New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-21
ALEXANDRA CHATRIAN.
SAD END OF TIE POPULAR AUTHOR.

Strangely slight attention has been paid to the
death OF NJ. Clatrian, Of the famous literary
firm of Erckmann.C hatrian. few years ago
the event would have plunged France into
mourning. To-day it passes almost without mo-
icr The scandal about Boulanger and the Roy
alists completely OverSbadOws and eclpScs the
death of one OF the most popular writer's OF the
century: q writer, moreover, 10 whom an meal
culabe debt Of patriotism was due Why this
is So is hard to tell: or rather, it is too easy
10 tell. For there are many reasons that ore OBJ
vious. \ sufficient one is this. that the Erck-
mannC latrian STYLE Of literature is no longer
popular. IL has given place 10 that of NJ lola
and NJ Dumas. Doubtless in the provinces ths
fervent patriotism Of Erckmann-Chatrian Is stiii
considerably cherished. But Paris worships ~
other shrucs. Not that patriotism has dechned'
Ii has not. But one cannot always be in wn'tc'
heat Of wrath against the enemy. one cannot
every day be marching in uniform and singing the
Nlarsellaise. When neat there is a call . pro
patria, Paris will Il" foremost 10 make response.
Until then, she wisely prefers 10 think OF other
things
There is another rea,on in some respects moro
potent still. VI. Chatrians fame has been in.
jurcd by his quarrel, les, than two years ago.
with his old partner. Frcnchmcn did not IKE
that quarrel and they land the blame Of it, chiefly
upou NJ Chair ian Ii was he who began H.. III
accusing NJ Erckmann Of Selling more than MS
share Of the profits on their works Nor was THAI
all. lie charged his partner with treason 10
France. in that he continued TO live III AIsa'o
under German rule. thus recognizing ana >anc''on'
ing Germa.nys seizure of 'he TWO provinces
These were hard things ~ sdy about the partner
VI lifetime, but VI. Chafran said them, anu sal"
them publicly, and in the harShrSt ana most
offensive manner possible. To say that Franc"
was shorkrd is to put il mildly. NJ fr'Kmahn
promptly began a suit for libel against the paper
which had published VI. Chatrians outbursf. ana
won it: in course Of The trial completely vnhi-
| eating himself and proving that VI. Chairman
himself was guilty of at least part Of the indrt-
mcnt That set the tide of popular opinion over"
whelninglv against W. Chatrian. People said.
q" liz. has sinned greatly But we cannot pIn'sn
him. brrai>c his good works also have been mahy'
SO lrt MS forget him And they have done 80.
There is an excuse for VI Chatrian. however.
Perhaps the general public does not iSno" IT. "''
VI. Erckmann does. and II led INN I" 'or3'Nr h's
old partner and become personally r"ronriFd !"
him before hr died. II is simply this, that VI.
,hari had lost his mind Two or three years
ago he showed symptoms Of intellectual decay.
HIS faculties bccamr cloudcd: ms perceptions were
dull: his suspicious were Keen HIS """"
nature seemed warped. lie sought relief and
home bu, in vain. His brain was hopeessy
diseased When he made his attack upon has
OLD partner he was not responsible for his c"h-
,urt Thereafter the progress Of the maiady IN
came more rapid aud more deadly. and Mt las' II
has killed him No onr more sincerity ana nroNr"-
ir.t,.,l!r dcplores his loss than the partner WHOM
hr wronxed VI. tharian was handsome. MS
tlnguishpd looking man, whose high forehead anu
penetrating dark eyes marked INN even ao
first sight man Of note. lie i've"
rear Paris. III charming little sun"r"a'
town called lie Raincy.' and his homo
VA. large comfortable house. cmbow-
cred in cumps Of grrrncry. and reached from tho
grassy road BY a long avenue of ovcrarchinS trees
There when he got home in the evening. MS
creates, delight was to play with his " boys IN
the varlcn Or clad in his blue blouse and cattrr-
ing with his wooden shoes like one OF his own
| Nsatian peasants. 10 tend. with his wife anu old
| gardener his flowers and plants.
The ioini fame of NJ Emile Erckmann and VI.
AlrNandrc Chatrian began about thirty years aga
with the publication OF 4 rather tanfasfI" story,
"i.Illusire Dpc,rur Matthews. NJ. EIckmann wac
then thrtV-.lghi Years old. and VI. thatrian thir-
ty-four. and ihrl had been working together
more than q dozen years without being able 10
make hit NJ Erckmann was the son OF
bookseller and destined for the bar. NJ.
,hatrian's family were slas,-ionn'ers, vino. be-
Ing ruined. were greatly pleased III securing for
their sou a we'll paid clcrlishlp. with prospects Of
becoming partner in Il glass fouisiry Of lflgium
and immensely disguise when hc threw up his
good place 10 devote himself - ltrratuT.
Iterufur had. in truth, a bad name then IN
country districts. and especially in Alsac". where
the friends We're both born. II WAS in Asare
thai Victor Hugo. being invited. whilst III the
zenith Of hi, reputation. 10 dine with some hon.
est folk OF his acquaintance. found himself an
object oi >l>plriols attention on The par of the
servant This unllterurv domestic 81, him down
a, Il BOHEMIAN. kept an eye his movements,
and when the time came tor pouring out the chant
payne asked aloud. and with great reluctance:
Shall give any Ia the man Of letters" VI.
Erchmann. vino. liz" VI. thatri2n. could not be
hroush, ~ apply himself to the career his
frcn'is wished. WAS also the victim of hearty
family r-prubati"n: aud il this that first
unirlbuird Ia establish link between he Young
men They were introduced to each other 10y
professor of the College of Phalshourg here Vi.
hairian hail obtained Ishcr,hip pending the
t,li- when MS pen should support hum. and dU
once They h'ramc friends and put their brains
~ well as their pursrs IN common. They tort
twelve Years without success or profit They wrote
short tales which were not appreciated. novelties
which we've rejected or laid upon shelves to be
printed only many years after, AMI dramas which
were either refused. ar. rs happened once with
Ia" patriotic play Of heirs called " tlsace in
l>l+, hanl>lrd from the stage by prrfcctorial
cdlu AZ the sr'und performance. Onr OF The
circumstances against them was that they he
gan al time when politics lett men too liftlo
leisure 10 think "i literature: and later. when
the total cessation al home politics under the
Empire brought novels into ,rmand again, IL was
NOT novels of the kind they could write. After
writing themselves down 10 a state of ndigcnrS
bordering pcnnilessnrss. the paIr of friends
on he point OF giving mp the struggle. VI. hat
rian. who had Abandoned his ushcrShip. solicited
:, railway rlrrkshp al $500 a year. and u. Erck-
mann started for Paris 10 continue the legal
studies he had begun lnsi sixteen years before.
II then THAT is, ~ the time Of the Italian
campaign that tine public. in one Of lis rapricnus
moods, took fancy to their Doctrur Mathews
bought three editions of it, and gave the authors
that name which Is destined 10 IN immortal in
the literature of France