The sun., 1881-06-26
A FRENCH NorEIIsr At HOME
what Zoia Thinks OF Dickens, Thnekeray. and
George Eliot.

what Zola Thiniss OF Dickens, Thnckorny, and
George Eliot.
From he s.. Jdnas Gd,de.
From tho extremely modern character OF
Nj. Hoas novels it is natural to expect TO lind
Partisan fashion, and Its walls hung with pic,
lures by tho most resoIute impressionlst
painters. But no supposition. could be more
erroneous. Jnpan a1d the middle 9gGs, l',l hnye aye
had far moro to do with furnishing NJ. holn's nne
country house It MGiant tam the b9picyard
upholsterers. Tho house Is OF red brick, with
towers, and from steep hillside looks down
upon the low;lying mendows thr2ugh whlch
poplars and nlders. After going up and down.
to right and left at least half dozen little stair
cases lined with Japanese ornaments nn, sninh ana
from its immense size and enormous window.
looks like n painters studio,
The first things that cNtch the eye are tho largo
"mrdiwyal" tables and bookstands: then the
Turkish and Japanese lamps outside. con
trastinp,strangely with tho green French land;
scapc. Nt first you do not see tho distinguished
occupant OF the room; but now he rises from
huge sofa placed next the 2pen I T., window ~ ana
height, and rather stout. the square shoulders
and thick neck indicate the determination OF
were 1t not for most brilliant pair OF bluck
eyes. The first ifnpressiO ion 10 that OF cold ana
distant man. but that soon wears OIL
When the first words OF explanation were
over, NJ. Holn took up book from the table be-
side him, and. showing me- the title, said; Soy
had not to ask his opinion. for no went on to say
at once. You know care little for the modern
iopmsd the hsrS d. s
men aud thor passions into tie scntinental
tract. But here" he said. tapping the book
knilo. all IL different; how clear tho reasoning
from cause to efrect-how superior. to ths
you had come to SEQ mo TOMORROW. or tho day
after. Tor l have not yet finished the first
yHnnsd Tn T, Eh1 y ne fn.h hayf 'Ph FaaDe4 n and
greater praise than that 1t i5 not in my
power to give. ] compare. her to Flaubert be;
cause of tho wonderful perfection OF phrase and
the exquisite sense OF reality. In her descrip-
tions. be 1t landscape or Interior sho at once
sores tho principal line avoiding cataloguing
work are only used to present the parsonage
more yiyidly, to the reader, not to display
her better than Dickens. You English have an
unbounded admiration for your magical story
ss IS faf bSd m pu e oq
moment only. everything would .crumble into
dust, for it is only the intensity OF his emotion
There are no large and broad developments OF
character like those in Bazac; his vaRabonds
we see in all the boulevard melodrnmas.n
And Thackeray? y l asked. All ,Thack-
England. outside the ordinary public. like him
better. But find b m more difficult TO under
stand than any OF the others; nc is SC. entirely
English TINT sometimes find 1t hard TO follow
him. But he appears to mo to be more OF a sat.
irist than novelist; cannot help thinking OF
SWllt Wnen L read nlm.' you must near M.
lola talk to appreciate the interest he takes not
only in French. but in all literature. He tells
you what the Russians. alians, English. and
German novelisls nre doing, and where they
succeed and fail. with wonderful critical in-
sight In nll that regards the publication OF
books no is curiously inquisitive and he great
Iy doprccntes our circulating library system.
The English novel. he snys. is dying under tho
yoke. 1t Iorbids the complete and exact analy-
sis OF man; and confines the novelist to telling
stories fit for family reading.
Oi course was very anxious TO henr some.
tho bourgeoise. and will reveal their nurrow-
ness OF mind and their own peculiar miserable
vices mLAssEmmoir" showed tho brutality
moir." NJ. Zola is thinking OF calling It " La
Pot-bouie" (slang for pot au-leul; Le Foyer"
loo % much ii ike Sardou. II. zoia has also written
a dramatic version OF tho Curoe, IN which
goes back to the Francais. 1t hns been so much
altered that it is more an original play than
drSmatic version enc of n, The novel; it viii be called allied
mo large portions OF this play. and my belief ia
that 1t will prove one Of the greatest literary
triumphs OF modern days.
Tho third act is very remarkable. 1t pnsses
II a conservatory Saccard wishes to marry
Maxine to an heiress., Renee. tho beautiful
Partisan goddess of silk and perfume. con-
sents. and aids her husbands projects. but in a
feeble. vncll!nting way, AZ the close OF this
black marble sphinx in tho shade OF the henvy
tropical vegetation OF tho conservatory. She
s@9d II no Gnse and ia ss fails s9
Sarah Bernhadt in this part may be expected 10
embody all the modern world knows OF fanciful
beauty. deep passion. and frivolous anxiety.
But Will tho play be permitted IN london? Nj.
Iola wants TO know. Whit will tho Lord Cham
berlain say y?-that is the question. No." am
afraid.
Here the conversation turned back to George
Eliot; and nil the way along the quaint
Japanese passages ana stnircases my host
questioned me about Scenes OF Clerical
Liie."" Daniel Deronda." and " Middlemarch"
which latter l promised to send hin. as he
bade me good-by at the door.