The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-06-16

K HENRI TAME. the inventor or |
Int powerful machine called scientific
paticism, criticism immovable, mex
able, which in some way destroys I'M
&kyidual liberty, making Of man the
lhple product Of precise and defined
ktors, from which he can, under no
. etext, disengage himself, such as race,
Sbch, surroundings, which classifes
l y labels all literary works like speci-
lAns in museum Of natural history;
Itch seeks, above all, the law, and for
ts, in its desire to bring all things into
4 tnmon, this element Of difference
rich is felt, this vibration Of soul to
I'll, this something which escapes and
Institutes genius"
And yet Taine has written some beauti-
gH poetry, thus combating the very
cory which he labors almost constantly
1 maintain. Enthusiastic admirers
lGfTe declared that Taine is the first
liter Of our time. Be that as it may,
NJ is genius and an analyst Of the first
Magnitude. His power Of expressing
ach in little Is remarkable. Perhaps
1lY most conspicuous example of this
Guilty is to be found in "The Nor
bns," where, in describing them, he
feaks of them as "these heroic seekers
ter profitable adventures"
Taine is thoroughly domestic man,
that he spends all of his time at
kfne; but he can scarcely be considered
IA ideal husband, for apart from the
lettings ut meal time he sees. little of
I'D .sSulsl J. s. sa.s4 Tssss lie hnsritaisla
entertainer, and she and her beautiful
daughter are prominent figures at most
of the social events of the fashionable
literary circles of Paris; but the great
philosopher has so arranged matters
that he is by common consent absolved
from all social obligations. From early
morning until far into the night, with
but brief intermissions for the "consti-
tutionals" which he compels himself to
take, Taine is immersed in his study-a
dingy sort Of den isolated from the fam
ily's apartments and richly stocked
with valuable books. The great writer
and thinker is morbid in his dread of
notoriety, and would not even permit
Bonnat to exhibit his portrait in the
Salon. He is, perhaps, the most inac-
cessible Of all the great men of to-
day.
Taine's career is lesson to young men
of genius. He did not burst, like me-
teor, upon the literary armament. On
the contrary, his rise was the result Of
laborious and unremittipg effort, coupled
Of course with his wonderful mentality
Born in 1880, Taine, as soon as he was
able, was obliged to work, not only for
his own support, but also for that of hi.
mother, to whom he exhibited up to the
day of her death devotion that was al.
most sublime. His first work, "Philo-
sophie Francais," appeared in 1855, and
was followed successively, and at rea.
sonable intervals, by LA Fontaine, :
"La Litterateur Anglaise," "Le Voyage
en- Itale" and 'LIntelligence." He
married, when he felt THAT his future
was assured, Mile. Dennel, the daughter
Of an eminent architect. Two children
have resulted from this union, which has
proved most inarrry one. Taine adores
children and is very fond Of cats. His
summer home is a magnificent estate,
Borenge Mention, st. Bernard, ON the
shores Of Lac d'Annecy. His wife super.
intends the vineyard and looks after all
the business details of the place. Their
winter home Is in Paris and is sumptu-
ously appointed.