The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-23
A New Biographical Terror.


Even Paris, which prides itself on giving
a hearing at least to almost any form Of
literature brought forward in the name Of
art or science, has been startled by a new
kind Of naturalistic biography. a medical
investigation of the physical and mental
condition of NJ. EMILE lola, Just made pub
lie in a volume of 800 pages by a specialist
in mental diseases, DR.. TOULOUSE. The
book is announced as the first of a series of
similar examinations of well-known men;
ALPHoNsE DAUDET, PUv1s DE CHAvANNEs,
ROBIN the sculptor, BEKrHELoT the chcai-
ist, who was recently Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and SAINT-SAENs are to follow.
The purpose of DR.. ToULoUsE's inquiry is
to ascertain whether there is any truth in
the assertion of the Italian c~riminologist
LoMBRoso, that genius is a form of madness
arising from epilepsy, or, as he calls it, an
epileptoid neurosis. LoMBRoso, as Is well
known, from the investigation OF prison
statistics and the examination of living and
dead criminals has deduced theories of the
origin of crime in physical causes, and es-
pecially in epilepsy, that are by no means
universally accepted by either doctors or
prison authorities. To extend his epileptic
theory to other unusual forms of human
activity, and in particular to genius, he
makes use of much very doubtful evil
dence and of methods more familiar
in theological or political than in scien-
tific discussion. BY the omission of
great men who were clearly not epileptic,
by the inclusion Of many epileptics who
were not great men, and by employing any
account, however un~authenticated, of men
of acknowledged genius that nay show
them to be afflicted possibly with symp-
toms of epilepsy, he makes out a plausl-
BILE case in his book and persuades him
self at least that DANTE, MICHAEL AN
CELLO, TAsso, and NAPOLEON ~BoNAPARTE,
for instance, were victims of his favorite
disease. As the theory fits in with the pre-
vailing loose ideas about hypnotism, and
helps out the gospel of decadence and
pessimism preached by some literary
schools. it has obtained a wider popular
acceptance t',an the evidence brought to its
supper would warrant.
To obtain trustworthy evidence in tho
matter, DIR. TOULOUSE decided to expert
ment IN cOrpOrc UtUo. He looked about
him for men of genius. DANTEs and
MICHAEL Angeles are rare in France:
even the VICTOR HUGos, BALZACs, MILLETs,
and BARYEs are gone; GUY DE MAUPAssANT
would have been an admirable subject, but
he is dead, too. The Doctor had to make use
Of what material was at hand, and he turned
to NJ. lola. There is a poetic justice in the
selection of the chief of the naturalists as
the first victim of this new form OF biogra-
ply. His most outspoken descriptions In
Pot Bouille or LA Terre" are less ex-
plicit than his physicians professional 40
count Of the novelist's body aud mind,
Calling in Il dozen specialists to help him,
DIR. TOULOUSE examined NJ. lola thor
oughly from head to foot; his tissues were
Analysed chemically; he was subjected to
an iIquisition into his habits, his illnesses,
and antecedents, more minute than that of
Il life insurance company. The mental
cross-examination was fully as rigorous; all
the devices and traps by which experts
catch cunning madmen were brought into
play. To the results obtained all the known
tests were applied, and DIR. ToULoUsE's con-
clusion is that NJ. lola has absolutely no
trace of epilepsy about him. Beyond that he
does not go; he is too careful an observer to
generalize on a single case. What differences
he may draw will appear only after the ex-
aminations OF his other subjects have been
published. The LoMBRoso school may easily
reply tnat the case proves merely that lola
is no genius. He Is, however. unques-
tionably a man OF talent, and approaches
about rs near to genius as do most of Prof.
LoMSRoso's specimens.
What is startling in DR.. ToULoUsE's POOL
is that it should ever be published. No
stigma of unprofessional conduct attaches
to him, AZ Nj. lola, whether Influenced
by scientific motives or by the desire to adj
yertise himself, gave his full consent both
to the investigation and the publication.
But no such revelation OF matters which
men usually keep to themselves has yet been
made in a book that any one may buy. In