The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-24
"HENRY GREvILLE."
The Lady's Own Account of Her Literary Ca
reer-Her Husbands Mission to America.

The Lady's Own Account of Her Literary Ca
reer-Her Husbands Mission to America.
Boston Advertiser
When asked concerning her literary career
Nine Durand said: IT began to write when I
was a little child composing short verses Ny
father, who is Jean Fleury. professor in the
Imperial University of ST. Petersburg gave me
an excellent education-far better than the
demonstrating me not only the modern Ian
guages. but the dead tongues as we'll, and
encouraged IN me a taste for reading and
writing Though educated in France, went to
Russia when was fifteen years of age, and for
a long time | wrote little or nothing After my
marriage with NJ Durand, my husband urged
me to take up nay literary work. He was at that
time connected with La Gazette des Beaux Arts,
and finally wrote little novel entitled "a
Travers Champ" ACROSS the Feldsl which was
really the first work ever had published. The
next was Sonia" which brought me quite
reputation. And do you know have learned
that this book has been translated, published in
cheap form and sold in America to the extent of
half million copies Well in 1872 we went to
Paris, and | endeavored to have some of my
work published there but it was absolutely i'm
possible. might as we'll have tried to cross the
Atlantic without ship My husband met with
rebufs at the Office of every paper and periodical
in the city. My stories were returned, and l
could not get hearing anywhere. "LExpiration
de SavelI was refused by a number of papers
before it found Judgment When George Sand
but on the very next day after her burial ten Of
my novels were printed. The only reason can
give for this sudden change was that the death
of George Sand had turned public attention to
the writings of women, and my work was ac-
copied From that day fame and fortune have
rolled In upon me. Dosia' is one of my best
known works. and some Of the others are Les
Epreuves de Raissa,' 'Marier File lie Soir,
short story, LIngenue,' Suzanne Narmis.'
fLHeritage de Herne' and Les HUMMELSHINE, l
have also written n three ODa-act nlaUg
among them Les Cloches Cassees,' and have
just completed a fve-act play, which has been
accepted at the Odeon.
"My nom de querre2 Yes, I have always
taken the name of Henry Greville. The Henry
is for my daughter, whose name is Henrietta,
and the 'Greville for the little town of Greville
on the French coast near Cherbourg, where my
gradfathers property was located. We own
property there now purchased by my writings,
so you see 'Greville bought 'Greville' What of
my house in Paris9 Ah we have a charming
place on the Quai Voltaire, overlooking the
Seine and the Louvre. on the opposite bank
Near by are the ruins of the Tuileries, and the
left can be seen the trees of the Champs Eysees,
with the Arc de Triomphe in the distance.
Our friends are chiefly literary gentlemen and
artists. Among them are E. Angler, Francsque
Sarcey. Octave Feuillet Andre Theuriet
and DR.. Pasteur, who is friend Of my husband.
Poor Ivan Turgenieff was warm friend. He
was great man, and the very ones who
loudest in condemning him are now covering
his grave with laurels. Yes like your country
Do you know, that when / was little girl not
more than ten years DID, my father wrote book
on the United States? helped him to translate
1t, and ever since have always longed to visit
this country You may think it strange but
ever since first saw the American shores have
been delighted, and l am still have been de-
ceived in nothing; there is nothing which has
fallen below my hopes and expectations. It is
all very different, of course. and new and
strange, but like it. and can adapt myself to it
very readily. When we reached New York we
went to the Fifth-avenue Hotel. AT dinner l
said to my husband, Now we are in a new coun-
try, we must have something new to eat So l
looked over the menu and saw fried oysters.
You know we never fry them in our country, so
we had some fried oysters, and we were de-
lighted. NO; left all prejudice behind me- and
mean to follow the manners of the country.
which is the only wayto get along.
my husband is here on an important mission
from the French government, which has not
been correctly stated. in the papers. There are
in this country great many valuable paintings
by French artists the worth of which is not
known. Of course, such a picture Bastien
LIE Pages Joan d. Arc is we'll known but there
are many paintings of great value that are I'M
known. My husband has been sent to search
out all such pictures by eminent French artists
and to make a catalogue of them" M. Durand
is a superior art critic, and has also
done excellent work as an anna
teur He has a diplomatic passport which
is to aid him in his search "For
myself" continued Nine Durand, Il have some
trepdation in speaking before an unknown aud
fence IN foreign tongue; but want the public
to like me and he interested in my work"
Nine. Durand is a lady of middle age, with a
genial air which is exceedingly pleasant. Her
conversational powers are most charming and,
as she speaks the English tongue fiuently, there
there is nc difficulty in conversing with her.
oven though one is unfamiliar with her native
language Her stay in Boston promises to be
noteworthy occurrence among the literary events
of the season.