New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-02

name Though he Is Marquis is simple Correze.
He is involved IN thousands of amours," but bis
life is unshadowed by any grave scandal =; and
he also is in the highest sense OF the word, gen.
tleman. He gets $4,000 night for the season. he
bids We're to keep herself unspotted from the world.
Young Lord Jura goes away in disgust, because his
sense of honor is so mOrbdly delicate that he hesi-
tates to become the lover of the mother and OF the
daughter at the Same time. Prince Zourofts concu-
bines persist in getting in Vere's way and making
faces at her, and when Vere objects, ne RetS
violent. Prince ZourofPs mistress-the wife OF O
certain Duke Paul de Sonnaz-scents tender feel
ing between We're and COrIcze and uses oil her arts
to bring the two together, both that Vere's good
name may be ruined, and that she may have ZourOt
still more exclusively to herself. Tho plan is not
Immediately successful but after We're catches
her husband and the Duchess in the bed-chamber,
and declares that either the Duchess must leave the
house, or she will The Prince sends her OH 10
Szarisa, in Poland, with orders not to come out un"
til she is willing either to apologize to the Duchess
or to get divorce. We're remains obstinate tor
q WHILE but finally she hears that her husband has
shot her lover COrTeze in the neck; she sets out Tor
Paris the same night, travels without stopping to
tile wounded mans bedside, and there so compro-
misses herself with him that the Prince has no dlt-
entity in getting divorce from her on the GROUND OF
her adultery with Correze. She and Correze at once
marry the Prince and the Duchess de Sonnaz do
the same the Duke having opportunity had his
back brOken) Lord Jura commits suicide. and Lady
Dolly crosses the name of her daughterOf her visit
ing list.
Such is brief abstract of this exquisite romance;
but no abstract can give any idea of the loving art
with which each aduterOus intrigue is Analysed
and amplifed, each sensual trait dwclt upon and
exploited; every indecent phrase and word
repeated and varied Ouida Is as intrepid
rs she is inimitabe; for the sake of
truth and purity sine braves the newt
bic misconception and abuse of those irreverent
and enYiOus minds who always ready to cry
down what is lofty and trample upon what is sub
lime There will always be people who will main
tain that Ouda is q mixture of Ignorance, vulgar
ity, scntimenality and mental and physical gross
ness; that her mOrali5ng is rs the mOraiZing Of a
drunkard on the morning after his debauch; thatin
the attempt to exhibit innocence she smirchcs it
with her Unclean fingers; that her heavenly
thoughts are like the sky as seen reflected in a
sewer: that sac has a greedy insight into what is
loahsome in the world, but no insight into what is
wholesome; that her memory is tenacious OF all
that is filthy in life and literature, but forgetful of
all else that she takes debased pleasure in the
use of uncean words and is never thoroughly at
esprit" resembles the quickeninR Of carrion into
worms; that, in general, she produces the impress
sion that she is uncomfortable in her clothes, and
longs to wallow without them in the gutter; that
her books are sort of collision between her ideal
and her real and that Is difficult for her readers to
decide which of the two is the falsest and most de-
based that
But alas, for the consciousness Of such people
there is no end to it, Are not imputatons like the
above enough to make one despair of human Justice
and ratiOnalityf IL is good to remember that
while such detractOrs are counted by tens, Ouida's
readers are tens Of thousands. Who cannot imagine
the revercd 0uida sitting at her desk, her Bohns
TRANSACTIONS at hand, her mile. dc Maupin"
and other French literature within reach hand
organ playing selections from Ofcnbach in the next
room; q cigar between her teeth ; chrome from
one of Monsieur KS most daring pictures hanging
ON the wall: and an intellectual smile curviLg
Ouida's lips while she writes in the cloth page of
the first volume Of Moths" tho following deli
cousy humorous cpisode-wth the taste Of
which in our mouths We must for the present bid
the great writer farewell.-At Felicit6, where
Prince Zourof's friends were staying @ certain
great lady" caught flea on her person and
cried "Qui maine Pavale," and prince Of sem-
royal blood swallowed the flea in glass Of water.
This lady, who is afterward called /" the heroine
of the nea erOtic," was "one-and-twenty, and has
been married four years, had some little daxen
bundles in nurses arms that she seldom saw, was
deeply in debt, had as many adOrers as she had
pearls and diamonds, and was q very popular and
admired parsonage" This is Ouida in her lighter
moments, when the graver cares of reform slip q
little from her shoulders Let those who would
sec her moro seriously at work read for themselves
London, Feb. IL. 1880. JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Nom 1l+bIrotnne