The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-23
DAUDET WROTE CLEAN BOOKS.
Consequently He Was Not at First APP
preciated in England.

New York Sun.
Alphone Daudet, the great novelist, is
about TO go to London to hunt UP charac-
tiers for new novel. A Gaulois reporter
called upon him the other day and asked
him IL the report of his intended visit to
the English capital was true.
Yes; that is true" said NJ. Daudet. 81
have at last decided to go. and I shall go
In the very near future. 1t is not voy
age OF pleasure that am undertaking; it
is what l might call a study in connec-
ton with a book which / am writing at
the present time, the "Soutien de Fa-
mille," and the scene of which is in Lon
don l wish to remain for a short time
among the people from whom l am about
TO take few of my characters. They tell
me that London is one of the most ex-
traordinary places in the world, and 1
want to see if that is really true
ReporterA visit to London will be quite
pleasant for you. because our neighbors
must appreciate you thoroughly, since
they call you the French Dickens.
NJ Daudet-Wel. since you mention
Dickens, 1 may as well say that / have
the highest esteem for that celebrated En-
glish writer. That is a matter of course.
But do you see any striking analogy be-
tween the author of "Pickwick" and ''Da-
vid Copperfeld" and the author of Fro
mont Jeune and Risler Aine," and of ma
mortel?" / admit that our English friends
may have been reminded of Dickens in
reading Petit Chose" and even in read
ing Jack" but as | have already said.
conscientious writer has nothing to reply
10 that except that there are certain in
tellectual affinities for which he is not re-
sponsible Like Dickens, i have an in
finite tenderness for the unfortunate and
the poor, and also for the little children
that have to struggle against the tempta-
tons of the great cities. Like him I had
to combat adversely when l was young
and TO earn my bread before I was is
years old. and here, perhaps, is our great
est resem blance.
But is the favorabl reception which my
works have been receiving for some time
now IN England due 10 this similarity of
mind which appears 70 exist in Dickens
works and miner | don't think so. be-
cause my success there is only quite re-
cent. two or three years at the most. II
was through the little routes that made
my entree in England-iny short stories.
The reason is very simple. My novels are
chaste: young girls can read them. 1t Is
consequently through the family that l
have received the kind attention of the
English public. In America, this i'm
plantation was produced In a far more
rapid fashion: but. singularly enough, It
was ny the Germans that the thing was
done. You Know mat the lulleI states
are peopled largely by Germans. and many
Americans Of the North are Of the Ger
man race. Now Germany Is perhaps the
country where my books have been re-
ceived M to the present time with the
greatest curiosity and that from the very
first. 7 have received from Berlin and
from I.elpsic some slngulavly deep criti-
clsn1s Of nv works. IN which details Of a
secondary nature were given In regard 70
NY llfe-Hetails which believed absolute
" unknown. All that IS very nice. and
,-ar,- nice too IS their attributing 70 very
natural patriotism the works which
wpote IN regard 70 the war and in which l
certainly gave some hard knocks 70 our
re{gbbors on the other side ~ the Rhine
.'R,f. found this same sympathy in the
1raatar number Of the countries OF the
world. although 7 have not ALWAYS found
Z, an tho South. Italy. for example. is one
30 ,ha countries IN which 7 ana the least
-esa. hut make up for that In, Spain.
Isn't that curious