New-York tribune., 1886-04-04
PRIVATE LIFE OF FRENCH AUTHORS.

| HENRI GREvILLE DESCRIBES TIE PERSONAL CHAR
ACTERIsTIcs OF SOME wELL-KNowN WRITER'S.
Henri Grevile began yesterday series of
four which will be delivered IN the afternoon at
the University Club Theatre Her lecture yesterday was
the private life OF several French auhors whom she
singled out and homcs and children.
whose personal and whose methods OF work
ing she described by few bold touches. Victoren
sardou the first writer of whom she spoke.
"Sardou" said She "is tall and thin, with face
which we French say resembles the blade OF
kuIfe With that he is smiling and
pleasant and a perfect man the world His debut as
full of difficulty In his days Of trial he
lived with his wife i'll little apartmentin quarter that
extremely fashionable, and at the windows OF
their tiny dningrOOm there curtains. Now
for French housekeeper without curtains ia un
furnished and Madame Sardous great ambition was 10
curtain her dning.room windows. Her husband always
promised 10 crafty her when his plays should
be accepted. At last he made name by La Perle
Nore and they have all the curtains that they can
wish for. = success has made Sardou rich. he has
become "a collector of ric-abracand curions kind OF
Drca brac he collects His passion Il for the iron rsl
OF quaint old houses. and with these he decoates
his handsome country seats"
OF Alexandra Dumas. MS, Madame Dnrand said: lie
is certainly not one OF those who hide their hvcs rom
public gaze He always lad his whole NE ."i"l "pen
what from this publicity In hs hermitage be collects
pictures which he buys cheap and sells again dear tie
had the misfortune TO be brought al period when
the corruption. material and moral OF the second E-
pre- was at ts height sees the this In bis
writing don't believe that lie conceive OF vr-
tuOus woman at least when he tries put them
into his plays they always placed In the most hh-
pleasant situations. He married. under soinewhat
tragic circumstance, Russian, who was already "A
widow lie has two dtushcrs Of whom one Is marrleu.
lie lives much at home. and yet he Is not fanny
Formerly br brilliant in society, but lately no
has shut himself up In sort OF mysticism dOht
mean spirltuasm. but In another Land and In another
believe lie would become the founder OF strange
reigion-a religion without a God" ,
Henri Greyille evidently not an admirer OF LOlss
works, hut she charming picture OF his hOme
lie. We apt To imagine" she 5ald that theIe -
something improper In ZOias very name. A. "A mar
OF fact man leads more vrtnous life than ne nc
her stout age forty fodr aud has that peculiar AM
not unpleasant expression which Is 50 comhioh
near-s GIFTED persons He Is an lh
0efatiGabe worker. lie rises early, woLhs
until breakfast, and then works until dinner is
with the greatest difficulty lie up his com
positions dozen un.es brfore he is suited. This per
the country, not from Paris. with his wife, who
beautiful woman when young Together ihey
make they happiest household Imaginable.
AlphOpse Dagdct whom the lecturer characterized as
the spoiled child of the French reading public, was me
sst author mentioned. Daudct" said she. " had the
advantage of being a handsome man and having re-
markably lnerestng appearance. Like LDla ne u oA
trrney near-Sighted. His brother Ernest who j. aNo
secretary of the Duo MOrny ana through
de Morny's Influence Alphonse obtained recognition
earlier than lie could have expected N lett enuIry on
his lie has had the good fortune 10
be celebrated while still young. He married charming
yOlved and after his marriage this fact began to eher
else unfortunate Influence the style OF her nus
band. few years ago. wever. Daudet became him-
self a ara OF tlls and corrected fauls"