The Portland daily press., 1900-06-13
CONCERNING BOOKS.

. We have at last a translation OF Lola S
much talked of novel, Fecundite, or to
give it its English name, Fruitfulness
Vizeteily, hesitated long, 1t seems, before
deciding to introduce 1t in Its English
dress to an American public, but finally
came to the conclusion, that by judicious
pruning, and altering and modifying y
might safely be done. Whether he has
helped or hindered lola remains to be
seen. In the first place nearly all persons
who are interested In the book at al
would read 1t in the language in which
1t was written. Therefore, since nc
one doubts the authors tremendous
morality, why not take the work entire,
and in its full force, or leave 1t alonel
lola is recklessly materialistic, but never
immoral; quite the contrary, indeed, for
he shows his readers the very depths Of
yileness, that they may become Disguised,
and thus more fully admire and appre-
ciate the heights Of virtue. One may
doubt the efficacy of his methods, but
in changing his style. infusing milk and
water into his decoctions, their strength
is lost; therefore it is no longer Zola, who
not only calls "a spade spade" but II
it had worse name would give 1t that
In order to be absolutely outspoken, and
leave no hidden meaning.
Fecundite is written for the purpose OF
denouncing what the author considers a
crying evil, which Is sapping the vitality
of France, and while he displays it in
all it's horrors, he also exploits with equal
foLce the triumphs of virtue, SO
that no thoughtful reader could condemn
the book utterly, while portions of it are
surely, to say the least, indiscreet.
The work is full of force, brilliant and
telling in style, and contains enchanting
pictures of blissfully married life, of
childhood, youth. and the happiness Of
pure and lawful love. The rural scenes
are fascinating, and the pictures Of coun-
try life are of great charm and beauty.
This work is the first of series writ
ten for a great purpose. "Fruitfulness, +"
says n. lola, creates the home. Thence
springs the city. From the idea of citi-
zenship comes that of the fatherland COM
prlsluS III buo pcopiSS VI eio chfeh' vi
these three stages In the progress Of man
kind, the fourth still remains to be OBJ
tanned have then thought of writing,
as 1t were, poem in1 four volumes, in
four chants, in which 1 shall endeavor to
sum up the philosophy Of all my work.
The first of these volumes Is Fruitfulness;
the second will be called Work; the third
Truth; the last Justice. In Truthfulness,
the heroes name Is Matthew; in the
others will be Luke, Mark and John.
The children Of my brain will, like the
four evangelists, preaching the gospel.
diffuse the religion Of future society,
which will be founded on Fruitfulness,
Work, Truth and Justice"
OF the purity of NJ. Zola's intentions
one cannot doubt; OF his methods opin-
ions may vary. but his genius Is undis-
puted.
Provided It was best to do IL at all,
Mr.. vizetelly has accomplished his work
admirably. 1t only remains to the reader
of Zola's works TO take him au naturel,
or clothed In such seemly garb that the
fastidious cannot CRY out againss him,
or close their eyes in holy horror.
One Engiish reviewer. lady. speaks Of
Fecundits a. "sminsntly. pugnaeiously
virtu0us in n. zoia's striotly aatsrisl