The times., 1899-01-08

justification of the position Mr.. Bailey OF
Texas has taken in regard to the matter,
and which The Times always has Endorsed.
Some French Opinions.
1t is always interesting TO know what
other nations think of us. even if it is
not always pleasant. This is proved by
the large sale which books on America
by foreign authors invariably have in this
country-often a larger sale than books of
travel by cur own writer's. There is a
certain element in our population which
seems to think it necessary, first, to know
all that is possible about Europe and the
Orient, ana second, to know what English
and French travellers think of the United
States. As for information on our own
country, gathered by Western, Southern,
New England or Middle State travellers.
that will keep. 1t is not necessary to
hurry in reading books by native authors.
1t is this same element which drops its
money into the till of the European hotel
keeper. and never travels at home.
To people of this sort a recent French
criticism of American literature will prove
interesting. 1t appears in The Partisan,
and is quite comprehensive.
The critic begins with the statement that
the world at large has been accustomed to
regard the writings of Americans as Sim
ply a sort of annex to English literature
This is true. and until comparatively re-
cent period there was good reason for it
The first half century of our national life
produced almost no thoroughly American
writer's. Longfellow was German in the
simplicity and melody of his poems, and
English in his literary traditions. Lowell
was never distinctively American except
in the Biglow Papers. Emerson was COS
mopolitan, a New England Greek. Irving
was as much at home In England as in
America. Whittier alone was thoroughly
American in traditions and language He
could never have been what he was any
where but in New England. American
literature as a distinct and unmIstakable
development is yet to come. So we have
made good beginning in the last genera
ton.
But the French writer goes on to say:
Frank stockton recalls GoCol in his vritins-.
! The style is very similar. His Kate" Rod
:
pure Tarass Bouba.
Shade of Michael Scott. that the mimi
table Tom Cringle should be turned over
! to Stockton! And who is Kate We
| know Pomona and Euphemia, and the
semi barbaric lady OF the tiger and the
1 demurely mischievous young girl who fig
ures in nearly all Stockton stories under
| different names, but Kate we do not know.
The Frenchman calls Sarah Orne Jewett
| the George Eliot of America which will
! give the American reader another shock
! like a shower bath. Miss Jewett has a
marvellous sympathy and delicacy of ex-
! preston, but the heavy philosophical re
/ Elections of George Eliot do not appear in
/ her books-to 4 compatriOt's eye. But
bark TO this:
/ With Thomas Nelson Page We regain not only
| the America of the redskins. so dear to Mr. How
els, but that OF the b!ackskins. Ills "Old sonth"
and also his '.AIarse Chan" might have been
( signed by Ms. Bccchcr Stowe, had Sire possessed
little more style.
This is gem. This is unique. There
| is superb originality about it which is
| fetching. To say nothing of the allega-
tion that Mr.. Howells loves the Indian
| though We have no reason for supposing
that he does not-look at this character
! zation of Thomas Nelson Page, Mrs
Stowe and Mr.. Page. one in spirit, one in
aim, and one iii the hearts of their cOun-
trymen! This is a picture with which
the French critics view of American lit
| erature may appropriately close. 1t sets
the reader wondering just how much
| after all, a native of one country can
| know about the literature of another.