New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-09
THE NURGER VI YTH.
An EXPLODED LEGEND.

Paris letter in the London Globe"
Tn. proposal TO erect Il statue to Henri Mnrcer III
ia. I,tttn DIN Luxembourg has gwen rise u al IA
i,Ir-tiug discussion concerning his merits IhH w.
merits, which writer say do not RESPOND 10 me
,.,purur legend that surrounds his bohemian career
Foremost among u, tu'> - W. 'n",l'' ~ nn,,,rr
who AZ the risk OF b'ng o>lraclLed bt M, couh'rS-
men come. forward 10 show the author Of the
Vie de- Boheuc" a, hr really was. some peoP"'
M ,,r. nm r.prcscut the companion Of Mu>etic rs
. -. d,l,n'i,f,a, wight living In an attic and max
'tN M i,,,iy,ri ~ t,, cats ON the tiles Not later
tian Yesterday read a portrait OF him which almost
mad cry + P Of HI. " Sra 0 S 'FSui Gaf nj
told n, that his shattered health was due TO piva
ian and that II be- died before hi, tim" II was be-
cans, I, hli suffered too much rom poverty. This
M d,,i , foi,rhlng story hut It is not exactly
ntc VA, i, be pi,i,d / only wish that all young
ni nor, who dream 81 literary glory and pass their
NIGHTS I'm am attic waiting for inspiration, may Dave
n ,i.,.u,, 49, .,uo,th and lourg,,pse a, his Was II
he knew what misery Wu-, II was because he neg
lcctd 70 shut tc window ONT Of which he threw ms
mom nG oAdo 'T nnG h 'r Friendship Of an Xeademici
"Dl'," 4, ' r,arty i've The We de Hohemc procured
ward he produced 4 drama which had great success
~ the Od,om Later he was admitted to the stan
~ fl. .EcVue de-, d"uN NOndes, In which h. wrote
several novels which Wcrr wcl appreciated and we'll
paid for. Finally. hil bohemian who Is said 70 have
ic.n 80 unfortunate had the honor. before he was
thirty ~ being received AT the Coincide Francase.
where hi, 'Bonhomme Jadls was applauded TO the
VI. rormcntln tllnh, that under such circumstances
hr hardly b. eAcu~cd II hr had to I'VE on dry
lad he lived ten year, longer he might have been
elected TO the Acldcmi" francase; and then the
legend Of hls becoming conSumplve for lack OF nour
s@ might have GG out Spf INK ~ legend Was hi eH
podrd 80 Henri Murger had no cause 10 complain
Of lfr II he vcgcatcd in an attic after squanderins
away the money he earned 10y MS wntlngS ne had
only himself 10 thank for H. bohemian he was no
doubt n bv that word are 10 understand all who
squander day what they earned Yesterday, heed
les OF the ncccssiilr, of existence; but II the word
I, To b.. applied all Of letters who In default
Of money ir their pockets. live In misery and OBJ
fortunate author, whose work, have Jailed to max.
their mark. then IN" author " the We Dc Iohemc
was not bohemian ana II hr sang OF Sonn , WIN u,
having his manuscript always accepted ana paid Tor
NrNt TO VI Charles rormcnn comes NJ Francl'1us
Sarccv who ha, great deal 10 say on the subject
He doe. NOT object To the statue one more OF p :,
being OF ltl' consequence but he takes exception TO
III" cSiima" Of the cHincicr and WRITINGS OF Nureer
generally current lie thinks there can be no dodoi
that they hay" been exaggerated. ana are not tlual
10 the fame he has acquired. 81 Knew very Hitie
of him Il" says and mad" his acquaintance only
In IN" last years Of his lif" when he was prey 10
al sorts OF maladi"s. remember meeting bin one
night when NJ About and myself were leaving the
theatre. lie accompanied Us home. ana ON the way
uniurdencd his mind 10 He had promised novel
10 Buloz. ana was 10 supply # I'm = few days But
he had not yet written word for IN" simple reason
that he had not been able to find subject. i feel
b. said. striking his forehead. that It IS quite empty.
have ideas. and when | sit down 10 write can
not compose phrase. II /, all up with me-l am
,lout who was then in the zenith Of his imaginative
power. skctchci cut to him romance which he had
intended 10 Use himself. MIrcer thanked him from
the bottom OF his heart. Won have saved me- he
exclaimed. and ! will 60 home and work
asked About II h" thought Murerr would keep his
word. 'NOt he. replied About. he will never write
ten lines OF the novel. Unfortunately for him he i
very ignorant and very idle lie has not received
any education. and IS profoundly deficient In the
knowledge Of his profession novelist. II" gives
himself !, much trouble 10 describe insignificant
incident to EXPIRE, general idea. He Is always
NJ loss for word. have seen him splitting his
had 70; " c" Tr y%r IN pafnpn Witch anybody amy
ne wa, endowed with certain gifts: he had grain
~ poetry which enabled him at times to be- picturesque
luf the horizon OF his mind very confined: ne
conld never leave the Quarter Latin. and all his
lcroinns were Muscles and Minis"
To finish with anrcdot' One day Murgcr wrote
10 a friend " ! have not got iarting this l. why
| am walking about barcfooted. ! am waiting for
.c marriage Of Of the daughters Of the Emperor
Vlchnas an ltnllan who's" acquaintance he had made
ri the of Count Tosto. his patron. conceived
The idea Of sending His Majesty n nuptial poem
check from the Imperial Treasury. Unable to com
pose the poem correctly In French. he appealed 10
Nurgrr 10 help him. and tho latter ,cnted on the
understanding that he ould have half of the sim Il
car through the Intermediary 81 the Rus SIAN Ambas-
sndor II was the Emprror'S response that Nurger
rcckoned IN rescue him from his impecuni0stv Time
rolled on and he began 10 despair. when the news
came that His Majesty had written to Count Tolstoi
10 ask him whether the Italian would like present
or money The Italian preferred present. This
astonished Murger. who knew that he was like him
self I'm want of money. but the mystery was
explained The present, which consisted Of gold
ring SGT with diamonds. no sooner arrived than he
willy Italian sold II. Int. instead o fairly dividing the
proceeds with Murger gave him only a quarter OF
them. pretending that he had not sold the ring for
been able to cheat Murg~ out 4 his due share.