St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-07-26
ROURGET ON AMERICA.


The New York Herald's Paris
edition publishes an interview from
Paul Bourget, who has just been
elected to the French Academy, upon
his recent tour to America.
My return trip from America, "
said NJ. Paul Bourget, was splendid.
| have but one fault to find, that is,
that it was short"
You saw a good deal of the
! United States ?"
In your country" he answered.
| each part is so different that to
know it one should not give only
nine months, but many years, so
console myself at not having been
able to go to California, because IL
will be necessary to make second
trip for that purpose.
Then you were pleased with your
first visit?'
How could be otherwise" said
NJ. Paul Bourget with enthusiasm,
latter having been received as [ was.
Before my departure, they had told
me OF the characteristic hospitality
of the Americans, but that hospital
1ty far exceeded anything | had anti
clpated.
American hospitality is sincere
and not superficial. Moreover that
Is what | shall make special mention
of in the notes of my Journey.
That hospitality is the outcome of
two characteristics: the first, that
the American is good-natured, and
secondly, because he has a DISPOSE
ton to assume that America and
American life is an object lesson. He
wishes you to know that life and
fears that you will not know it we'll
enough. He is also sensitive of your
opinion. All that together goes to
make up the warmth and facilitates
a welcome such as you will not find
in any other country. It was not
particularly to myself in my quality
as author, but all the visitors to the
Chicago Exhibition with whom l
spoke made similar remarks
Would you say, Nd. Bourget,
whether you found general literary
culture in the United States in an
advanced state?"
This question caused M. Bourget
few moments reflection, after which
he said: 1T is difficult to reply to
that aye or nay, for as you know,
that which is most striking in
America is the individuality of aims.
For that reason you cannot judge
OF the different conditions of culture
in the same classes Of people. For
example, | have known ladies in
Boston who knew the entire intel
lectual movement of Paris during
the past ten years better than l did
myself. l met men who talked to
me about Verlaine and Mallarme,
about the most refined of the poets
of the extreme literary left. Beside
such, | found persons who scarce
suspected the existence of the French
school of literature.
In general the American is hungry
after culture. You have only to hear
the work art pronounced there in
order to understand how anxious
he is to be instructed, to be au
cOurant. Besides, many authors
have there true devotees. That is
memorable in the case of lola. When
two days ago l had occasion to see
him, l told him that whenever he
chose to undertake lectures in the
United States, halls big enough to
hold those anxious to hear him
would not be found"
And your coming book ~
1T is really more than a dairy. 1t
will be in one volume, and the best
idea of it will be conveyed If I give
you the headings. They are as
follows: The Voyage The First
Week, Society at Newport with
description Of the society married
and young ladies; Business Men, in
reference to my visit to st. Paul and
Minneapolis; Working Men, with
apropos portraits of Mgr. Ireland,
and Cardinal Gibbons; Western
People, gathered from the con-
fdences of a compatriot who has
ranch there; 'Education,' American
Pastimes,' and two chapters on
Georgia and Florida"
And what struck you most in
America :"
New York Bay. The entry is
magnifcentl'
"On NJ. Bourgeois desk was a dark
object, looking like a very black