New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16

n;cts rho novcIists tbe dramatis,s, they all write
n nleose tho mob Not one Of them is serious.
The mob wants nothing serious. III wants W w
omused The brighter and lighter the fly. the
more eagerly the FISH snap at it For the WORKS OF
VI. Zola and the other "realists he had siieiit
regard or English and American iiterature ne
had only limited knowledge In fact he lived
chiefly in the past Hebrew and Persian ana Lam
werc more 70 him than all modern Tongues put TO-
gcthcr As for politics, he would have morning 10
do with It, 1T interests Inc no longer he saiu'
There are now no leaders, only III" masses Diiiu
and slow Yet after all. he kept himself well
Informed about all political matters, ana oi'eh
spokc AMI wfo'e on them with trenchant eloauehce
In fact NJ Renan came nearer TO being universal
genius than any Frenchnan Of his time. A. his
torian he was unsurpassed; no phiiologist he
rivalcd the greatest German masters; as a meta
nhysciau he attained the highest rank as a dram
atist be had few peers and on whatever theme nc
wrote, he wrote a. master, and be wro'e III
style which for purity and cearness aud beauty mas
probobly in any literature, never been surpassed
I'm hi, "Souvenrs Of YOUTH Renan wrote as
follows. a passage which Is now recalled with es-
pccial interest: have only petition 70 make
10 the good genius who has often guided, couIl-
sellcd and comfortcd mc-a sudden and painless
death at the allotted hour, be II early or distant
The most desirable of deaths Is that on tie hcd OIL
battle IT, at timcs, may have desired 10 On a
Senator. il Is because imagined that, at no dis
tant date perhaps, that position will AFFORD an Or
casion to be- shot, or killed IN any way far prefer
able 70 long malady that destroys yoh SLOWLY
and by inches Gods will be done llcncciorth
| have not much 10 learn. | see with tohraDie
clearncss what portion Of truth the human mihu
can discern in it's present stage OF developments
| should be- saddcmcd at having 10 70 through one
of those periods OF gradual dissolution Wn'h d
man who has had strength and virtue, Is but n
shadow and ruin of HIMSELF and, often 70 til, de-
light Of fools aborS 10 stultify the whole ehlhcc
of hi, former life Such an ola age IL the worst
Gift Of the gods TO man. II such TAT" were III
store for me, ! protest in advance against INC
weaknesses that s0ftcned BRAN ml2ht prolnp,
me 10 speak or write II is Rcnan und In minh
and heart. such as ! am to-day, not the Kcnah
half destroyed by death that shall he II | am
doomed 70 slow decomposition. that WISH p = PIE
to believe and listen 10. | rcpudiate the blasphe>
mics which the weakness of the dying hour might
lead ne 10 inter against the Eternal Inc III"
which was given me unaSked has been me
blessing If IL were once more offered t. me, l
ehould gratefully accept it. The century in which
| have lived will probably not rank u the great
est Int will doubtless bc held as the most amusing
of centuries Unless my remaining years have
cruel pain in store for me, in bidding farewell .,
life shall only have 70 thank the cause Of all
that is good fol the charming excursion 1t has beeh
aivcn me- T. take through reality"
This prayer was not granted. His death was
neither sudden nor painless. But he endured 1t
with the foItitude Of a philosopher