New-York tribune., 1894-01-21
ZOLAISM IN ENGLAND.
WITH MR. VIZETELLY AS ITS MARTYR
AND MIR. ROBERT BUCHANAN AS
ITS APOSTLE.

rise to a curious correspondence. Mr. ViZetelly
was the English publisher who in 1889 was In
dicted, pleaded guilty and was sentenced and
imprisoned for publishing English transations
of some Of NJ. Emile Zola's novels. Mr.. Rob-
ert Buchanan now thinks it necessary
to remind the English public that he
and Mr. George Moore protested at the
! time against what he calls that out
rage on the freedom of literature and that
no other English writer protested. Nay. there
was more than one English newspaper, he tells
us. which refused to insert Mr.. Robert Buchan-
ans letters on this subject SO he now writes
| another to point the contrast between the prose-
cuion of Mr. Vizetelly and the subsequent rapt-
urous reception Of NJ. Zola in England, and
! his entertainment with fulsome honors by the
| leading Pressnen Of the metropolis
The point is a fair one if fairly made but Mr..
BuchaDans notions OF fairness, or his enthu-
sasm in behalf Of dirty books, lead him into
exaggeration. The leading Pressmen OF the
metropolis had very little to do with the re-
ception' Of NJ. Zola. 1t might be invidous to
/ give a list of the leading journalists OF London.
| They are, however. well known to the profession
! If not to the public, and the list, whether In
vidous or not would be long. Among all the
| really eminent editor; and writer's for the Len
| don press there was, 50 far as remember, one,
and one only, who took part in the Iola celebra-
! ton: Sir Edward Lawson. II another can be
named apologize to him in advance, but am
quite certain that the reports of those present
at the assemblies held in honor Of the French
min whom Mr. Weldon called infamous included
very few names which belong in the front rank
of journalism To that extent, therefore, MIR.
Buchanans account Of the matter is inaccurate.
and the point Of his contrast is not quite so
! ho
lists" before which NJ. Zola delivered his ad-
dress is an extremely respectable and useful
body II seems to be. nevertheless. pretty largely
provincial. and in so far as it is metropolitan,
either does not include the leading Pressmen,'
or does not induce them TO present themselves
on public platforms at Mansion House re-
ceptons
We'll. when Nh Rober; Buchanan steps into the
arena with his Here we are again" and the
! familiar crack Of the whip there IS almost al
wavs some one 10 follow him with another cry
! and another crack Of another whip. The arena
, in this case. and often before. is THE Daily
Chronicle" That Journal. which is edited
| throughout with superabOunding energy con-
ce!ved-or its editor concelvedthe idea Of devot-
! ing every day whole page TO literature. or to
something which has some sort Of connection with
literature or with science or with the drama
,nl at great ength-often At greater length than
/ their intrinsic Importance would Justify or en-
plain. But II You have undertaken to have
daily Third Page and famous Third Page" at
that YOU must FIJI Il somehow. Much Of the re-
view work Is excellent. If there be not enough
! that IL excellent. and chinks and crannies re-
! auir. Ia be filed. IL Is convenient 10 have on
/ hand or round "A convenient corner. writer 30
| copious Mr. Robert Buchanan. The supply OF
books which it is possible to review Is not
unlimited but there are no known limits to Mr.
| Buchanans power OF writing about himself and
his opinions He tells us in this letter in his loud
| way: MY opinions on the subject OF the freedom
Of literature are we'll known But this does not
prevent his continuing to express them with fire.
quency and with emphasis.
The expression Of them drew. at first no more
important reply than one from MIR. Aaron Wat
son. who shares with Mr.. Buchanan his ad-
mlraion for N. Zola's obscenites II Mr.. Wat
son had an object. it was. apparently to pro-
test AGAINST the description OF the honors to NJ
Zola as "fulsome." and to insist that other
| English writer's beside Mr.. Buchanan and Mr..
| George Moore objected 10 the prosecution OF Mr..
Vizetclly
In this last he was certainly right. for the next
| dav appearel an interesting letter from Mr..
| Frank Harris Editor Of The Fortnightly Re-
view" Mr.. Harrs's position and abilities make
his testimony valuable. He reveals the fact that
| az soon as he knew Of the Vizetelly prosecution
! and heard that. for lack OF funds Mr. Nizetelly
was likely 10 plead guilty he offered 10 pay all
! his expenses II he would fight the case. This
offer was declined from dread Of "the vulgar pref
udices OF an English jury" Then comes Mr..
Ernest Vizetely. the son to declare that though
Mr. Harris did make this handsome offer. 1t was
coupled with unacceptable conditions about the
| employment Of certain counsel; and thai other
| funds were provided. In the end. Mr. Henry
vizctelly pleaded guilty owing to IAN extraor-
dinary combination Of circumstances OF winch
the public has SO far known nothing" They are
! 10 be set forth in supplementary Voiuhe OK
| Vizetelly "Reminiscences
Mr. Frank Iarris's letter raised larger issue
than the merely or mainly personal one TO which
Mr.. Buchanan drew attention. How personal
this writer who speaks of himself as dis
credited" can be may be seen by his remark
about Mr. Lowell Complaining that Mr.. Walt
! Whitman and others were, like Mr.. NiZetelly,
"permitted to suffer martyrdom. he remarks
that only paragraph was given by the Engish
rrass to Whitman-"but when the literary men
of England erect in Westminster Abbey tab
let To the memory of American fianeur ana
diner-out, the newspapers flow over with en-
| thusiasm" To which The Chronicle honor
ably appends the singing comment: ut Is hardly
necessary for us to add that we dissociate our
selves entirely from Mr.. Buchanan's characteri-
zation OF the late James Russell Lowell The
editor might have added. had he thought II
worth while that Mr.. Buchanan cannot be ac-
curatc even in his animosities. The memorial TO
Lowell was not erected by literary men en-
clusvely or mainly; 1t was not a tablet; ana 1t
was not placed In Westminster Abbey. but in a
passage leading from the Abbey to the
| Chapter House But let us leave the dis
credited" Mr. Buchanan. His notoriety Is but
accidental and transient.
The issue Mr. Frank Harris wishes 10 raise
is az was saying. large one. ana II ne wouio
keep II clear OF NJ Zola and of gutter literature.
he might do a real service. He remarks with
truh ON the fact that In France the artist