The sun., 1897-05-01
yOLA'S NATURALISM DEAD.
utrPiSSANT, LOTT, B0URGE EFT, AND
the RUSSIANS KILLED II

~ admitted to tho French Academy was
s,.dc clear yesterday afternoon TO tho largest
cadence that NJ. BrunetiGro has faced in New
Work city, assembled to hear what ho had to say
- the modern French novel. Though tho fact
haiti was thGas opportunity to hear tho distin-
.uished critir must have drawn some persons. the
trovledgc that he could not well avoid mem
p,oiny his pet aversion, and must express some
,barp judgments, doubtless attracted many
otbers. At the close OF the lecture NJ. Bruno
,Are reminded his listeners that no had prom
,,sd to speak without personal feeling and with
ant l.will 1t is difficult to imagine what
harder things Lo could have said of the Zola
,ebool had he not SO restrained himself.
BEFORE touching the subject matter word
,hout NJ Brunetero's manner of presentation
NAV not be out OF place. His lectures in New
York have been cXtemporo talks from very short
notes. Tho language used has been the purest,
,implest, most direct of French; though occa-
,ionally u comparison may have been rather in
yolyed the lecturers language never was. No
sround has appeared for tho accusation some-
Zines brought against NJ. Brunotiere of "preci.
osty In words or constructions, and he has
never tried TO speak above the heads of his audi
Tho development of tho naturalistic novel is
triking proof, according TO NJ. Brunetiere, of the
Eeas, expressed in the "Essais de critique ct
dbistoire," that Emile Z0la has attained tho
position he holds. Against naturalism itself NJ.
great doctrine Of (which is undeniable. though
kmay have its limitations. Its origins may bo
d in 2ns ni of EnF'h Hys wrss ss
iowo" and ending with George Eliot; or among
The Dutch painters, IL not Rembrandt and Franz
tsrs. The chief fault that NJ. Brunotiero has to
fnd with the French school is that 1t has wilfully
and reGklessly subjected real naturalism to use
tnaaF slE
Even in France there had been naturalists, or
rather realists. before 1915, and Emile Zola.
brothers had at least been heard of and had
written books like La Cousine Bette"
sMadame Bovary," and "Germinc Lacerteux."
The grand master of realism, the author of
"MAdamc Bovary." Flaubert. however, had
also written as romantic book as ''Salammb6;''
and the Goncourts began by writing curious
studies in affected language of the gallant or
lewd painters of the eighteenth century. Wat
tsap Boucher. and Fragonard. NJ. Brunetiere
might also have called attention to Zola's own
imitation OF Alfred de Musset in tho "Contes
Ninon;"
idealists were more than holding their own. Oc-
tave Feuillet, with M. de Camors and ''Sibylle;"
Victor Cherbuliez, who alone in France. accord
ing to VI. Brunetiere, has been able to depict a
real German or Russian, with lie Comte Il ostia,"
rLAyentnro de ladisias Boiski,' and Meta
Hodenis," and Andre Theuriet. the follower of
Georges sand. Their reputation was certainly
high and their books popular. Then Taines in
huence became dominant. lie seemed the only
u
ter the cause Of Alphonse Daudet, Hector Malot,
and Emile Zola.
This gave rise to an amusing comedy. Zola
knew perfectly well to whom his origin and his
success was due, and took to urging Taine to
support his novels, which were carrying out tho
critics theories. Taine objected naturally TO
such disciple and held back, when Zola would
attack him asa renegade against his own con-
Iietions - There is no doubt that the last
years ot tame life were cnbittered by the sue
eess OF Zo!a's books. The naturalistic school.
however, has produced more disciples than it
"a masters, mas made more promises than 1t
has kept, and has made more noise than it has
It is question whether Alphonsc Daudet be.
pelit chose" "Fromont teune ct R;ser aim"
and Jack" he seemed to n. BrunetiGro to have
Ssn morg inspired by Dickens than by the
Dickens was elaborhted at length. In his later
%. books. however :" LIE Sebab, -" Numa RouInes-
novel elements that belong to the newspaper
reportar, which the lecturer severely condemned.
"Romance is history that might have been, and
history is romance that has actually happened"
he borrowed his plots from real events, SO that
the characters may often be identified with real
persons.
From D'ute: the sneaker turned to Zola. He
ing acccpe4 as picture OF French society.
Zolas strongest point is his imagination, es-
geciai!y his constructive imagin.ti ton. but no
French author was ever more ignorant, no
observer less careful than he; his peasants
Are Are, dS not French peasants, his workmep not
ErtuCu NOrkinen, his mlddle-ClaSS people
french bourgeois. Worse than all, in his most
Objectionable romance. I" La Dcbacle," the SOL
d;era and officers represented are no French sol.
diers or officers. His Frenchmen are pessimistic.
AaGGerous, exaggerated caricatures. There Is
nothing in French life that corresponds to the
eoarseness, the baseness, the cynicism OF Zolas
language. When II man is ignorant of history
ignorant OF the country. and barely knows Paris.
he should not have the impudence to entitle his
Under the Second Empire" He lacks conscience
sI sIa common literary honesty. His talent can
aot 90 denied, but is all the more to be re-
:, Zols's bad influence is shown well by the Door
1olconrts; the brothers began as collectors of
stories like Manotte Solomon" which attracted
no great attention. These delicate, sensitive
SDr ts old gentlemen were ready to do any
are a .jmny Rs Elisa and La Faustin books that
mat time NJ Brunctiere and his friends
were standing out for decency and honor,
4ibert 1S TeTS Spp Opposed by the fashionable critics.
va was supposed to represent the 9uintessence
n pa rIarisan, Pierre Veron. and the great n.
enahse an opinion il his fellow critics ask him
GO co. put = ready to about at once the
orhen he thinks tho mood OF the mob is about
di.y dara away from Zola as I'D some OF his ardent
Snonw tbem a,cF 4 ne publication Of La Terre,"
Inc seyerest blow to Ioia. however what has
MScoicai!y aS Killed his school, has been the rise of
f;nr AZ ueI u writer's OF very different character,
Sei i ue iMaupassant. Pierre Lott, and Paul Bour-
hi, nj, u E lhe introduction OF tho Russian novel
''o sat- rance through NJ. de VogGe.
" M'Unu UNI VI Guy de Maupassant's short stories
Worp uiHel!eTe admitted represent the very best
nStnht VI the French naturalistic school, He was
Hcions1sp an artist, and this led him, uncon-
sISeaogy, 70 suppress in his style and work all
frs5Sts His style is admirably direct,
sSJna,., ana fresh, and Is tinKod with q vague
was cs%,su we horrcur de viyrc," which perhaps
early SeotII oy premonitiOn OF his insanity and
tohY uoaln. HIS short stories arc far superior
sI,nn ' novels; the subjects however of both arc
RrIntinI Rn tinISeceht and distastcful some of them NJ
Paul PIeJ.GEe a. T said disdainfuly being a sort OF
ThonVh h9rk taken seriously and gloomily.
tlesd n fierrc Loti's first story passed unno
JTtii tnG9se that folowcd-the Marriage dc |
we. E" :. T. e Roman dun Spah" Mon frere
him a., rechcur d'Islande at once brought
min n,o me very front rank He has the gift of
brsss;Ia oIalsbt 10 the heart OF things and OF ex-
scrin,iag sri,ig what he finds In clear words. His de-
kn1aaonnsar arc inconparable They are the finest
~aHds Atala" "N'
ouaIv rani h' bourgeois psychology is taken seri-
trus Mi Brunctiere. who believes it TO bo
ma anap,lls e rNlls his books psychological plates,
can otpplical Ga" plates in medical books. You
ters IL Inc ihe bare souls of NJ. Bourgeois chnrac-
ebara, ahtlr faces are indistinct, while Zola's
dpst Irs are like mannikns stuffed with saw
Bonrcoii iho works of these three authors though
strsnsut prOiessed 10 be- n disciple OF Zola all
work peopic III their disgust with Ioia's
naan.en cAno the Russian noyeIa of TolstoY and |