The evening times., 1900-03-08
IMPRESSIONS on HBAOR
Definitions Presented by a Lecturer
and Book Writer.
Views Entertained by Max O'ReH,
whose Real Name IL Peus BIouet-
offence often Prevented by Telling
the Truth i'm IA LuO'crOus Way
Admiration for the American Girl.

Max O'Rell. whose real name is Paul
Blouet the famous French author OF John
Bull et Son Isle. Brother Jonathan, and
other books dealing with national charac-
teristics now in New York on the eve Of a
lecturiug tour is like some other humOr-
lists, serious and grave in manner. His
face Is lined into sadness and he talks
slowly, seldom with a laugh, thoagh often
with a slight and rather melancholy smi e.
Whaf he said in an interview yesterday
was marked by A hesitation TO express ex-
treme opinions and a kind and numOi Gus
perception OF the truth Of the other side.
Perhaps / a little graver than usual
today. be said. FOR I have stomach
sche-a good condition TO be ip. perhaps.
now that l am preparing my Studies OF
CheeIfulness, which will partly form the
subjects OF my lectures on the present
tour.
But ] am always serious. " he continued
Il do not think there IS any humOT with
out seriousness. Humor without philOso-
ply rs an impOSsibiliy. or course, there
are men who tell funny stories who have
no philosophy, but they are not humo. lists
HumOr deals with truth. with realty.
In NV books and lectures l tell the truth
about t.te people. and they laugh because
the likeness Is correct. ! think ] have
made the best picture OF John Bull, and
the Englishmen laugh at the truth OF H.
The Prince OF Wales. after reading John
Bull, laughed and said: Max O'Rell knows
too much about US
"Of course. he resumed. ''humor is not
merely statement Of fact. II you say to
another man, You are q liar 70 is not
humorous even II he be liar. But IL you
say, What you have said does noj entirely
coincide with the absolute truth you are
getting nearer humOr. One definition OF
humor might be an apparent distortion Of
truth ! am not sure IL Is a good defni-
ton, but 81 illustrates what I mean You
play about the actual fact. always suggest
It, but never directly state H.
Another element - humOr Is the kind
ness Of H. Il never odends. In my lee
lures, for instance. ! often put the Amer
lean girl on her pedestal. ! leave her there
too. but ! tell the truth about her so that
people smile. She remains what she is. a
noble creature. but one laughs neyerthe-
less. You must 20 about 70 do il. and take
In the indefinite suggestions OF her posi-
tion and character.
Il am enabled. with humor. 20 tell the
truth without offence. I can tell every
thing. without fattery and without insult.
] make no enemies, and when I come back
to the people I have written about they
my cOuntryman. had said what he did
without humor. he would have been tied to
the stake. Wit. on the other hand is bit
ter. Noltaire's wit helped TO bite France
into a revolution la ROchefOucauld. our
wittiest writer. has done more harm With
his witty cynicism than any writer Of
France"
NJ. Blouet spoke enthusiastically OF Al
phouse Daudet. not only as a serious, but
phasized the connection between truth
and rumoT.
What We French. as indeed most Of
the writer's OF Europe aim at" he said.
is the truth, even II IL is disagreeable.'
In this connection the French writer de-
Clined TO give an opinion OF English and
American contemporary literature. lie
spoke with sympathy, however, OF the
Anglo -SaXons desire to have the women
read all the novels and magazines. and
Was not prepared 10 say whether he
thought that the production Of the best
literature was limited in England aud
America by the fac that IL was written
largely for the women.
We have no popular magazines in
France, he said. and our magazines and
reviews are consequently serious and not
fitted TO be Tead by d great many people
The Revue De Paris was started with
the idea that a portion Of IL would be de
voted TO something light. in order 10 OBJ
tain a wide circulation. but the Revue De
Paris, too. is intelligent and wei writ
ten.
Il find" be continued that the Eng
lish writer's often deal with the unpleas-
ant subjects with which Zola for instance
occupies himself But the Frenchman more
often handles this subject with grace and
we in France are willing to read anything
which is true II il be well written. But
the Englishmcn when they tackle such
things d IL so club-foOtedly that il is often
disgusting George Moore. for instance.
Here VI. Blouet drew in his breath with
a slight hiss. as II his taste was pained by
an ug-y picture.
1t is true" he proceeded. that many
people read ZOla and others because OF
their subjects. but there are also many
who read them in spite OF their subjects
foI these writers are attractive. although
they DO not make vice attractive. which. if
they did would be immortality"
NJ. Blouet. although naturally in sym
pathy with the genius Of the French race
depIores the actual situation in Paris
NO great writer" he said. can come
from those who live constantly in that city.
They write in thoughtful and polished
style, but are not great J. X. Huys-
ful Of them. Is half crazy. and ! believe
will die in the retirement OF mOnastic
order
But what does a little literary talent
count" he exclaimed. in comparison TO
what forms the backbone and strength Of
our race? We paid to the German one
thousand millions Of dollars as the price OF
peace. and we could never have paid It but
for the women. II was the millions lf
women all over France who saved. WHO
stored up francs in the toes OF stockings
and in a corner of the cupboard. who saved
our country. The French woman always
holds the purse and furnishes the practical
sense The peasant woman controls the
finances Of the meDage, and in the cities
the wife is the bead of the small shoD
business and has the money under lock and
key. Even in big financial transactions the
wife is the constant adviser of her hus-
band 1t is the French woman who looks
France TO exist as a nation. The difference
between the French and American won IN
is that the American woman stays at home
while the French woman follows her hus-
band 10 his pllce Of business and takes
control of things
of course said NJ. Blouet. in answer
10 the inevitable question. "all Europe
admires the American girl. She las the
style and assurance OF the French woman
and a piquancy and freedom OF her own
The women of France and the women n.
America are similar In the fact thar they
are superior relatively to the Trench Iner.
and the American men-tO yo1 and me"