New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-07
FRENCH PORTRAITS.
NJ. EDOUAEO GRENIER AND HIS CELC-
BR ATED FRIENDS.

Library G,Pj ;dz , RIMINJsGrEcTs BY Eaogard
hbel Kam. Octave PIP. ix 2s7. The Macmillan
Company
NJ EGouari Grenier is a French poet who is
practically unknown 10 American readers.
though of his works La Mort du President
Lincoln ought to appeal to by virtue of it's
theme at least He born In 1919 and has
enjoyed a successful poet man
of letters and diplomatic secretary. In his
youth he saw Chateaubriand and Beranger. Tut
he alludes to them only briefly in his Literary
"reminiscences" The true subjects of the vol
une are Lamartine and Heine, NCder and Mus
set. George Sand. Merimee and Sainte- Beuve.
OF these famous writer's and of several others
he gossips in thoroughly readable manner
though not always with perfect insight. He
knew them all, some intimately and others, ap
parently, only the surface. OF Heine, for
example he discourses in terms which
culver family with ancient resentments. He
young man. just returned from travels in
Germany, when he met the great wit by acct
dent in circulating library. Hehe took lil-
ing TO him. and presently made of his liter
airy aptitude. II. Grenier did translating for
him. He says that Heine would ask him to put
some of his articles in the Augsburg Gazette"
into French. that they might be read by the
Princess Belgiojoso. The young scribe to
be paid by introduction TO the Princess. This
he did not receive. and later he concluded that
his TRANSACTIONS were really used in quite an
other They destined" he says
for the eyes of NJ. Guizot! Hene received
four thousand francs a year from the secret
service fund. and and then he had to show
the Minister that he earning his wages. I
have no doubt that he selected all the articles
most favorable to France for my translation!
Evidently NJ Grenier's ahagrin at not meeting
the Princess dies hard and all through his
chapter Heine there runs a vein of peevish
criticism. A youth net yet of his teens
might have been grateful for the notice Heine
took of him. but NJ. Grenier could not get over
the faults of his patron, he still deplores the
unworthiness-as he regards it--of poor Ma
thilde, and is generally captous. But he makes
up for all this in his other chapters.
The one on Lamartine is delightful He
the mans vanity, he detected the limitations of
his Imagination and intellect, but he pays the
warmest tribute to Lamartne's true gifts and
portrays him. moreover. in more than one as
pect, with such vivdness and sympathy that
cannot. this time, doubt his ability to do
justice to his subject He is especially felicitous
in dealing with the Lamartine of the Revolution
OF 1S4S and the Provisional Government. He
describes the Hotel de Vile buzzing with the
the steady stream of citizens" pouring in to
ask questions. Here may his words:
Arago Mario old Dupont de rEure Pagnerre
even, all these men were eloquent enough, but
the crowd camored for Lamartne, and insisted
upon seeing him and hearing him speak;
would have thought they had come for that and
that only. So Lamartine was fetched and he
came with head and calm, noble bearing.
and began by asking his colleagues what was
the question of the hour and the subject of the
popular demands Silence fell as If by enchant-
ment upon the surging crowd. Then immedi-
ately. almost without a moments pause for re-
Fiction he began to speak. and with that grand,
deep voice Of his and with gestures of authority
and conviction he improvised a reply which
was always to the point and always admirable,
and then the crowd, after cheering him Justify,
melted away, pacifed and content,
When NJ. Grenier is writing passages like this
one we are more than content TO read him, and
regret the more his i'll natured and obviously
shallow presentment Of Heine. His notes
George Sand capital Witness that
which describes evening at Nine. Marliani's
Sand and Chopin were both present. They were
talking of German musicians and poets. Nine
Sand, with the eternal cigarette in her mouth
was walking up and down when the door
suddenly thrown open. Nine Ia Baronne X.
was announced, and behind her came a big fat
woman. rusting in silks and feathers. Nine
Sand was just in front of US and she turned
Il
No description convey the concentrated
scorn conveyed by those three words the tone
in which they murmured." moment
later there occurred equally characteristic
incident. Chopin became excited in his talk
Immediately Mime. Sand became anxious and
laid her hand upon his head with kind OF ma
ternal solictude. Merimee is the subject of
Of NJ. Grenier's most sympathetic portraits.
The two were friends for many years, and
while the survivor paints his old companion in
all his famous reserve and almost austere dig
nifty. he gives some refreshing glimpses of
Merimee's genuine kindness Of heart. The lat
ter is, indeed. most engaging figure he
appears in this book. "robed in a splendid Chi
nese japanese dressing gown of large and
flOwery design, and his feet encased in Turkish
slippers about the last costume in the world
with which would ordinarily associate the
stately courtier and impeccable author. NJ
Grenier has one quality which we suppose ought
TO be counted virtue: he is brief But he
might easily have expanded his volume which
is so interesting that wish for another COM
memOratirg the friendship Of his later years