New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-28
LITERARY FRENCHMEN.
TWO MODERN AUTHORS.


| and Fletcher, such true collaboration as That OF
Erckmann-C hatran, whom a French critic calls
The Siamese Twins of literature.
The most curious and contradictory stories nave
been current as to the methods OF dual writer's;
some people saying of these that Erckmann FUR
nished the characters and Chatran the plot, others
that Erckmann furnished the " skeleton and
Chatrian the filling uD," vice versa. lt mas al
ways interested me very much, and at the FISK OF
being thought very inIuisitive l could not help
asking NJ. Chatran, one day, how 1T was possible
that two people could write one book at the same
time
He had probably been asked the same question
great many times for he laughed when he said
" 1t IS not so hard as you imagine 1t. Lrckmahh
and | were born in the same place, we were edu-
Gated in the Same manner, we have always seen the
same things known the same people and lived the
same life. When we want to write book-an
author never writes but what he has seen and felt
one the other thinks of some scene or incident
that we have seen or heard OF in common, ana
then Let us put in Old Peter, will your VA
no. let us have Elizabeth or Fritz or Joseph. or
some other old inhabitant,' as the case may be,
and we talk them over and put them in. with all
their fauls and qualities and pecnliarites just as
have known them. That is all the secret OF our
work. There is allotted share or division some
times writes the greater part of the book some
times the other but 1T is always ours, for we
have created it together" II is this identity OF HE
and recollection which is the cause of the perfect
unity of their work
Emile Erckmann born in the heroic little
city of Pfalzburg. in 1922. His father kept
bookstore and he spent his vacations and leisure
moments devourng the paternal library. 1t was
his family's wish that he become lawyer, but DIS
professor VI. Perrot. whom the friends have lmh'r-
tailed Father Perrot i'll " Master Narlots Col
lege Days" saw from the long conversations they
held together that he cared more for literature than
for the bar, and tried to assist him by every means
in his power. One day lie introduced him 10 ah
undcr.tuiOr just engaged IN the college ana some
few years younger than Erckmann. This under
| tutor Chatrian young Alsaiian, VINO had
such love for books and study that he came back
from Belgium. where he had been sent to learn the
trade of .lazier, to the little college of Pfazhurg
to be an uuder-tutor. He was bright back-eyed
little fellow who had always written since he could
hold pen and who used to spend his recreation
hours when he was too young to write, IN telling
wonderful stories to hls open-oycd companions.
| Their meeting was the most important event OF
their existence thoug they probably little realized
II them and they began writing together almost
! Immediately a ways under the watchiul care o1
! Father Pcrrot After the Revolution Of ISIS Erck-
| mann went 20 Strasburg. where he founded news
! paper. in which they published their first short
sketches IN 1850 they left for Paris with their
trunks full Of manuscript and their hearts full OF
hope Erclmann. whose parents were IN comfortable
| circumstances BEGAN the study OF law. and
| Chatrian became an cm?l0ye Of one OF the large
railroad bureaus at 800 francs a year. Up to this
time. that Is TO say in 1852, they wrote some
twenty plays. dramas and comedies, not one of
| ~ -, f,..flt lrhf he
well as tho papers and magazines remained
pltilc-sv closed 10 them. The story of their begin
ming is like that Of most other writers. They were
vouug they were poor. they were unknown, aud
they struggled pcr-cyerIngly,- though they were
often IA despair at their lack of success 1t was I'M
possible to find publisher.
Ono bright morning happy thought came to
| Chatran and "A few weeks later I1rtisie came
out with tie translation of German story. which
was preceded by a biographical notice of the author
| who was described as one of the most popular aud
| wcll-kuown authors across the Rhine. Inc story
was " The Burgomasterin Bottle translated IRON
| Erckmann by Chatrinn, and cuuousy enough
| EVERYONE was SD ignorant of contemporary foreign
literature. that the trick never discovered.
While the translation was being published. Doc
tor Nautilus was being continually declined with
thanks" with the most touching unaninty' not
only by every newspaper and magazine III Paris,
but even by those of the provincial towns Finally
by dint Of continued and repeated sending of the
manuscript to La Rcrue it, Paris, the editor.
| Louis Clbach. consented to read the novel, and
| after a long time promised to insert n-some day.
After "A still longer time 1T appeared. but no sooner
was the last chapter of Doctor Mathus In press,
| than the paper suppressed Oh account OF too
| freely expressed opinion about Orslni Tho story
of their real debut is amusing. Thoy had sent
| "Hueo tue Wolf" 10 the Constitutional, in whose
Office It remained more than year. no nearer pub
LEGATION than on the first day. One OF the editors
becomc Interested IN the two young men, and deter
mined to publish it at the first opportunity As the
| opportunity did not present itself as soon As he
wished he resolved to create one. One OF the s-ri
ols was lust drawing TO close so he cOncocied an
ingenious plot lie sent on an erTand to Nnconnes
| tbe enplove who held the key of the dreadful
| "Blue Room IN which the manuscripts were kept.
and then, having waited until the last minutes. he
went TO the edtor-in-chef, and asked him for copy
| for the serial
| "Copyf Why il is all down stairs"
ono. that copy was finished yesterday"
"WelI. begin Paul F6vals last novel. Where IS
the keyH'
| $50 and-so has it, but h. has gone to Vinconnes
| and will not be back before dark"
"Wbat shall We dol We must have a serial"
perhaps TINS might Holp us ~ - " ''N'' ""'''
with a queer name. Pvc forgotten the author
Ennan or Chairman OF something. quite Il bright
| little thing"
| "Idon't care what 1t is, but insert something,
it's 4 o'clock now, and the paper appears At 81
| Tins il was that the Constitutional published
| lingo the Wolff 1t was great success, and
| from that time. their struggles were over. with
| success came wealth and fame. and with them easy
| circumstances.
If you want the story of their life you will find 1t
in any of their books. The incidents are all the oc-
currences that were daily before their eyes;
the little villages. described as perfectly
"a Auerbachs, were their own homes,
and the wars they tell of they either witnessed
themselves or heard of IN the long winter evenings
| when the little ones their wooden stools around