New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-29
tIsr rfFtRON

lisT TfruNON Par OroHgr~ ouNUr rlrl- Paul
uendnrn. Sow York Hrcntuno up joh
ne,g novel hv tho author Of The Forge Mas
ter and Serge Panino" j. something Of a literary
event in Pars but Il" fiso Ficuron odds e. the
reruta lon of tho author in hi, own country u VIII
hardly Do No hors " is always difficult 20 deal with
French novels for even when there has been an evil
dent ,aofi % keep them ou 20 higher ethical plane
than that of Zoa aud hi- school they are ucvcrthe
less art "a hover between tawdty scutimcntality
hud veucd luhucity. NJ. ohuet has ma "l.'se
Ileuron" attempted ~ preseut what may be pre-
sumcd ~ be his idcnl ot perfectly viriuous and
iieh-mn,lcl young girl and his model Is an actress
with but one lover. Tho action Is almost confined
a. thc theatre There is speculative manager.
who through tho genius of Lisc Fleuron Lifts pre-
vi1nslt unlucly house into fame and fortune.
There il "a modern money king. Portuguese hnan-
cicr OF very dlsaerceablc character who lends
money g. the manager and whose mistress, another
actress IL the rival of Llse Nuuo. the hnancior. Is
induced hy Clomoncc the wicked rival 90 involve
tho lover of Li-e rash young specu"tor IN nope
fcss pccuuiarv difficulties. new play Is n Il hear
cal written by wonderful young dramatst who
l. an old friend of Iise Clcmeucc. by q series OF
rernde-. succeeds in separating Lise and her lover
and the former catches cold by running about the
streets during heavy storm IN state of distrac-
tion and of course dies of galloping consumption
o. the sound of slow music, while the wicked and IN
oil thing. detcstabe Clemcnce triumphs ut every
point and scores an immense success ia the role
which was written for Lisc, and which Clcmence
had ALWAYS meant 10 Glch from her.
There is no prctence of compensation In the
story. Virtue fails and Vice succeeds and If
there is any moral concealed about the book Ut
must be- somewhat 10 the effect that this world
as at present constituted is altogether unfit for
the hahltation Of yirtuous people, whose only
recourse consequently is 20 get out of 1t rs fast
rs possible. There Is much literary skill IN
the story. The pictures Of theatrical life are
evidently studies from nature. But there is not
single really pleasant character In the book unless
we except Claude La Barre the dramatist and even
lac evinces too preternatural talent for acting and
managing the stage. Lise, the heroine, would be
charming but for one thoroughly French defect.
She mas all the graccs of vlrtuous woman but
virtue This no doubt viii not detract from the
popular appreciation of her at home but t. the
Anglo saxon reader the conception Of young
woman Of this Kind Is suggestive OF the play Of
Hamlet with the part of the Prince of Denmark
omitted Eugene sue was rather fond of inventlng
such women. and several other French novests
seem 10 have thought that IN similar characters
they had reached the very summit OF lofty ana aus
tere morality. As a reelection from Panslan life
md thought 20 the present day the story Is perhaps
signfGcapt but IL so 10 is significant of state Of
society 40 corrupt that the Maglalens of healthier
appear 20 IL. by force OF contrast, TT
models OF purity and innocence.