New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-13

will appear and the world will know for ths
first time what it Is about. This vague Eternal
Father, yet to be, but only when we ourselves
are no longer rocks and stones will seem to III.
Christian quite comfortess as the badcs,
Atheism But, os l have said the thought la.
taken firm hold of the generation now passing bv.
One of the greatest French writer's Of this gen.
Grafton is Paul Bourgct. who could not let m.
year 90 by without at least one book of solid
fiction from his pen. Ills new volume. Thu
Promised Land has all the characteristics Of his
former work treating with certain lofty phil
osophy OF things unmentionab In everyday Eug.
lsh. with details Of high life pushed to snob,crv
and analysis which often become tedious subte.v
Perhaps his preface. in which he defends the m
nance Of psychological analysis. is best worth
reading. lie is not as secure III bis Renansm A
Jules Lemaitre; It would be very easy for one Of
his peculiar turn of mind and restless insight into
the weakness Of purely negative principles. 70
swing around some day to the extreme Of POSITIVE
faith. lie would have little to mend in hin
stories, except their morality. Perhaps the Jesuit
reviewers who are his close neighbors In tho
peaceful Rue Monsieur. amid the waning grandeur
of the aristocrato Faubourg Saint-Gemain. may
yet help to clear up the confusion of his thoughs
Anatolc France has already cried out when they
shivered the dainty sheen of his own weak armor.
I have only space left to note the odd breath
OF Calvinism into the vertsbe French novels OF
Edouard Rod who is professor in the University
Of Geneva. He Is a true moral philosopher. and
| should consider his critical studies in tho moral
ideas Of the present time far more important
contribution TO recent literature than all his nov.
els. though one of these has been crowned by tho
French Academy. lie has clear vision Of recent
in ia vim pOp fra
nesation to the positive school that is at hand
with the generation now coming on. Professor
Rod has his grave doubts that this latter may turn
ont Catholic revival at present 1t is content
with the neo-Christianity Of TostOi and the
Vscomts dc Vogue. He is surer in his apprecia-
ton OF the, negative school which is passing AT
its head marches NJ Renan its founder and direc
tor, bearing himself as high priest Of Nothing
ness, yet admirable with understanding mar.
vellous, talent so subtle, a seductive quality 80
irresistible, that he has rallied around him the most
brilliant minds of the generation which came after
and which he continues 10 sway
The leader Of French literature In this fin do
steele has passed. and there is no sign Of a sue
cessor's coming. Meanwhile critic is with Us,
knowing ms cwn mind philosopher and with
firm grasp of artistic principles This is NJ Fcrdi-
Eaud Brunctiere, whose volumes on French litera-
ture appear at regular intervals 10 the edlhcaton
Of al that care to think seriously and the despair
OF light blenders His last sentence was 50 fat
reaching that IL has excited disturbance which,
after the French fashion, has all but ended In
duel 1t was apropos Of statue to DC erected TO
Baudeairc, the poet OF the " Eieurs du Nal But
our Daniel come to Judgment was inteMols; and
the pessmst poet is declared, from documents IN
hand to have been corrupter Of French speech
in the language, OF true art in the form, and u
good morals III the matter OF his works. Many
had been old fashioned enough TO think this all
along; the defender who has risen up TO them Is
but another sign of the literary reaction drawing
nigh.