New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21

THE ADVENTURES OF MEDICAL STUDENT
IN BECOMING A GREAT PLAYWRIGHT.
From The London Mail.
victorien Sardou the author OF "Robespierre"
which Sir Henry Irving produced at the Lyceum
recently has now written plays TOT Oyer
forty years. and since the death OF ms Drot ln
playwright and bosom friend, Dumas MS Can
he unhesitatingly crowned king OF dramat!sts.
Although man CT great individuality, Saroou
personality is almost unknown to those EngIish
audiences which have enjoyed PERL, Dipio-
macy" "A Scrap OF PAPER" La Tosca," "A
Mans Shadow" and numerous other adaptations
from his facile pen.
Victorien Sardou member OF the French Acad-
envy is now nearly sixty-eight years or age
having been born on September D. 1871, In the
Quarter St. Antoine, Paris. His father was
professor of history and the editor OF numerous
classics. His son Zone never reads OF any other
children was reared in the midst OF hlghly
educated circle. and finally turned into the
medical schools OF the Quarter Latin In order
that he might graduate decter.
But Sardou a doctor was not a success
Lodging in q garnet with another student, they
endeavored TO keep life together upon three
sous breakfast and a Six-Sous dinner Lake the
picture very localized though drawn by an
other dramatist in Our Boys. they wrote cheap
articles for dictionaries and tried 10 gam
subsistence by Journalism AT last Saraou
wrote his first play. and La IaVerhe ues Eluui-
ants" appeared in 1854
Al the end OF the first act ii was doomed Al
the end Of the second its unhappy author rushed
again In 1853 he married Mile. de Brecourt,
who had considerable green-reom influence, ana
at the earnest solicitation OF the famous Nirglne
Deiazet he took up his quill once more In 1900
was produced at the Gymnase Les Pattes dc
Mouche" and his future fame was assured
This play now transferred to the permanent
repertory of the Coincide Francaise Is well
known in England "A Scrap Of Paper. with
Mrs Kendall in the leading role.
Sardou's physiognomy has been compared 10
those OF Dante Voltaire and Napoleon Bona
parte He is small, thin wiry. with sharp eyes
and a mobile mouth He Is perhaps best de-
cri bed as being good lover and good hater.
His plays have brought him In enormous sums,
and he keeps a country establishment almost
regal Indeed the chateau and park al Marty 10
Roi near st. German, and overlooking the
valley of the Seine formerly belonged TO Leuis
XIV Gossip reports that ii was originally pur-
chased with the royalties accruing from La
Famille Benoiton.' very successiul drama OF
the early sixties.
No matter whether the playwright be at Marty
le-FoI or n his gorgeous Partisan fat near the
Church St Augustin he 10 always a tremendous
worker How many plays Sardou has written
Sarcou Only knows. Awake ana ABOUT al
O clock from January 10 December, at ne COM
mences to write. At i he has a shght Iunch
unlike most Frenchmen of genius ne IS not
great FEEDER. then scribbles 1way until 8.
II writing has been finished for the day. work
has by no means ended. He has actresses 10 IN
terview and managers to argue WITH woe pc
tide the man who stands up against Sardou
upon a question Of archaeological detail Tor the
dramatists learning is almost universal
For thirty years he has been noted as a spirit
ualist and medium HIS views uVea sna&~