Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28

N. Jules Claretie-His Literary Career
and His Domestic Relations.
Edmund Yates in London World.

and HIS Domestic Relations
Edmund Yates in London World
M Jules Claretie pronounce tee) author OF
Monsieur 'e Mnistre. dramatist, novelist. critic.
historian. polygraph and above all, Journalist.
lives in comfortable suite of rooms on the third
floor, No. 10 Rue de DOuai, at the quiet end of
the street, where no omnibuses pass The neigh
borhoOd is artistic and literary. 1t is in the
midst of that movement of modern life of which
NJ. Claretie is an indefatigable observer. Hard
by live LudOyic Halevy Rochefort Paul Meu-
rice, Henner, Gerome Puvis de Chayannes. and
score of other painters and men Of letters;
nOrthwards. towards MOntmartre. is the land of
studios; southwards is the Cafe de la Rochefou-
cauld, rendezvous of the Meissoniers and Bon
mats of the future eastwards is the wonderful
Cabaret du Chat Noir, a tavern fertile in stupe-
factions not least of which is the vivaciOus
weekly journal lie Chat Noir, In which aspiring
and original wits and poets find hospitality for
their lucubratlOns. The house is Oldsh, sOmber.
and tranquil
IN. Claretie never even knew the hardships
and struggles which generally accompany the
beginnings of those who feel vocation for let
tiers; His parents were well-to-io china-dealers
in the Rue Paradis-PoisSonniere They had
destined their son for medicine he preferred
law; then he tried yainly to keep his fathers
| books and finally chose Journalism. His parents
did not cross him; on the contrary, they fitted
him up cosy little study, let him have his own
way and IN due time married him to the charm
Ing lady who is now Madame Claretie. Nothing
could be more regular and exemplary than the
social career OF our hero. Indeed, NJ Claretie 8
responsibility was one of the features that most
astOnished his colleagues of the pen next to his
precoclous talent. and all of them have queer
souvenirs of his first appearance in the news
paper offices of Paris. In 1858 lie is described
as entering the GGulois Office one morning in
December. slender, delicate -colOred, tmid.
and utterly beardless. with an umbrella under
his arm. and his nose awry, inclining eftwarls
rs it still does. 'Messieurs,' he said saluting
with ease and grace the assembled editors. Il
nave yentured to bring an article for your estI-
mable journal The editors glared through the
smoke of their pipes: the visitor became con-
fused dropped his umbrella and laid the manu-
script on the table. 1t was poem in prose.
called 'Vergiss mein NIGHT The chief editor
read 1t. 1T will appear next week Next
week. cried Claretie, in an ecstasy of delight
and gratitude that threatened to end in syncope
will you take cigarette?' said some one No,
thank you; never smoke Then, neryously
consulting handsome watch, he continued !:
Pardon messieurs my family expects me to
dinner When the slender youth was out of
hearing the assembled editors cried. He has an
umbrella. "A watch!' "A IamiIy! 'He dines.'
And he does not smoke!' and then, In chorus,
lie will never come to anything!
- In spite of his perseverance In the habit of
dining every day, and of not smoking ~ Clar-
cite has arrived at an enviable position in con-
temporary French literature. He is successful
and happy. and he deserves his happiness His
home is elegant and comfortable The salon is
jOulhas of plush. Oriental stuffs. carved cabi-
nets, screens. Japanese bahuts and artistic nick
nacks; for Claretie, like his friend Sardou loves
to poke about in boic-o-brac shops On the
chimney-piece is bronze bust of the master OF
the house; on the opposite wall is fine por-
trait dedicated "a mon ami, Jules Claretie.' by
CarOlus Duran. The walls, hung with somber
red paper, are literally covered with pictures
signed by LIE ROux. Vereschagine Ribot, De
Melville, Detaille, Cain. Henner, Raphaeli,
Glaize. Jules Dupre, who is Claretie's cousin,
Gleyre, Millet, Corot, &c. Adjoining
the salon. where the flowers and dibelots
proclaim the supremacy of Madame is
narrow long room, the cabinet de monsieur ,
by no means the best room in the house. The
furniture is of ebonised wood, very simple By
the side OF the fireplace is bookcase filed with
books and documents on the French Revolution
bound in tricOlor veum, red, white and blue
Tor NJ. Claretie Is a patriot above everything
else Amongst these volumes is Cicero which
belonged to Camille Desmouns. and which has
been annotated by the celebrated revolutionary
Ihen there are more bOok-shelves; and then
along one wall an office-t table strewn with books
and papers. conspicuous amongst which are
an agenda, with the days and the weeks work
laid out In red and blue pencil. The walls
OF the study are hung with pictures, and
the panel over the writing-table ia filled
with multitude of small studies and sketches
by all the noted contemporary French painters
many of them tributes of affection or gratitude to
Ciaretie the art-critic or to Claretie the bio
grapher. But where are the books? 'Ah!' ex-
claims Claretie in these Partisan houses there
Is no room for books We have to stow them
away where we cam and. opening the door he
shows Us long dimly-lighted passage some
twenty feet long. lined on both sides from top to
bottom with the major and minor French litera-
ture OF the last twenty years. Then there are the
dossters. for which special set of drawers has been
made the dOSSlerS in which NJ. Claretie arranges
alphabetically his facts and notes about every
thing and everybody of importance. for use in
his weekly articles in lie Temps and EIUustra-
ft0n. Then there are books all over the house
on all the tables, in all the rooms, on all the
pieces of furniture, and quantities of English
novels here and there, for Madame Claretie is
an unsuitable devOurer Of English fiction In
the suinmer-house at Virofay there is the same
happy mean between order aud disorder, with
perhaps balance in favor of order-books and
papers everywhere, and toddling about amongst
them Monsieur Georges, the hope Of the house
a young gentleman OF some seven Years of age
with long curls surrounding rosy face such as
Reynolds loved to paint.
but how does NJ. Claretie manage to do so
much Work-novels, plays review articles;
newspaper work, a preface for this book. an i'll
PRODUCTION for this new edition? The secret of
this Immense production is simply practice and
regularity. In the morning health is taken care
OF on rising by half an hours vigorous fencing:
and four hours devoted steadily every day to
writing. exclusive of the time devoted to read
Ing. note-taking, and researches. suffice amply
for producing the necessary amount OF copy Of
all kinds.
physically NJ. Caretie is a man of medium
stature, simply and correctly dressed, and wear
ing the red ribbon of the Legion OF Honor in
his button-hole. He has black hair. q black
beard rather thlnly planted. an amiable express
sion, and broken nose with certain fairness
towards the middle, which has enabled the carl
caturlst. by a series of transformations similar
to those which changed Louis Philippe into a
pear. to arrive at Claretie in the figure of q
sheep, with the redeeming motto
"'Pour Ia douceur TN mouton,
MatS pour lie talent IN aigle.'n
Is Copper Poisonous After Au9