New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-06
THE HOME LIFE or ALElANDRE DCMAo'
SLOW UF LIVES AND WHAT HE DOES AT
MAELY.LE RoI-HIS DEEP INTER-
EST IN SCIENCE.


The most prominent citizen OF Marly-le-hoL
where President Carnot OF France has been stay
ing this summer. is Alexandra Dumas. The author.
IN fact was among those who welcomed the head
OF the great Republic TO the quiet village. Ac'
cording TO n writer in La Revue lHustree' Du'
mas leads an ideal life in his lovely home ana mas
no cause TO regret the distance OF the caplta!.
Alexandra Dumas fils,' says the Journal gets W
at o'clock in the morning. winter as well as sum
mer takes a long walk and returns to attend 10
his mail Neither cold nor bad weather prevents
him from carrying out this plan He sleeps 'he
wear round with the windows and doors OF 'hs
room adjoining his bedchamber OPEN HIS meals
are exceedingly frugal for man so active lie
never drinks liquor seldom touches wine and never
smokes At 10 o'clock at night he is in bed IN
the preface TO the Dame Camelias, written
IN 1867 Dumas describes his own rules or hie po'h
phvsical and moral in the form OF ADVICE 10 MS
, readers The passage characterzes the man ~
perfectly that 1t is worthy OF repetition III part
here
".Walk two hours a day; sleep seven hours every
night: 20 to bed when you feel the need OF seep'
oct IN when YOU awaken; work when you get up.
DO not eat except when you are hungry; DO nov
drink except when thirsty. and always Slowly
DO not speak except when 1t is necessary ana uo
not say but the half of what you think; write
nothing that you could not sign; do nothing thas
you could not tell.
and that you should not depend upon them. DO
not estimate money at less than II Is
worth; II is good servant, a bad master. ihihn
of death every morning on seeing the hght' anu
every night when the darkness returns. When you
suffer much, look grief in the face she Will con-
sole you and tell yor something. Force yourseh
TO be simple to be useful. TO remain free; and De-
fore denying God. be that II is proved 70 you
that He does not exist
q
perhaps with these words that one can explain
the tendency of Dumas to Isolate himself-a ten
dency that is certain.
Recently only scientific questions seem 70
attract the attention OF the literary philosopher
You see.' he said one day. in reality, science
alone Is eternal. Literary works very rarely sur
vive their authors; and assuredly the creates,
artistic work is far from having SO great an erect
Pasteur and Berthelot excite especially ms s srs
mration His table and the shelves OF his pra rsnce
His works OF art are almost the only dstracuSS IN
bas Nap esP o rather s becense Of them The col
lection Is valuable II the number OF Wo[nS 10
I'm a room Of the ground floor containing the bust
artistic Admiration and the Object OF iiiai venera
ton. is superb billiard table. on which Dumas
plays for hours with his grandson. eleven years
"visitors seldom. very seldom. go to Marty. LIZ:
erary men there in the minority. zone cannot
always talk shop) There the qualities Of the
heart and spirit priced. and little interest Is
taken in the literary and political opinions OF the
people The following anecdote will show the posi-
ton Cr Dumas these points:
Rightly or wrongly. among certain classes pu'
Is supposed to have rather oid-fashioned POI
litcal opinions. At the time OF the Commune
person very well known In the Partisan world
called on Dumas and begged him to aid In inc
escape OF a famous Communist by procuring
false passport for him. false passport. that
too much. The author. however. curiously
and ngenuously proposed To accompany the man
to NJ. Theirs and induce the President TO lend
them his aid. The surprise OF NJ. Theirs may be
imagined when receiving such an application. BUT
Dumas was so eloquent that the request was
granted.
8" Very we'll; he it. said the President. he
shall be allowed to escape. And since we are
discussing the subject. have any others whom
you wish TO escape also? ..
" No. came Dumas's reply. there Is no other
" Mention him-don't be backward
with the assurances OF Dumas this point
the audience came to end. The Communist;
armed with genuine passport. easily crossed
the frontier.
Re what may; this anecdote helps to show tse
largeness OF spirit and consequently the good
ness of AleNandre Drmas's heart How CO
man or this dth ~ character =" 'ccesT
the low. narrow sentiments which tradition has
attributed to him?'