New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-21
FICTION.
NJ. BOURGET ON THE ARTISTIC TEN
PERMANENT

LA DUcHEssE BLEuE Recit dun Peinirneeo)
Paris: Alphonse Lemerre. New York: Dyrsen Il
Pfeiner
FOB PRINCE AND PEOPLE Tale ale Of Of @ o.
The Macmillan Company.
rTE CHASE OF AN HEIREss. BY Christian
Reid. lsmo pp. ISL G. p. Putnams Sons.
THE PHILANDERERs. BY, a. r. W. Mason.
limo. pp 232. The Macmillan Company
MRS. DE LA RUE sMYTHE. BY Ricardo
Stephens. l2mo. pp. zs2. f. y. Du'ton CO.
NJ. Bourget has been struck by that frequent
duality Of the artistic nature which has puzzled
so many observers, the duality which he de-
scribes as meaning an incapability of feeling
that which one is nevertheless capable OF ex-
pressing, and La Duchesse Beue' is the out
come Of his reflections The excessively long
narrative is supposed to fall from the pen OF a
painter. whose creative faculties are heId IN
atrophy by excess Of thought and feeling. De-
plotting the Intellectual traits OF this man NJ
Bourget paves the way for his antithesis,
Jacques Nolan author OF the comedy which
gives a title to this novel, and the principal
male character In the latter. Nolan, we are 10
understand, is an author who deserves his popu
larity He is a callous animal. but he is also a
man Of brains. Loved by Camille Favier-who
plays the title role in his comedy, and VINO
through the greater part OF the book. promises
TO demonstrate that qualities Of heart can &c
with artistic gifts-his infdelity goads her 10
Gespairng abandonment OF all her sr!rituai re-
sources and leaves her. at the last creature
like himself The artistic instinct in each char
acter is strengthened by emotional experiences
which shrivel up their souls. we neeo ho' uis-
cuss the merits Of this paradox 1t is sufficient
! c
in this hook. In the preface ne partially ex-
plains his failure He intended TO wr'' s'""s
n, intellectual life The dramatic motive Their
took possession Of him and he ended ny "r""f
a sentimental anecdote. Thus ms afeu'''"''
are inadequately illustrated, they are incIdehta
70 the progress OF a cheap love affair. and they
come to nothing. La Duchesse BI'ue hcrse"
In her first aspect. suggested 10y 'h' famous
Blue Boy" Of GainshorouGh and heish'"hed 's
| touches recalling the spirit Of Wattcau. Is iui
| OF innocence. Of sweetness She passes 'io"
This rlcasinr state to one Of revolving animalisn
! by a transition too abrupt Ia pe convincing
| jacques Nolan is a colossal cad. 10" base l" "
| accepted as typica! IL short. THESE TWO per
| sonagcs with the faced painter ana the re-
| rusive Nine Dc BonnlNei who asaISts III ''''
| action have nothing In them mar Is hr"ao!
human There is nothing III the ar'S's III"
| Justly Identifies them with art Instead "' c'uoi
dating IL principle NJ Eouieei rccit's vulgar
episode Of Partisan NE. La Duch'"sc hIeu'
| e an Ugly book II is also extremely CcNcr. II
spite Of its occa i'nal Iaps"s MO had 'aS''' q"
suite Of its tedious length. II las many ar'S''
| passages The portraits are aoi'i"'H "'""''
Tn, main theme. though nocnciuslNcly haN"'"
has rruvnk.d the author to ohs' rNatlohs mere
ard ,h.r, which viii be useful 20 the novelist u
ut,n IN his tr.fac. NJ bourFrt leaves th'