The morning call., 1894-04-15
MAXINE DU CAMP.
A Great French Writer
Passes Away.
THE HISTORY OF HIS LIFE.
One Result of Neglected Opportun-
ties-Love for Literary Work.
Not a Politician.
THE HISTORY OF HIS LIFE

PARIS, Feb. 2S.-By the death of M. du
Camp France loses a conscientious ana
talented writer. Maxine du Camp was
an impartial analyst and an unpreJudiceo
moralist. In his works he touched poetry.
romance. travels. history. and always his
thought was the highest. the most courage
Gus, and of greatest interest to the entire
world Of letters.
But, great as was his work. few writer's
have been less known, less understood by
their contemporaries. A few months ago
| saw Maxine du Camp in his own home,
81 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris. There
he related to me- the history of his life, his
disappointments and triumphs. his hopes
and fears. An old man living the life OF
reeluse naturally talked OF the past.
II was very bad scholar, and now l.
never see schoolboy without feeling for
him the greatest pity. My determination
was to be man of letters and my family
decided to make of me magistrate. |
said, L shall soon be q. and then l shall
do as l please Blu: | began my literary
career by dissipation of the lowest order.
OF that soon wearied. wrote serious arti-
cles for newspapers and reviews, travelled,
studied all types of criminals. made lriends
OF detectives and prOfted by their expert
ence.
Tho dream of my life has been to write
for boys, but unfortunately have not the
talent necessary. Night after night have
read the 'ConIes de Perralt' and Robinson
Crusoe,' and always with the deepest In.
terest My first work appeared In 184o.
wear not favorable to the sale OIL DOCKS.
NV second attempt at puDlsnine was
made in 1851, another unfavoraDle year:
In 1858 | published Memoirs OF SUICIDE,
supposed 10 be my own autO0i0grapny.
AT er my second journey TO Egypt and
Asia Minor l wrote letters on Egypt and
Nuba,' then In Holland Salon of 1861,
the Man With the Golden Bracelet Ex-
petition to Naples Literary Souvenir,
Charity in Paris, etc. L enlisted with
Garbaldi's Thousand and took part In the
great eonfiict. But steady, more seductive.
more fascinating than all the oriental
glory. all the Italian fame. is that concern
ing the reality Of existence In Parls-the
labor, the intelligence and the pleasure.
That is why have spent years in working
without cessation so that future genera
tions may know the social condition at ;he
summit of the nineteenth century. The
works that gave me the greatest interest.
The greatest pleasure. are Paris, It's Or
gans, Functions and Life and 'Convul-
sions of Paris These were published in
the Revue des Deux Mondes,' afterward
in book form.
I'm order TO compile so many notes |
have been obliged to give up society. l
never make a social visit. am unmarried,
for | believe liberty is the first blessing In
this world. / no longer frequent the the
alter. The last play l ever saw was LES
Fourcham bault' by Emile Augier. Augier
was my friend and wished me to be pres
ent at the first representa- ton. | told him
of my deafness. He would accept no
excuse. and, of course. l heard nothing.
Augier was the wittlest man | ever knew
and Alfred de Musset the grandest poet
France has ever possessed. Lamartine
was extraordinary because he wrote so
volumes the lame of which will endure
forever. But Musset is far above and be-
youd the others.
81 was made Senator by Napoleon; he
thought | would become an admirable par
tisan. but be discovered his mistake. |
am independent in poit cs and be ong to
no party at the French Academy Politics
are too fantastic for my comprehension.
only ask the Government to assure my
tranquility and keep the streets clean. l
do not even know the names of the Minis
ters."
Maxine du Camp was the typical grand
seigneur Tall and robust, with powerful
head, fine beard and distinguished man
ners, he resembIed proud gentleman of
the old school. His dearest friends were
Prince Napoleon and the Grand Duke of
Baden. Every summer he spent at Baden
Baden, and this year, detained by illness
at that resort, he passed away, far from
his Paris home. In 1880 Maxine du Camp
succeeded Saint-Rene Talllandier at the
Academy, and already Emile Zola has pro-
posed himself as candidate for the chair
just left vacant. 1t was Maxine du
Camp, who. as historian of the Commune.
predicted years in advance the terrifying
perils of anarchy. In 'Reves ct Perils"
he denounced Science applied 10 social
~ Ra l.
lant But Maxine du Camp always gave
a remedy for evil. and here the remedy is
return to the ideal. '"The more liberties
man accordS himself upon the earth the
more he should look toward invisible
things"
The literary souvenirs of Maxine du
Camp throw much light on historical cata-
ely ysms that have determined the destinies
oil France. The revolution of 1S48, the
Saint Simonian theory and the pen portrait
OF Saint Simon constitute one of the most
curious chapters in the book. Another
remarkable chapter is devoted to the coup
d'etat in 1851, the second empire, its ruin
and fall.
Oue by one Maxine du Camp eyokes
visions Of the countries he has known and
loved; mysterious Egypt, Cairo. Nubia.
the Orient. Palestine. Jerusalem, Bey-
,out. Smyrna. Trinoli. Syria. Asia
Minor. Rhodes. etc. There We see eternal
Greece. the cradle of all civilization.
beauty and wisdom, aud there Iialy, the
cradle of modern civilization.
one portion OF the souvenirs is devoted
to Gustave Flaubert. the faithful friend
and romantic writer. Maxine du Camp,
IN speaking OF the friends of his youth.
his dead companions. uses words of sad
ness and resignation. We recognize in
the man who has written them a valiant
soul. mind at enmity with ingratitude.
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR.
More Bonds Forfeited.
Judge Belcher has ordered forfeiture of