his life passed ut Geneva and
to a GOOD many people, Geneva and Rousseau are III
separab,c terms. Somehow, ono never thinks OF
Rousseau IN Paris but the shores OF Lake Lemau echo
and reGcbo 10 his enchanted voice.
II IA perhaps worth noticing that all this discussion
about Gotthel Is apropOs OF nothing. Mr. knskin who
never seems happy as when snu6Ding cur times by
oauparing them to imaginary Golden Age. has
add. 70 the collection OF his drawings some weak,
minded little aqua-int pictures of swiss scenery ana
OF Swiss farmhouse. saved, apparently, from
the tops of emptied prune BOXES, anu eG
limited here for other that can discover Than
10 give him text from which 10 preach The eilgfay-
iugp are cbIdtsh description, Dut to my
tiuking The extracts from GO5theif make most sym
pathetic commentary upon theu. it woud De nafa 10
determine witch OF the two is the more yapd-the text
the commentary. -
Netc- York Jan. 4, 1880