The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-11
REALISM VS.. ROMANCE
4 Great French Critic Discusses the Strug-
gle Of R0manilCism and NaturaIlsm.
l HlSATTACK OH lola AND HIS SCHOOL
IL Was Hnthcr CGyers buI G.cfl No
Doubt In llse Minds OF l1is Rear.
ers-Si. neuve. de ViGus aud Cinu.
tier and iheir alcthods ANA
the Results Eseachcd.

Mr.. Brunetiere. the great French critic,
probably the greatest critic OF any ma
tlonailty now living, is now in this coun-
try upon the invitation Of Harvard and
Johns Hopkins Universities, to deliver.
lectures on French literature UNDER the.
auspices OF these institutions. He began
ms course at Johns Hopkins last week,
ana according to the Baltimore Ameri-
can, from which the subjoincd report OF
MS lecture on THE Struggle Of Roman
tlclsm and Naturalisn in the Nineteenth
century Is taken, the distinguished
ntterateur has very decided dislike for
the filth of lola school, as compared to
the romanticism.
Michelet. the historian, and ST.
Benve. the critic he said had con
cer;ions of history and OF criticism
which come under romanticism. Their
wish was to give the impression in theiI.
writings, that their literary merit was
to be thought Of more highly than the
subject itself. So. NIitchelets theory OF
history became personal. The men and
women are few who have something at
tractive to say about themselves If ii
IS claimed that all humanity is one great
family, and that one should consider an
others woes and sorrows il would be.
consistent to take in the dead as well.
trancis l. is more interesting in himself
than II we consider him as the individual
IL.
statement is applicable with reference 70
Cardinal Richelieu. The fault is that the
writers superimpoSed their own ideas
ana dld not attempt 10 eliminate the per
soma! element. The romantic poets did
not contine themselves to their subject
This is one reason why romanticisn had
such sudden end. The term romantic
ism mas no defined etymology. II con-
Feys no poetic notion. but naturalism ii
once gives to anyone the idea of nature
I,
OF the poet TO nature Those writer's;
who come under the head OF naluralisls
arc ST. Beuve, de Nigny and Gautier
st. BeuHc began his career as a litter
ateur. as II romanticist. and rs many
others did, gave numerous confessions
lie reached the zenith of his romantic
literature in his work Josef de I4ormc'
II this work was one OF CONFESSIONS
they were surely indiscreet ones.
THE MUSE TUBERCULOSIS.
NJ Brunetiere read what ST. Beuvc
says about his muse. When lie had fin
ished he said that this muse might more
appropriately be called the muse tuber-
culosis, not the muse Of poetry .'Never-
theless, he continued. st. Beurve was
endowed with wonderful penetrating de-
Eontncss and great astuteness. lie
changed his route i'll poetry, and his
treatment became objective in CONTRA
distinction to that in DE Lorme.' Hence
forth ST. Beuve might be iiliened TO
Dutch painting OH account Of his striv-
Ing after the completion Of details It
is deplorahle that ST. Beuve's poetry
should be SO heavy, in spite Of being
so beautiful. AT best, therefore, he can
be called only mediocre
Gautier'S best writings are 'Emaux
ct Camies.' He started out as 4 painter
and became poet. Al first he was a
romanticist, and then changed to 4 nat
uralist. He travelled extensively, and
became in consequence, a genius ut de-
scription, by means OF which quality was
made the permanent impression that art
can leave upon ones mind
In Illustration Of this M. Bruneticre
read Gautier'S poem on art"
He continued: "Rnmanticism took
hold Of lie souci de la forme'-that is,
the realization Of beauty by the perfcc-
ton Of form. When we come TO consider
what Is perfection Of form. / must say
that it is not always what Gauticr
claims it to be. En- effct. it is not a rehl
thing, but an ideal thing. The most
beautiful tree is not the proudcst oak
OF the western forest; rnc perfection is
the tree Of the idea. That is Gautici's
poets lacked In sentiment, and for This
reason modern poetry. as a rule. is not
profound
PRAISE FOR DE lille
Zone Of the greatest and most per-
feet poets OF the nineteenth century is
de Lille. He revives our former tradi-
tons. and leads us back to Greece and
Rome, and gives Ills real Greeks and
Romans. 1e was great passionist,
but does not burden us with his own
confessions, and above all, he gives true
expression to the woe OF humanity. He
occupies an important place in gu. poe
Try, though for twenty years he was
not appreciated. The people finally
realized his worth. and the Parrassian
movement dates from his ascendancy.
In this movement there are three lead
ers-Sully Prudhomme. D'Ieredia and
Francois Coppec." 1t was a. this june
ture that NJ. BrunetIere explained that
he would use precaut!on in criticizing
these writers OF the natural school
Il feel constrained" he suggested.
when speaking of these men, my CON
temporaries. since a home l see them
often, and am no: the better off after
contemplating them. Even at 4 dis
lance OF three thousand miles, ! should
not undertake to criticize them"
ST7f ~ *