The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-26
NEW BOOKS RECEIVED.
4DMIRABLE TRANSL4TION OF PEL-
LIssIER Br ANSE g. BRINTON.
Il. "rbe Choir Invisible Immoral 9-Mr.
Thompson in the Atiirmntive-Miss
wnkIns' Last story.

THE LITERARY MOVEMENT IN
FRANCE DURING THE NINE
TEENTH CENTURY T. Pellissier Au-
thorized English Version. BY Anne
Garrison Brinton, with general intro
hucton. G. +. Putnam's Sons, New
YORK, London.
For sale by George NJ West
In Miss Brintons admirable transla-
ton NJ. Georges Pellissiers Movement
Litteraire au XIX, Steele is now offered
10 the American and English public for
the first time. That public Is fortunate
in being introduced % the look by so
competent a translator. for in being faith
ful TO the letter OF her original, she has
also interpreted its spirit-the decisive
test Of talent I'm translation. The work
| IS that 20 which NJ. Brunetere gave the
greeting-"M Georges Pellissiers MOuve-
ment Litteraire au XIX Steele Is no less
| the picture than the history OF contemp-
| orary French literature. In addition, it
is also the philosophy or rather describes
| the evolution OF the literary movement OF
/ our country" AS Miss Brinton reminds
US In her introduction, Monsieur Faguet
the author Of "a series OF keenly salient
literary portraits, IN a recent review
ranks among modern classics the same
w0rk-stil. as he remarks 'the best his
/ tory OF one Of the most fertile Of modern
| nteratures."
Her own comment upon IFS distinctive
characteristics is so just and so dis
eliminating that we quote therefrom.
In its great lines NJ Pelissier draws
/ the picture Of the contemporary literary
movement in France. Divining the spr-
IL OF It's swiftly succeeding phases OF
thought. he endows each with its pecu-
| liar life. Relating Is various counter
/ currents TO the constant progress OF Ideas,
he gives his work the vivid charm and
unbroken interest OF n panoramic pic
ture He treats the products Of literary
| art as documents upon aesthetic devel-
opment. In this sense his work is a his
| tory lie grasps what is general in
thought revolutions without emitting
| what Is particular I'm reactions or indi-
/ vldual in talents In this respect II Is
philosophy. From their origin he traces
the causes of the triumph and decline Of
/ adverse theories, thus outlining the evo-
luton OF contemporary French !itera-
| ture sssss Although consider
ed In It's aesthetic and historic character,
| NJ. Pelissier does not overlook the moral
import Of literary production However,
this IS evident from his manner OF pre-
senting things rather than from direct
| follows the consequences Of the exagge-
ration OF certain thought elements which
tend to exclude complete truth. As he
| leaves no doubt en- our minds IN regard
20 the relative merit Of writers. so he
! leads us naturally TO the ideal solution
| OF aesthetic problems. This solution con-
slsts In uniting the truths successfully
| placed in evidence only soon TO be dis
placed. by that rapid transformation OF
thought which has made our century one
| OF the greatest I'm history.
These adverse phases. each Of which
seems TO him a step IN progress. NJ. Pei
| lister has pictured in an impartial spirit
First, w have Classicism with its re-
| lentless suppression Of the ego and In
herent Optimism: Indifferent 10 the real
In respect TO details and often limited In
its conception Of the ideal; no less SER
vile in the observance Of rules than form
al and superficial In its Catholicism.
| Then we have RomanticIsm, with its as
cendant ego and incurable melancholy;
more general I'm It's admittance Of the de-
/ tails of reality. and always universal In
! !ts conception Of the ideal: liberal in the
! application Of formulas as well as spirit
/ ual and sentimental I'm its Christianity.
| Finally. we have Realism. with its tri-
| umphant ego and eneryating Pessmism;
! as exclusive IN It's acceptance OF the real
/ as II Is arrogant in its suppression Of the
| idoals no less scrupulous In its supersti-
! tlOn for form than absolute and decadent
| in It's negation Of truths which do not adj
nit OF empirical verifcatlon. Here, as
| NJ. Pellisler shows, Classicsm IS inspir-
| cd by Graeco-Latin antiquity; Romanti-
| clsm tuns 10 medieval art; Realism
| confines itself 10 the data OF the present;
/ Classicism. aiming at general truth, eX-
/ presses the philosophical spirit; Roman
/ tlclsm. pursuing interior truth. is per-
/ vaded by artistic and religious sentiment;
! Realism. seeking only exterior truth, Is
| the essence OF the scientific spirit.
Few have so clearly understood the
| phases through which our century has
! passed. few have so aptly outlined the
history Of the rise and fan Of its two
| great literary paradoxes. ''' Not con-
| fning himself 10 what may be better
comprehended when time lends more i'm
partial judgment. he seeks 10 detach
| from past experience what may be per-
mament gain 10 the future. No critic OF
the times has more truly pointed out the
! direction towards which minds are al
| ready turning.
What remains 10 US II not 20 con-
| cniate the ideal with the real, either By
! bringing the ideal within the sphere OF
] reality or by introducing into ldeality
what IS fundamentally real? Since when
separated. the ideal and the real must
end either IN the exclusion OF human
! truth or in the negatlon OF all art. when
completed By each other rather than OPP
| posed, there will be- no necessity 70 re-
| act against extremes
As we have said. NJ Pellisiers transla-
tor has done her work So faithfully and
well that the beauty OF his. style-its brill
| uancy and dnish-are thoroughly pre-
| served. placing ner readers under an in,
| calcuable debt and insuring her work a
| permanent place.
H.
! Under the heading "Is The Choir In
/ visible TmmoraI2" a recent issue OF the