The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-19

Hotel MGtropole to keep my first appointment
with Maurice Barres. n tall. spare. rather
square shouldered young man raised himself
somewhat laboriously from tho cushioned
depths Of an armchair to greet me. The face
at once impresses one as being very distinct
and unusual-physionomie originate is how the
compatriots of NJ. Barres would probably ex-
press it. The hair. very plentiful and Of a Pc
culiar dull black. overhangs slightly very
broad and rather low brow: the eyes are of n
quiet dark gray. and in size and expression
full. large. and handsome. The nose wildly
aQuiline. presents something Of that cour-
ageous Quixotic curve. recalling tho shape OF
scimetar's blade. The lips arc Of gen.
.erous dimensions and perhaps lit
tie relaxed: the smile that occasionally
parts them expresses sometimes irOnic
humor. sometimes graceful amiability. and
sometimes, also. sensitivenesS in an almost
painful degree. The chin. rather long. does
not recede. but bears as it were n somewhat
dropping character. The faintest Of NOUS
taches shades the upper lip. and the general
shape of the visage is triangular: its greatest
width Is across tho temples whence it
dwindles almost to a point at the extremity Of
the chin. without any Of tho usual roundness
or bullying at the jaws.
Altogether have never seen a countenance
more significant Of vivid intellectual appre-
hensivehess. There is Mt the back ofthe head
on line with the ears. that protuberance
which have always found to be sure mark
Of an extremely sensitive nature. and the neck
Is slender. the long hands are slender. the long
feet, encased in buttoned boots Of purity"
which NJ Barres's great friend. NJ. Bourget
that drbiker eegdntidruD,. would assurcdly be
delighted ut. are slender. And yet a
certain nervous energy. rather than nerve
lessness. which some people would be sure to
attribute to him. is the real mote" OF NJ.
Barres. physically and morally. Sometimes
I think l ought to have been prelate." he
said to me one evening when brace of whis-
keys and sodas were our only companions:
and imagined as I looked at him that Ar
mand dc Richelieu may have bcen man Of
something like this type. am sure that all
the clumsy critics Of his epoch must have con-
sidered Richelieu 'ncrveless." because he
was simply delicate. eager. and fine: but what
is it. after all? Just the dislike Of the thick
set butchers mongrel for the greyhound. A
greyhound can't help having slim and
meagre limbs. so he should not be held
responsible. Action. the desire for action. the
s shpae mgo Sr as ct Madr shoa The
M q the Nancy as p eh
tics interest him: he, is sincerely Socialist
hs art he nereeVes that ,ss nns Is
infallibly destined to absorb all life and action
In fh S near future On tho lines Of socialism
Tor Icht and Shall fA 6e e veay maes
mistaken Il Maurice Barres be not one OF the
more the man of action than, tho critic for
eYSa wRapt ne mas written some dccious pages
sht muc ia More nstS 5e caed
Psychological expianation;" vet the proof
that he Is not by nature critic appears in tho
Ing more more or less anty With his ThS sea
ty, of unerringly detecting in. each sepa-
speak. is It's, soul that which. preci sey, rem
ders It Q talent and Q force: tho. faculty or
rsthr the sSHtst wb F G admrng end de-
for It's purity that which is morbid" for Sgf it's
Eefem nate for its gentleness and sw s
which is . dilruse" because it may pc rich; this
germ or even tho fulhiment Of a CORRESPONDING
beauty. which is the, essential characteristic Of
Writing @ orzed crit s s AZ The p pressnt
d d is mat HSsTsa ana ss 81 s
you are s9 s,oa1sstituted that in every vari:.
fanr perceive ess wortSS but S Set
sn is wss X srte sm yoa If R %f ba fs
credit In the land Better. no doubt to see
some few things steadily and refuse point
blank even to look at the rest. A certain cd
itor have met once said to mo that when peo-
Pile came to him asking to write articles about
Baudelaire and verlaine he asked them il
they didn't think they had better go home and
read Milton and Dryden. Apparently 1t is be-
You'd conception that one should like and ap-
preciate Dryden. Milton. Baudelare. Verlaine,
and good many others equally different and
equally precious all with equal ardor and
completeness: hut then these are not the
usual principles with which one edits
M. Barres only likes what he likes. What
he likes. however. il very well worth liking.
For all classical French he has the soundest
appreciation. / have never met man more
free from the silly. petty. ignorant preiudices Of
"impressionists," and dicadents who know
nothing, and appreciate nothing beyond their
own little bag Of tricks. Among French writer's
of the present century. Lamartine and Vigney
appear to be favorltes with the young author
OF the "Jardin ds Ber6nice." Baudelare he
feels profoundly. IS should say that any one
with any fneness OF nature can hardly help
doing. Verlane he literally discovered. launch
cd with pen, purse. and personal negotiations
with. publishers. DC. upward Of ten years ago,
the least inkling Of the extraordinary and ex-
quisite poetic genius lying. like pearl at the
strous. yet withal pltiabie nature. To say that
not to say that the oyster when produeed i
should likewise be admired and adored;
lint theaa am awara ara auhtla