Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-07
Nj. RENAN's BOOK.
The Abbess of Jouarre-Love, Sc.
duCtioa and the GuiIlotine.

/ year III. Renan actually had dialogue
acted on the stage OF the Coincide Fran
caIse, the qualification Of drama applied
to the ''Abbesse de Jouarre" indicates
only that the author has used the form Of
dialogue in order to eXpOund more readily
his idea and to be able TO set forth con-
trary views without engaging too much
his own responsibility. This time, how
ever, Nj. Renan does not support
several opinions at the same time;
be Is less impossible than he gen.
orally is, and finally the concep-
ton OF his drama is so audacious and
some OF the situations so very risky that
| the author has almost laid himself open
10 the charge OF indecOrum. From the
! windows of his rooms In the College de
France, NJ. Renan has watched the de-
mhlltion OF the old Plessis College. which
during the revolution in 1898 and
! 1874 was the saddest prison in Paris.
III was there that the victims Of the
| revolutionary tribunal were imprisoned
| before they were cartpd of 10 the gutllO-
tine. M. ReDan has tried to imagine the
| conversation that must have been held
! there during the few hours that preceded
| the fatal roll call, and be has conceived
series of catalogues OF the Last Hour"
| he present, however is probably the
only one OF the series that he will execute.
Il
! religious history TO write. HencefOrward
shall permit myself no more amuse-
| ment."
The hour Of death, argues NJ. Renan, is
essentially phiOsophic. At that hour
everybody talks we'll. for we feel that we
are in the presence Of the infinite and we
are not tempted to make line phrases.
NOW, at the hour Of death,o continues
NJ. Renan, "iove must assume charac-
| - n a CiIYt
that If humanity acquired the gertrude
that the world would come to an end
IN two or three days, love would
| burst forth on all sides with a sort
OF frenzy; for what holds love in
| check is the absolutely necessary cOndi-
tons imposed by the moral preservation
oil society. The moment we round our
! selves in presence OF certain and sudden
| death, nature alone would speak; the
most powerful OF natural Instincts, n-
cessantly bridled in and crossed, would
resume its rights. The security of con-
| science founded on the assurance that the
! love would have no morrow and no con-
sequences, would produce sentiments
which would concentrate the infinite into
few hours. The world would drink
| deeply and feareesly a powerful aphro.
disiaque which would make it die of
| pleasure"
|
love in presence of death, and lays the
scene in this very prison Of Plesss. A
gentleman, NJ. darcy, is awaiting death
| there with resignation. He is a phitosO-
pher and disciple of TurgOt, who beliyes
that the memorable law which governs
human things cOnfounds justice with
| injustice, the progress OF reason with bar.
barism. Suddenly the prison door opens
| and Darcy Sees before him the A5besse
| nnl
loved" The aDbess beseecnes him not TO
recognize her, and retires to her
| cell to prepare for death. Julie de
Saint-Florent, AbUesse de Jouarre. is "a
years old; Darcy is 40. Hitherto he
has only had mystic love for
this idol of beauty and virtue; respect
has kept back his passion. But now, at
this solemn moment. wh9n the same
| knite is about to cut off their two heads
be thinks only OF his gross natural
passion, and so he brides a warder and is
| introduced into the cell where the Alb
| besse de JOuarre is meditating over her
| past existence, finding it perhaps, little
empty in spite OF it's dignity. '.Ahi cold
distractions" she exclaims, snow in.
| SUFFICIENT as CONSIDERS Tor one who is in
presence of anninilation! / have subtll
lied too far the existence of God. An
| ideal entity no longer suffices; [ could
wish for living CONSIDER" At this mo
ment Darcy appears in her cell, and in
burning words combats her scruples.
This scene OF seduction almost at the
foot OF the guillotine is most eXtraordi.
nary, the more 50 as Nj. Renan
has described IL with profusion
of er0tic indications, which seem rather
strange coming from the pen of such a
venerable savauC. Your strong INTEL
lect," says Darcy, TO the abbeSs, "seiz-
| 81 [ ut
has always separated the spirit from the
| letter, the institution from the ideal pur-
! pose, the convention from that which Jus.
titles it.. Nature intends that we should
enjoy, and she orders us to limit our en-
| joyment. She means US to love, and she
makes US tremble before love. | have
never discouraged these apparently arbi-
trary rules, which are the very condition
| OF existence. The gay society in which
we lived did not impose it's frivol.
! ity upon me. For me love
was always something sacred. So
it was for you. Then why should
we not taste the fruits of our innocenceY
! One moment OF happiness, one moment OF
! oblivion, is our due. Al the last hour is
1t too much that virtue should have
| rapid but sovereign reWardg
| Certain conventions, OF which we saw
very well the temporary and relative
character, but which was held TO be the
corner stones OF a social ed fee OF which
we formed part, devoted you 10 a state OF
celibacy, sGcriegi0us from certain points
OF view. This soc al state no longer ex-
lists. We are condemned to die; we are
free; the laws established in view Of
durable world exist no longer for u.s."
And so the two 40 ON arguing; Darcy,
gentleman and philosopher, reasoning
epeciously in favor of his passion; the
abbesse longing to weld and yet not wish.
ing to abaee herself in her own eyes, to
destroy IN a moment her lite OF spotless
purity. "Pridew replies Darcy. proud
virtue is a vice in woman. You will mise
something eternally; eternally you will
bewail your vlrginltY. Heaven sent you
perfect friend, You might ench0nt his
last hour and make his suffering equiva-
lent to al eternal recOmpense. You re.
fuse 10 do 80. Your conduct as abbess
Wili remain correct; those olaustral vlr-
tues OF which you have seen the vanity as
clearly as any one, will remain intact:
but the true greatness OF u woman will
not be yours. II the God Of the monks Ia
satisfied, the real God Will be displeased
with you" Finally the abbess Yields
completely and says TO her seducer,
Darcy: my friend, this moment is for
me the beginning OF eternity"
The seduction accom- pli6hed. the lovers
are interrupted by the footsteps OF the
jailers coming to summon the victims.
death Will be sweet 10 me now" ex-