New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-05
VICTOR HUGOS SUCCESSOR

WHO LEAVES HIMSELF NO SUCCESSOR
Paris, July 10
In the death OF Leconte de Llse France Ia.
lost the last Of her great classical poets. Their.
are those who say without qualification that sh.
has lost the last Of her poets This is probaMv
too pessimistc view ~ the case There Ar.
other poets still living in France. Even anon,
the young "decadents." whom Leconte de Lisa
first tried to win from the error Of their way,
and then set down madmen. some capabA
and promising writer's. But scarcely in this gen.
Grafton shall we see another OF commander,
rank in the classical school. There will be no
trouble in finding more popular poets than he
Indeed he never was at all popular, and for only
a few years was he even known as living
writer 70 his own generation. For half-iozeu
years he has been either forgotten or else thought
Of as one long dead.
Yet for most Of MS life ne was a resident Of
Paris ST Paul Reunion. his native place
whore he vas born seven'y-six years ago He
spent his early manhood in travel But before
middle age he settled in Paris and spent the rest
OF his life there. going out to Barry the other
day to die suddenly Of heart disease in the beau
tiful country house OF William Beer, a nephew
of Meyerbeer Nor was he 50 much Of recluse
as to hide himself from the public sight For
many years he lived in a suite 4 rooms in the
Ecole des Mines. fronting on the Luxembourg
Gardens Every day he was 10 be seen srollag
about the gardens or on the street. and was al.
ways a marked figure. He above the com.
mon stature Of men; erect. broad shOuidered:
smoothly shaven face, with a singuary high
forehead and clean-cut classic features; vast
name OF snowy white hair hanging down 10 his
shoulders: black eyes that seemed 70 pierce you
through. and a hooking. cruel smile. He wore
a monocle Ike an Englishman. and when he
screwed il into his eye and twisted his mouth,
into a bitter smile he seemed a compound Of
Mephlstophees and Michael Angeles Moses. He
had a kind heart. but bitter wit. often unspar.
ing and wOunding. He was also snguahy
proud and sensitive. that he doubtless suffered
more than he made others suffer. His home lie
quiet and simple. Every SATURDAY evening
he and Nine. de Lisle home 10 Their
friends. Blu, their rooms. small they weN
were never crowded. A few I'D friends cans
men who like himself belonged to a former gen
Grafton. The young writer's OF the present day
who set the literary fashions studiousiy kept
away They reckonei him an old fogy, out Of
touch with modern life. with whom It would
rather dscreiit them to associate.
BY the select few. Of course. NJ de Lsle was
Justly appreciated and he had the honor Of being
received into the Academy under entirely unique
circumstances. Time after time for nine yean
he was brough, forward as a candidate. and re.
jected. Why? Because the Immortals thought
too highly Of him TO take him in in the ordinary
way They said There is only man among
us whom II would be proper for him % succeed
We Will not humiliate NJ de LIsle by putting him
r,lu
until the chair Of Victor Hugo is vacant and
then elect him to Ill ii. No other place is worthy
OF 50 great a poet" This was actually done
After nine years candidacy NJ de Lise was
elected as the successor Of Hugo. The address Of
welcome was made by Alexandra Dumas and
is often referred t. as one ~ the most eloquent
ever heard in the famous hall Nor was this the
only honor received by VI. de Lisle. The second
Empire made him a Knight Of the Legion OF
Honor. and in addition gave him pension
while the Republic bestowed On him the post
assistant librarian TO the Senate. and raised nm
to the rank OF officer OF the cherished Legion AZ
one moment. in ls4s. he had an idea Of enter
ing the political arena. but his friends dissusaea
him. and he decided 10 devote himself completely
10 the Muses.
A curious episode In his career was his WON
as one II the anonymous authors II the Cookery
Dictionary got up by the elder Dumas lhe'e
were two other collaborators. one Of whom wa.
VI. AnatOle France. who has since made h'nSe"
known In the journalistic world Suddenly l"
poet fs out with him. and wanted 70 hs".
duel Seconds We're named. but they were III.
able 10 agree as 70 the weapon 10 De useu' III
poe; flew into a passion, wherein NJ rrahvT ,
he would fight In the classic style, with he' ,
lean clubs or Homerlc javelins. provided ne ~.
mortazed him in one Of his poems II ne .s.
killed BY this time however. the anger OF ~. ~.
poet had Gained down. and the terrible eh0o'""'
was avoided "a.
His dsapproval OF the young "iec1dent p sss
OF to-day has already been mentioned ohce ~
sat AT his feet and learned the art OF Verse,,
ing-Mearme Ver.aine and the rest no' IA
Coppee. Mendes Sully-Prudhomhle
others whose appreciation Of him has NOT ""aIha
But when they ran into their "decadeni ..ss,r.
dsowned them. Il cannot" he once said .sde
stand a word they say. think they are sthsy
their time and their youth to produce whs, *.
will burn in few years. This Is not o' .snse
traordinary. but sad. French and common
are being entirely eclipsed. Ii Is as'ou Hm ,eu
What after all Is their symbolism! "mn,sl.
you. Take few adverbs. conjunctions hem
tons. substantves and adJectives; shan,,Jholsn.
all up together. and YOU VIII have SYM, Ma
lecadentism or whatever you like to eau w. re.
il is pure madness" On another occasion .r are
marked. These juvenile bards say IT, n,rn IN
merely feeling their way. There Is no hW sor
that: anybody feels his way. Take H!sr In
an example / kept my first work seven ,srsss
ny drawer; have burned more than 4coo We. ssy.
and have written and rewritten my poensskins
eral times But do not pretend TO De Iimnos1
for a new school. as they do, In order 10 '''
il on the world"