New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-11
LITERARY NOTES.


buying Mr. Kipllngs early tracts for hundreds OF
dollars and neglectng a native author OF con-
adorable merit?" The gibe Is not unjust
Tx Huysmanss new book. La Catheoraie'
was published In Paris only at the beginning Oh
February and II Is already In its seventh eo'-
ton. An English translation is 70 appear
shortly.
A correspondent who makes inquiries con-
earning Mr. 5uvsmanss career will find a sur
f,cient answer in the following fragment from
recent number Of The London Academy
"Jor,s Kari Huysmans is one Of d's'ih-
gushed family Of artists for some seheru''o"'
domiciled In Paris, and descendant oi huF'
man de Malines whose works pelohs u TIC
Flemish school OF the seventeenth century "oIh
in the Bohemian life Of the capital ne carry
preferred literature to design. and maze Ills w"
to the publl- at the OF twentv-sM WIN
small volume Of poems only too PLAINLY 'hspne"
BY Baudelaire's 'Fleurs du NAL Later ne De
came disciple Of Zoa, and published. IN lo'o.
his first novel Marthe,' wherein he ueSCi'oeu
the life OF n courtesan OF the lower class WIN
such prone inced realism that the DOCK hau W
be published in Brussels Then followed IN qu''h
succession Les Scnurs Natard.' the history oi
two factory girls; En- Menage. n study III III
yorce and several other works OF winch I" 10
only necessary 20 mention here a Rebours ne
Wrong Way). In this surely one OF inc most
,sa,ons hooks ever written NJ. Huysmans de-
scribes with wearisome mnutesncss the 'ae"ie7
~ q dobouchee Of good family. who. worn out
with excess at the pge OF thirty, hpIe-wi'n ''e
sale ~ his ancestral properly house in the
suburbs Of Paris. aniS-<ets seriously 20 Work 10
console htf6Seit. IKE Pope's sporus, with the
60 his
6nt he seoludcs himself not only from society,"
but from Nature herself. and lives only by arti-
hcia light in rooms decorated in extraordinary
coors fitted instead OF windows with aquarl-
INNS filled with coored water and clockWork
nsh and perfumed By an apparatus on when
he can compose symphonies OF scent instead OF
sound Had NJ. Huysmans ever shown spark
of humor in any OF his writings we might here
suspect him Of a satire after the fashion or Inc
Colonel or Patience upon the esthete or MS
time But the book is inspired by a different
motive md when its hero is dragged back by his
doctors 10 Paris with digestion ruined by
dietary Of liquors. strange teas and other nasti-
ness he utters the cry:
Lord. have pity on a Christian who doubts
on the sceptlc who wishes TO believe, on the
convict for life embarking alone and in dark
ness under a sky which the cheering signal
lights of an ancient hope no longer tighten
TT is with the answer to this prayer that NJ.
Huysmans concerns himself In the series Of
which La Cathedrale is the last example"
Mr. Garland's latest work is a novelette, FOR
the April number Of The Century" 1t will ap-
pear under the title Of "A 'Goodfelow's Wife
NJ Anatole France. in the first volume Of La
,,of.1,- inst IL
mate of NJ lola as an author. Those who with
reason applaud ZOla's conduct in the recent trial
should not forget that the novelist deserves less
praise than does the man who fought that for
lorn hope: and they may read with profit this
pa ssace nv the writer have mentioned:
That NJ Emile Zola formerly had VIII not
ga, great talent but large talent, is possible.
That he still retains some shreds Of It is cred
ihle but avow that have all the difficulty in
The world to admit It, His work is bad, and he
is one Of those unhappy beings Of whom 1t may
he said that 1t would have been better ha6 they
never been born. Truly. do not deny to him
his detestable glory. Nobody before him has
raised up so high a heap OF filth That is his
monument the greatness OF which cannot be
contested. Never did man make an equivalent
effort 10 render humanity vile. 10 hurl insults AZ
all the images Of beauty and Of love- TO deny all
that is good and all that Is We'll. Never did man
20 such q point misunderstood the Ideal Of man.
There Is IN all OF US. in the little as in the great.
among the humble and the proud. an instinct
OF beauty. desire fer that which adorns and
. for that which decorates, which. spread over the
world-. constitute tho charm OF life NJ Iola
does not kiiow It. There is in man an infinite
need Of loving wfpcb renders him divine. VI.
Zola does not know II. Hssire and modesty min
gle in certain souls In dcllcseus gradations. N.
lola does not know 1t. ThereNaye upon earth
magnificent forms and noble thoughts; there are
pure souls and heroic hearts. NJ Zola'aocs not
know IT, MANY weaknesses even. many errors
and faults, have their touching beauty. Their
grief is sacred. The holiness Of tears IL al the
bottom Of all religions. Misfortune would suffice
to render man august 10 man. NJ. Zola docs not
know 1t. He does not know that the Graces
decent. that philosophc Irony il indulccnt and
good tempered. and that human things inspire
only two sentiments to well-constructcd minds
admiration or pity. NJ. Cola Is worthy OF pro-
found pity.
Among the MSS. loft by the late Sir Richard
Burton was one dealing with Jews md Jheir In
fuence with gypsies. whom Burton studied in
detail. and with Mahometans OF whom he
much while In the East 1t isj,hls particular Ms.
which is nearly ready for publication.
II is said that Tolstci Is an excessively severe
critic ~ himself anRwili write and rewrite his
manuscripts again and again
A iittie volume of Lewis CAROLS serious verse
has just been brought out In London under tho
title Of Three Sunsets and Other Poems" The
book is mentioned az ono of the last things 10
which. before his death. he gave his attention.
The most attractive thing in II Is this little song
OF Puck Lost and Found" which has lis first
publication therein
PUCK has fed the haunts CT men:
Ridlcule has made him wary;
In the woods and down The ren.