New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-07
GUSTAVE FLAUBERT.
A VISIT TO HIS HOME NEAR RoUEN,

THE LITERARY RECLUsE OF HIS VlLLAGE-hlS
INTEREST IN ANTlQUITY-AMERICA TOO YOUNG
FOR HIM--HIs LITERARY PECULIARlTIES.
Iron AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuNEl
RoUEN, May 2O.-FOur or five miles below kouen'
on the right bank of the Seine, partly hidden by
thick foliage, lies the village of Crolsset, where
Gustave Flaubert lived and has Just died. por-
ton of his time he lived in Paris, but when he had
work to do he sought the retirement of this village
and for a wear and half previous to bis death had
not left it.
On reaching the edge of the village, short time
before his death, asked my way to his house. over
n fence of a man who was turning mp the soil lie
rave the information without hesitation addlng
that any one in the ncighbOrhOod could point out
where Flaubert lived.
"Then he is well knOwnW
"As well as the white WOLF" which may be re-
garded as equivalent TO the town pump.
"Then, YOU know him -
ayes. Monsieur-that is to say know him with
out his knowing that know him. have seen MN
several fines i'm his garden dressed in his Grand
Pacha costume"
high railing and double gateway shut in the
habitation from the road and tho river dried
fawn's foot hung on side of the gate, ana was
the bcll-pull. There behind half acre oil wen
kept garden dotted with bushes and trees III full
foliage, aud comfortable white dwelling OF two
stories Following the wholesome Norman maid
servant who had opened the gate to me, mounted
to the second story and was ushcred INTO large
library, we'll garnshed with books andeasy chars.
large table occupied the centre of the room ana
containt manuscripts and notes arranged IN order
Flauber entered from an adjoining room. | found
myself in presence of large man-large in EnR'
land or America where the mean stature is greater
than in Francr-wIth ron-gray hair worn IN the
STYLE of BENJAMIN Frankliu, and appearing to have
the age which Napercau gave him-hity-elght. lhe
lines of the face round, aud the hue WAS rlDl-
cund; the belly was RabcasIan. But the cyts,whlch
were Of blur-9ray, very pure III color ana INTEL
lcctual i'll cxprcSsiou tempered these Indications.
The dress described 10y the peasant rs that OF the
Grand Pacha. consisted Of dark chestnut coIoiru'
monacLl robe, with trousers to mat"n, more
bapey than those of a Iouaye, spotless, un-
star,lcd slir. with LARGE open collar. part of
him. and thus clad, he suggested an enlarged walt
Whitman. He had the hru>que words and com
handing manner Of a cavalry colonel But tins
was only the shell the inside OF him Was sweet and
gentle.
lie said it was kind In mc to cOmc-he had invited
me, in the house OF his best friend short time be-
forc-saylng which he banned me a cigar and hlIed
q rire for himself In speaking of the English, he
thought that genius aud mbecty met IN them.
France had never such giant as Bacon, and Eng
land appeared to have a monopoly of the KIND.
Shakespeare was another Of them but he was afraid
his countrymrn did not understand him. On the
other hand hc did not think the French tool was a.
big onr "a the English.
lie asked what kind of a man the fool Of America
was, and an effort being made TO answer, hc conn
mcntrd. and added that there did not seem to be a
national fool among the Italians VINO, from what
ne hal seen Of them IN his travels conducted them
selves with discretion and good sense. A roller
seemed 10 have passed over tie Italian people and
levcllctl them 10 the same mental stature; among
them was t. bo found neither tho fool nor the
genius.
He confessed that he was fond Of writing the
story Of thousands of years AGA confession I'M
necessary to one VINO had read e Salambo and La
Temptation de SAINT Antoine On beng asked il he
had read tho llypatia of kIng- cy, he owned that
be had no.: and added that lie Irad very few stories
his business beng rather to mako them. II" read
much. but II was done to be- utilized III his literary
work
He knew Edgar A. Poe (which he pronounced
poay, a, Frcnchnen generally do through the
malkable translation of Blulellirc. who WAS Il 81.
Paul To his American Christ, Poe. III literary
sense Ii was impossible to do more for him than
Baudrlalrc had cone. lie had traNaiIcd with him,
carried his cross. and died on hi1 Calvary. His
knowledge of English wa, too imperfect for Inn 10
appreciate British and American authors III their
own tongue and he had to rely OH trlnslatIors.
which were often base countcrlcit- He had. how
ever read some III the RcrHo des Dcnr NoHdcs of
Bret Ilart- by BENTON. whIrh lac Thought must b
clever America was young, fresh and Original. int
1t was perhaps his Gaubrlt+J misfortune to take
especial interest old peoples aud old things. The
sunset of a civilization to Inn possessed charm
which did not belong 10 ITS sunrise. What America
wanted was u history, which timo alone could give
her.
Here n man well known in public life in Franc"
entered accompanied by tyo lldc, who were tried
friend, Of long standing and who called the anthor
"FlAu"-thc first syllable Of his uaIlc. They were
charming and superior women, familiar with all
that was gong on in France literary way and
had known HIM for twenty years.
ut appears am not a dangerous man. sad hc
looking at them aud turning to us. one Of them
went to sleep before my eyes II few minutes ago III
stead of bring III :. HcTNous condition concerning
my presence. Alas what hWnIllatlon.
This was said with the SERIOUSNESS Of AricmuS
Ward on TIE roatrum. One ~ tn women asked him
what he though: Of the literary performance of u
youth Of twenty III the urlghhorhood.
IF lc mlcans his fine writing" answered he,
''and studies hand, III the rouise of seventeen ycars
! lee may meet with SUCCESS"
"1lat's a lnIg lime"
"That IS the time it took me- ] pnt tho youug
man the footing as myself" va, his rc-
| spOn,r.
Flaubclt's correspondence with notable cOutcm-
poraIc- IS volumInous and. ~ an Illustration of IT.
a day or 40 before a relative Of George Sand with
| a view to publication, asked him how many letters
| he had received from that distinguished woman,
and on sorting them ho found 1860. portion of
| which in due time viii BE- seen in PRINT. WAS in
formed HAT most of this correspondence was of
| humorous kind.
lie WAS strong in his friendships and easily
affected to tears by his striking proofs Of them.
| One Of his most devoted freud: lurecmrn-IS, If
|