New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-05
M. BOURGET'S LATEST BOOK.
THE FASHIONABLE FRENCH NOVELIST
IN A TENDER VEIN

DRAMEs DE FAMILLE Par Paul Bourget. de
TAcademie rranSsise YORK n 6vr pp e Pfeffar
Although he is a member of the Academy and
Is now passing through the press collected
edition of his works. printed in handsome FORM
IL has been limited that the vogue OF M. Boufset
is not now as secure II was short time ago.
Younger men are pressing to the front Inc
novelist of fashionable life is realizing the
fickleness of fashion 1t is perhaps for this rea-
son that his "Drames de F'amille Illustrates a
line of study not altogether unfamiliar with
him. but not hitherto productive of so per
sistenty tender and wholesome volume
There is to be sure. in the first of the stories
contained in this book one OF those squalid
situations which NJ. Bourget in his NOR
bid mood has loved to pause. whether he found
II in high or low society; but "LEcheance
subordinates the unpleasant element to inner Is
sues and Eliminates a dreary tragedy with
the light of noble character. Eugene Corbiefes'
the hero is adored by his parents, anu loi
his sake they commit theft of which ne hears
nothing until he has won the success Tor WHICH
they have planned labored and snned his
expiation takes a curious FORM BrusqueiS
abandoning his high place in the medical world
he enters a religious community. seeking to put
his great gifts to unselfish purpose. The story
is an admirable study of the workings of fate
and of conscience The vice of envy and the
victory won over 1t by conscience are treated
with equal brillancy in lie Talisman" one OF
the three brief narratives which close the DOOR,
but the longest most important and best thing
in ''Drames de Fame'' Is the study which is
called lie Luxe DIES Autres.
This portrays with consummate art the rise
and development of a family such as the author
considers to be typical of Paris. Hector lie
Prieux is a successful journalist successful be-
cause he is clever and a hard worker. He Is no
genius. At bottom. however, he has the traits
of a very thoughtful man; he entertans timid
dreams of poetic glory; he is not without LOFTY
aspirations His wife Is shallow minded Juno,
whose beauty aids the two in winning the social
position which is 70 her the end of existence
Here enters lie Luxe DIES Autres,' the influence
of what she sees Of wealth and fashion upon
the ambition of Ia belle Nine. lie Prieux AS
she loves to see herself called in the newspaper
reports of social festivities. The husband Is
worked like galley slave in order that his wife
may shine, superby gOwned, in the magic cir
Gle TO which she is so passiOnately devoted He
is patient until the future of mis- daughter IS in
question. Then when Nine lie Prieux tries TO
separate Refine from her lover and force her into
a mercenary alliance, the long suppressed ideal
ism of the journalist bursts forth. and with the
impetuosity of the god from the machine he
upsets the sordid plan, giving his daughters
hand to the man she loves LIE Luxe des
Autres" is ruthless in its satire upon those
who live beyond their means for the sake of a
tawdry social triumph. But ii is most effective
in it's tenderness, in its sympathetic treatment
of Hector lie Prieux. NJ. Bourget has written
nothing more charming than this, His senti-
ment is healthy. His pathos rings true.