New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
LITERARY LIFE IN PARIS.
TRANSMITTING AMERICAN WORKS-SoME
NOTABLE WOMEN.

ism of American publishers and editors, have PUT
the masses Of American readers within the las'
decade en- rapport with much Of the literary ne
of Paris To many able translators-both Engiish
and American we are indebted for much oil trchch
literature that might otherwise be lost, since In te
hurry Of American life comparatively few have iI'
knowledge, time or inclination TO delve into tnc
originals On the other hand the general III
difference Of the French to all that lies without
their charmed civilization would have cut theni
of from nearly all American literary progress IL
IL were not for the efforts OF the Revue des DeuA
Mondes," and like periodicals. to bring our "'s'
salient literary characteristics 10 cultured ffehch
readers thus disseminating taste for American
authors.
To no French critic or translator, perhaps, are
modern American fiction writers more indebted
for French readers than TIL. Benton, twenty
years contributor to the :" Revue des DeuX
Mondes" TIL Benton IS the pscudonym of Madame
Blanc the only daughter OF the beautlful Ioun'esS
d'Aure. Married at sixteen, divorced at nlheteeh'
Madame Blanc made her literary debut al Thirty
Wars as the author of Divorce, mover that az
tracted immediate attention and decided her career
Subsequently, she has written twenty novels NLanS
have been translated into English, but so oauly
that she has never had the courage to read but
one "Expiation," brought out year ago by
an American publisher, and attributed TO IN
BENTON, is not her work, but that of one OF her
friends, clever Partisan. English governesses
and frequent sojourns in England lad the louh-
dation of Madame Blanc's present command OF
ENGLISH and her appreciation of its literature.
What led YOU to the critical study OF
American authors? ' / asked Madame Blanc one
day, as we sat chatting III her cosey salon In
rue Burgoyne, where on Mondays all sorts OF de-
lghtful people are to be met, and none more wei
coined by the hostess than Americans.
Irving, Hawthorne, Poe have always been
known 10 cultured French" said she. irving
is n school textbook Poe early found mar
vellous interpreter in Bourelair. author OF
8 L,auteur de fleur de NAL melancholy poet,
he. like Poe was the fOrerunner OF the natural
istic school As for the American writer's OF my
own day. continued Madame Blanc, Il turned 10
them naturally Ny attention was called In
peculiar manner to T. B. Aldrlchs works in $40,
A young American journalist, Mr.. Ralph heeer'
who since persisted at sea, wrote me that ne iao
read my criticism of Walt Whitman in the he
vue DIES Deux MOndes.
Madame Blanc was the first to call the atten-
ton of her cOuntrymen to Whtmans genius
You have taken so kind an interest in our poet,
wrote Kecler, =" that am tempted, on behalf OF
my friend Aldrich, TO ask vol TO read 'MarJory
Daw' I think you will like it 1T was so
delicately put" said Madame Blanc" in behalf
of nv friend that was much pleased, and have
always been grateful to Keller for calling my
attention to Aldrich's works"
Madame Banc's manner of translating is no
less interesting than artistic. So rigid 50 con-
SENTATIVE is the literary standard Of the Revue
des Deux Mondes," in which her crtiques appear,
that the contributor Of twenty-five or thirty
years Is as likely to be rejected the chance
aspirant She translates but part of n wOrk-a
page-a chapter here and there-which frequently
leads Others to the translation of the whole That
which is untranslatable invites her critical com.
ment, which is often greater revelation to the
author than to the French reader, and equally in
structive.
in American fiction" explained the critic,
the French are most interested in that which rs
Enthusiastically American Here Is the Secret
of Bret Hartes immense popularity. He writes
of n life that has no existence elsewhere, phase
that is passing away. Then the impressions or
France on Americans are equally interesting. We
do not care for description. The French know
their country better than the foreigner. This
partIy explains the failure Of Edgar Fawcetts
stories to interest. They are too conversational.
Salon gossip that lacks French polish strikes US
as hard. crude Mr. Fawcett's poetry, however,
is charming His Adventures OF Widow gave
great promise lie writes too much. too much.
1t is disease of modern writer's"
Madame Blanc finds much in American fiction
untranslatabe Mark Twain, for instance. II
had two papers on Twain laughed this brilliant
Partisan, and devoted a page to his Jump
ing Frog The French abhor American slang
INIT bn
in translation. To show this put the Jumping
Frog into academic French. Twain wrote,
thanking me for the review, and added. 1 have
paid you back L have translated your Jumping
Frog into English to show how untranslatable l
am
Madame Blanc finds Cable man of great talent
His stories have been translated. His characters
appeal because they are of FreLch blood. Henry
James she considers the only American writer
who has the international sense. llowels Is less
an artist than James His Undiscovered Coun-
try." and Foregone Conclusion" are not with
out interest. The Lady OF the Aoostook' has
been cleverly translated "A Modern Instance"
is untranslatable; 1t is too coarse. Mr. Bell9my,
she thinks, has peculiar talent. The Quick
or the Dead" she found disgusting, and sees no
great future promise in the stories of Amelie
Rives Chanler. Madame Blancs later transla-
lions have boon confined to the stories of Sarah
Orne Jewett, for whom she treasures the warmest
admiration.
In her salon, one may frequently meet Mr.
Rhodes, ex-Unitcd States Consul 10 Jerusalem, and
for twenty years resident of Paris An old
habitue of the boulevards, Mr.. Rhodes has such
q command of French that he frequently appears
in the Revue DIES DeuX MOndes. Another visitor
of Madame Blancs scion, character most pic
turesque in these days OF idealistic desuetude is
NJ Grenier, the last poet Of the idealisiC school
Of France. small, well-prcscrved man is NJ
Grenier, with fresh face, merry blue eyes, and
snow-white hair and beard The companion OF
Lamartlne, De MusSet and Victor Hugo. NJ
Grenier has always been more of poet in his
life than in his verse Wealth and the culture
of the worlds choicest have always been his
An ardent Republican, he forfeited highest dlpio-