The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-30
LITERARY NOTES.

More Important contributions to the store of fc-
tOn accessible to readers Of English than the tras-
latons OF Bazacs novels novels, now being issued
by Roberts Brothers, have not been ihade for zen.
era,ion The latest Of the series Ia Eugene Grandet
always regarded one OF the authors masterpieces
No more powerful tragedy of humble life has ever
been written. 1t deals with the simplest human pas
slons. but they are depleted with mastery skill. No
portrait OF m.sers life and mind has ever been drawn
| with such realism and vigor. Grandet Ia q miser
who brings great Intellectual force to make his ava
| rice masterfu. Az the reviewer OF the Tribune
acuey saysi "Thefe is, IN trlth, no miser In fiction
to be compared to this one and none whose portrait
has been 80 caboratey finished, with such myriad
nne lines and touches, with such laborous detail,
with such marvellous versiinllltude. Had Baisac
him. studying him day and night, taking notes Of
sceoans Spe erest et nare sY Soa.
raphy. With what conaummate art the miser il put
on % the stage. % First We have description Of sau::
OF people the drama Ia to embrace. We see the pro.
yincal population, narrow selfish, set In their ways,
knowing one an0ther's affairs to the bottom. thinking
themselves shrewd yeI crude, creduous. and guilt
superior mind donlnates this crowd Of thick healed
b9ngeofsie; who plays upon them, hesces them
whom they half-fear, half-hate, yet always bow
down to. His picture is drawn In strong, clear
strokes. A peasant BY birth, with the PEASANTS
BY buying in church lands for song al the time Of
the Revolution. That liked the passion for wealth
hls heart and ever since he has been adding Held
TO neld and vineyard to vineyard, until nobody
knows what he is worth. by this time we are ready
TO accompany him TO his home, wonderful descrip-
The sordid interior. the pentirious nanege, the
habitnaily cowed wife and daughter, the honest,
anh stupid Grsnae sa NsnSSn S all help rs to IN under
erected, this the environment his character has
evolved. Step by step. p as the story snisds, the
Of q passion which Is gradually absorbing him. AT
Intervals, In an exclamation or remark the depth
% for a eSampe s spsew hs
has Just been told that his father has failed in bus
ness and killed himself, The young man falls into
OF fortune but cries aloud In his agony for his father
upon which old Grandet remarks TO his wife: sThis
Se dead than % q money on T Il ~ Nash Of ura rt n
upon the mans character. Nothing, however, IL
700 small 70 excite his cupdity. HIS snephew wishes
10 sell his trlnketB Grandet HeizeB the opportunity
TO cheat somebody, and buys them himself, much
below their value. He giyes his poor wife pin-money
the loan. lie Is always trying to overfeach every
body, and because OF NJ. superior capacity and the
slss TSsn ss gives him ns
crafty plots Ia carefully attended to. lie has even
practiced habit OF suffering when imperfect mat
TO distract his nterOcut0rs and gives him the ad-
vantage. Ashe grows richer his parsmony increases
bsayarlce becomes more cOnsclenceess and horrible.
lie Kills his wife by his harsh treatment OF EnRenle
because the latter had dared TO dispose OF some gold
pieces given her by her father. Before his wife IN
fairly cold he cajoles his daughter into relinqshing
her Inheritance to him. and when she has despOlled
herself he shows far more emotion than the death
OF Ills faithful and submissive wife; he blrsts into
tears, and declares that Eugenle has saved his
life.' The development OF the mans passion pro.
ceeds steadily until his DEATH and his last conscious
act is to clutch greedly Ut the slyer-gilt crucHx
which the priest holds up before mis- dying eyes II
IL q hitting end 10 such a life. Eugenie Grandet ID
reared under the roof OF this man. She and her
mother are Ills slaves. lie speaks OF them In toll
Grant, coniomptuous way ~ the linnets' He never
trusts them they know nothing of hls business or OF
his wealth. Living continually In the most penllr-
Gus way, they are al once too Innocent anu Too Q0
rant to suspect the truth. The advent OF Charles
Grandet In the one dyl la Eugenie's sombre exist-
ence. The young Parlsian, With his efcmnate airs
his dalntily cared-for person, his graceful manners
takes the heart OF the poor provincial by storm she
loves him, and he fances presently thai he returns
her love. For his sake she has gone through mar
tyrdom, braves the black wrath OF her father and
asserts her independence for the 1rs aud only lime
much 70 Ills ainazeinent and indignatOn Eugenie ii
a simple but strong character. Isolation aIid slp-
precision have developed In her the more olld Chris
tan virtues. Having given her heart to Charles who
has gone TO tue lndles In quest OF fortune she mas
but one ldea-to await his return. Her mother dlea
and her father presently follows She III left alone
win Nanon great helress, but more solitary aud
wrctched than ever Her life s one OF those long |
allow tragedies OF which women alone are the VIC,
tins; lonely career OF passive endurance relieved
only by the round OF non00n0us duties perpelually