New-York tribune., 1900-05-28
A POET-HERMIT.
SUCCESS AND RICHES LEAVE EDMOND
RoSTAND TIRED AND MELANCHOLY.
From The London Daily News.

From The London Daily News.
Far away in the ultimate regions of Paris. in
a street the name of which is so unknown that
many drivers of Paris consult their little
books when asked to take one there-the Rue
Alphonse-d -Neuville-is the beautiful home
of Edmond Rostand. the author Of "Cyrano de
Bergerac.'
All is luxurious but with that luxury of gold
which is but old. And indeed, Fort
had no favors to bestow on Rostand, who
by inherited wealth might be indifferent TO
the favor OF the crowd. in so far as IL is ex-
pressed by cash. There was no struggle here,
no hunt no meagre strivings All is thick and
rich. and the foot falls noiselessy on the full
pile Of the carpets. There are tapestries every
where.
There is no portrait which that gives
the true Rostand. The one that has made the
author Of "Cyrano de Bergerac" familiar to the
world shows him as he was at twenty. Now
though all the old elegancieS there, II is a
man more harassed than one sees. The foreheau
now loftier than ever the features are perhaps
more pinched and there is a wrinkle here and
there. a cigarette between the fingers always
A nervous. tired. anxious air at all times. the
shy look of the man who is self-centred, or
rather always preoccupied with some ideal. A
soft low voice. which in its rare moments rises
rich and full. eloquent above others NO gest-
ures Only noy and then weary wave of the
hand as the fine head rolls from one side of the
Voltare chair TO the other.
An extreme. a polished, courtesy. Manners
which go better with the Louis XIV cartel than
with the Louis XVI furniture. In the sleepy eyes
occas sional flashes. which show who there is be-
hind this mask OF extreme fatigue
Thirty-one, and all the world at his feet Thr-
ty-one. and the crowd so anxious for him that
as he said, Il do not think that anything that
public from being curious as to my work. and
coming to any theatre where my plays may be
acted"
Indeed. IT was long this that Rostand had
as a dramatic poet the full of his hearts desire
tie desire that is at the heart of every French
man who affronts the perilous hazards of writ
ing for the stage the triumph and glory Of be-
ing played on the national stage of the Coincide
Francaise.
THE BOY AUTHOR.
For play that he wrote when he was twenty
three played when he was twenty-six, and
that is what be said of few authors, unless
fl be our poor. dead Daudet, who as a lad Of
twenty-five heard the Paris of the Theatre
Moliere applaud The Lily of France"
When quite young man., said Ros-
tand II wrote play in one act. IT was about
pierrots, Was it called Les Pierrots. or lie
Pierrot' or 'Colombine'? ! do not remember. All
that remember is that one night at an evening
party, when there were many young ladies pres
ent, to amuse them 1 read this little piece in
verse. De Feraudy, of the Comedle Francalse
was there and heard me read il, and was most
enthusiastic and said that it must be played at
his theatre and asked me to give him the manu-
script TO lay before Claretie, the director
Il had written for the stage before then-a
tri1e for the Cluny Theatre called lie cant
RouX.' I was twenty years old at the time But
there is nothing TO be said about it except that
ii was the first realization Of dream that al
ways haunted me child and that was that
I must write for the stage. And shall tell you
what il that confirmed me in the thought
that if had any work to do in the world II was
In writing for the stage? The stray remark OF d
critic whom / do not know, whom have never
met. When very young man. puolsheu
a volume of poems Les Musardises, GustaVe
FYlon-that is the name of the critic-reviewing
IL in La Revue Bieue,' wrote that he saw IN my
poems a large promise Of future success In writ
ing poetical plays for the stage At that time
though / had always wished to write for the
stage had never thought, had never Ventured
to think of writing plays in verse 1t seemed
to me very curious, thls remark OF ms aiiu ie'ei
on remembered it.