New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-18
NOTES FROM LONDON
NJ. lola AND TIE FRENCH ACADE,ry-v
PAUL DOURGET-AlR LUCY-THE NAILS

much of a parsonage in the French world OF Letter,
that his struggle with the Academy is widely A..
cussel His best friend in the press is the Fiu,,o
| n journal never too stiff on questions OF mora,,,r
| Its editor NJ. Maynard, published frieudlr
remonstrance with the head. II he be the head =,
the realistic school of French novcsts against b,
| obstinacy in continuing to be candidate for =,
| academy which clearly does NOT wish for his com.
pany He warned VI. Zoa that he was weario,
out the patience OF his friends and that he stoS
| in the way Of other men of his own school.
| Paul Bourget for instance. IL is said of NJ PM
| Bourqct that he has a feeling of delicacy ,b,,.
| Offering himself at time wien his standing a,
the Academy might seem TO interfere with
| Zolas chances
NJ Zola's answer is very Zolacsque InasmuM
as the Academy exists. ] must be cf it, A candi.
date less convinced of liza own merits might con.
slider that it was for the Academy itself to iuda.
| whether an outsider should he admitted Not :.
| NJ lola. fIe is to be- or would be il things vera
| rightly arranged in this world, the final Judge in
his own cause lie looks forth upon his work and
pronounces il good, and perhaps thinks his nastiest
| things his best. 80 long as ] am Candidate
am not beaten. That IL why shall alwaS
he candidate" | suppose VI. lola U.s. IN
truth, totally unable 10 understand why his name
is name OF offence and oatbing TO 50 many Of
those who admire his powers as a writer. liz
seems long since TO have convinced himself that
his theory OF literature is a sound theory aud that
because a thing exists il is a document-to use HE
| own jargon-and that every horror Is a suitable
topic for literary treatment II is not to be sip
nosod he will ever change II is to be hoped the
| Academy will not either.
The one good point in VI. Ioa's answer is his
| profession OF his readiness 10 promote W. Bourgets
| election Not, indeed. by takinc himself out Of
tho way He has ways Of his own. He will con.
tinua TO DO a candidate. but will ask his friends
| N vote for NJ B0urget all the same. | do not
know that the younger writer stands IN need Of
this sort Of patronage. or would accept it. What
NJ lola offers is, in effect. 70 berlend NJ Boureet
in anv manner except that which might really be
helpful to him. Nor is it known what chances Of
election the author of "CosmopolisT really has
Election to the French Academy de-
popds on many other things than the
pos.ession OF literary powers. or the use made
Of them. or tho misuse. w. Paul Bourget is
student Of psychology, with taste for the compo-
sitio, Of novels and ronlancns. He has written
and nubishrd other books. studies in psychology
and in portraiture but II Is novelist that he Is
| chiefly known TO thr public Vet. if one were to
initiate his paradoNical method. it ml'it he said
that 10 is hardly a novelist ar all ii" Il, at any
| rate not prominently a novelist. The real pent
of his mind is to analysis ii il anatomical and not
constructive. "Cc,mopolis" which Seems 10 be
| oxtoll,d IN one American Journal a. masterpiece,
| il p toptcraphical treatise. through wmch runs
| story such as il is. with various ESSAYS III "e
| study Of character, with two or three me scenes.
dramatic rather than romantic ana WIN wen VI
| curious speculation cnyclOpns ihe wIo" IL Il LII
parts. like other books b. the same writer eN
trcn,ly proiiieatc, but not. Ike so mich Oh VI
yl.s worl, coarse for the mere sake Of coarsen-ss'
and obscene because ohseeniy has coinne'o''
value NJ. Bourcct does nor finch if slave OF
nassion or of sheer volup;uou-ness comes Ih ",s
way but he does not 90 ont Of his way IN seafca
80 srch matter or construct a riot for the sake OF
an crotic episode Therein lies the uherehce
bct,vcen him and NJ Zola difference axe 10
| r,oralitv and in literature. IL would De possinie
| ,o oleot VI Rour,rt a member OF the French Aeaae-
my without n scandal. whereas tho melnoefsh'p'
| NJ lola would signify but too plainly TIE h"a'
! divorce lctwcen litclatnr" and d"cehcy' i'e'''
| literature or the corporation oi french WINS
aa,,, lo,, indoed wien tho Society OF French Men
~ To,,,rs chose the author Of Ia Terre 10 |"
,boir nrcsdcnt. The Academy i the last remain.
inc Guardian of decorum. To elect VI Hoa "0"s
no 10 rcnounce its duty, 10 alter its character"
trreit ia nosi,on At present il does MOI We"
disposed 10 commit this moral suicide. ne jou1'
nal hest entitled to speak in it, nam'' the 'V''
nal des Debats." ridicucs the perpetual canu'ia'
turo of " lola as a vcritable mania. lie - ~
truth. a candidate in whom concert mas o'coui'"
coloss,l ~ 70 be almost equivalent 70 INSANITY
Mr. I.:,v il responsible for an innovation ID"
the still conservative Journalism Of ms once oO~
sentative country. don't use the wora co"S'
tive IN a political sense. lie l. not, as you NnD.
n political Conservative. AMI the JOURNAL VIZ"
which he is most closely connected Is not Oo'
scrvative journal. Mr.. Lucy is the old ram.
u.ntarv Hand of The Daily News. His SNetcpe
from the Gallery now appear daily under 'l'e "'''
q. pictures in Parliament and-this i the ihho''
tjon-arc sicrrd with his initials. They are sso
advertised on huge placards when acorn '''
hoaidinCs of this ancient city. -.
The editor, who il, beGcve, also the rnin'se' y
Tie Daily News is quite right TO take nc"
departure and 10 add a personal interest " WV
intrinsic interest of Mr.. lucys WORK No -
work of its kind is done anywhere Nooo'. IN" ~,
the House of Commons more intimateN u'"n
Iucv His nictures are real pictures. They rep
resent or rather reproduce. the scenes ana ,"e
actors on that peculiar stage. They are so,.' ,.,
mon. than accurate: they are vivid and lifeiik.
You get the general effect and you get the uo,'',
They arc also good naturcA Mr. Lucy can u,a'
handsomely by a political opponent. anu '' ~.
lIc hits hard sometimes but there Is 10 ut a ~.
Marked is the contrast between his genlail'S anu
rancor which oozcs along the editorial columns .s
the same paper lie would not. for example ~ "
course of q few lines describe Mr. Cham'ei''
watching Mr. Morley with the glare oil p''' .sh
hatred, and aloating over humi'auon ".
is the Pigment of malicious fancy or ueno ",,r
his speech az tie product OF wounded -
and himself as trying 10 shuttle ont Oh ~, M.
nosol SANDERS There must be a puoilc'
suppose, for this sort OF thlng' ou' ,l.,
70 see with whom, or from what point oil W"
,oh ,ho,or;c can b. effective. The ways VI
this G,adstonian organ have long been pun"
both 70 tlc profession ami to the politicians ,o