davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

briiiiant. is wanting in spiritual force AS soon
as set loot in a country. he said. Il become a
ia'i'e Oh H. wear the national dress. if pos
sioie. as did in Spain. for have the gift OF at
once acquiring the manner of life" The man.
ner. yes: but that was all The Voyage en-
Espagne" is vivid. delightful book Yet in
teresting as Gautier is on his travels we would
give whole volume by him for a chapter of
George Borrow. who was far less apt at turning
"A phrase. and could not vizualize artistic de-
tails in an artistic manner as Gautier could
but who could make his reader feel the wind
upon the heath with a freshness and clean
earth SAVIOR that forever beyond the reach
Oh the Frenchnan- Nature in short touched
'autiers imagination. but his imagination
moved along comparatively few lines and
nature never touched his soul The hint of q
kindiing emotion which sometimes makes itself
iei' Is couhteroalanced by a certain tone of
an artist fastidiously and coldly lingering his
material. which keeps the pictorial motive al
ways in the foreground and strikes the eye
without exciting any deeper sensations Wit
ness this fragment from the account of n bull
fight at Madrid:
The dead morse remained stripped lying on its
SIDE. it's brown silhouette showing against the
sand. Ii was so thin fattened out that il
might haN" been cut out of black paper. L had
already noticed at Moutfaucon the strangely
fantastic forms which death gives to horses
Its head. SO noble so cieanly shaped. modelled
and moulded by the terrible finger of nothing
ness seems to have been the dwelling of human
thought: the name which flows out. the tail
which is spread out have something picturesuu.
and poetic about them a dead horse is a
corpse: every other animal from which life has
departed is nothing but dead brute.
1t is a pretty attempt at something more than
the picturesque. yet evrn when have made
allowance for Professor Sumichrast's failure
here as elsewhere to give us a plausible equiva-
lent for the charm and color Of Gautier's style
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

We aware that it is only an attempt, and
that it has not quite succeeded 1t is. indeed.
only when Gautier is frankly concerning him
self with artificial things that he is at his best
A human being leaves him. one might almost
say ill at ease. Before picture he feels at
home. and it is significant that one of his most
famous passages is the one dedicated to the
Mona Lisa in the Louvre
La Gioconda" thou sphinx of beauty. that
smilest so mysteriously in Leonardo da Vincis
frame. and seemest to propose TO the admira-
tion of centuries a riddle they have not yet
solvedt An invisible attraction always draws
back to thee, But, indeed. who has not
spent long hours before that head. bathed in
twilight half -tints. enveloped in transparent
wells and whose features. melodiously melting
into violet vapOr. appear like the creation OF
a dream through the black gauze of sleep!
From what planet fell into the midst OF this
azure landscape that strange being. with its
glance full of the promise of an unknown volup-
tuousness and it's divinely ironical expression?
Leonardo da Vinci imprints his faces such
a mark OF superiority that one is troubled in
their presence the shadows of their deep eyes
conceal secrets forbidden to the prOfane, and
the curl of their mocking lip would suit the
Omniscient gods quickly cOntemptuOus of hu-
man vulgarity- What trOublous fixity in the
dark eyes. what a supreme sardonic touch on
the lips formed like Cupid's bowl Does il not
seem as though La GiOcOnda were the Isis of a
mystic religion. who. believing herself alone
draws aside the folds of her veil. careless
whether the imprudent who should
prise her should go mad and die?
OF course when artifce is productive of de-
scription like this-and Gautier is full of prose
equally artistic, if not poetic-it is not
natural to surmise that artifice after ALL is
worth having. But possession of it does not
raise an author to the highest rank when il is
the greatest treasure in his purse Gautier had
a romantic fancy and some imagination. but he
lacked the higher gifts-humane breadth of sym
pathy and creative power, We may dispense
with these in his impressions of travel or his
art criticisms and still enjoy him. His inabiI-
ity TO produce a work like Kingiake's ''E.Other'
for example. or like MIR. CiiSsing's recent vol
ume, by the IOnian Sea- need destroy our
pleasure in the Travels in SPAIN the "Trav-
els in Italy" or The Louvre" But in his fiction
his limitations are more glaring. There the
impotence of artifce To do more than represent
the surface of things is often painfully appar-
ent On this side of Gauters work, however,
as his poetry. it viii be more fitting 20 speak
when the further volumes in this edition have
appeared
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

d'Albert say, he wished to be a woman. III but
for day: at another time it was an Eastern
potentate; at another. a Moor: at another,
man of the medieval days or Greek or the
golden age. So far lay within his power. ne
effected avatars; he Russian in Moscow
a Turk in Constantinople. a hidalgo in Spain'
at Rome q cardinal" He was never content
to be himself, and thus in everything he dld
he missed the ring of true metal
Somewhere Sainte- Beuve has amably charged
him with having less to say than to describe
The remark goes deep. Gautier began life as
a painter and he carried into his literary occu-
pations the instincts which had first directed
him to the studio of Rioult; but literature is
not made of word pictures alone. and, though
he mixed his palette with brains." he made
the mistake OF emitting the Indispensable in
gredient of heart He confessed that he pre-
ferred marble to flesh He put art before hu-
manity. and the result. IL often superticially
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

mass of work behind him. The ten volumes
now before all voluminous enough. and
when the remaining fourteen are published the
row of octavos-beautifully made and printed
by the way-will remain monument To en-
thusasm and industry. at least We wonder
little at the energy which is carrying the trans
lator through the series Obviously. however
he is sealed Of the cult of '"rheo." and we know
that to the supporters of that cult no trouble
would seem too great If incurred in loyalty to
their leader
Their love for him is generally compounded
of admiration for his works and affection for
his personality, with perhaps the larger share
of their feeling inclining toward the works
Those told. consummate works of
art. Perhaps they are: but only on the hypothe-
sis that the dogma of art for arts sake" which
Gautier worshipped. is one which a master
piece may be founded. We have "A shrewd sus
picion that the indubitable masterpiece in this
particular sphere of artistic endeavor has yet
to appear. The reader may look for il in vain
among the works thus far translated by Pro
fessor Sumichrast 'Mademoiselle de Maupn
The Grotesques,'' Travels in Spain.'' The
Romance Of II Mummy" Portraits of the Day"
Travels in Italy" 'FoTtunio' with 'One Of
Cleopatra's Nights and King CandaulesD.
"The Louvre and "Constantinople" and the
search would be more successful in the
mainder of Gautier's writings. The reason is
not difficult To state The weak point about
"art for arts sake" is that il narrows the
artists taste and cultyates his dexterity at the
expense of his sympathy for mankind. He
withdraws himself into "A world that is. to him.
extremely beautiful. but that To healthy minds
is somehow curiously arid and sunless, a world
from which half if not more of the best in
terests of mankind cOntemptuously
cluded. Professor Sumchrast alludes to Gau
tiers thirst for experience. ''As he makes
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
TOLSTOY on HORSEBACK.
A GLIMPSE OF THE RUSSIAN AUTHOR AS
\ SPORTSMAN.

n SPORTSMAN.
H. F. Provost Battersby in The London Morn
ing Post.
Repin has painted him on horseback and at the
plough: and il Is in the open air. at some labor
of the changing year. in that union with nature
which perfectly becomes him. and on which
he sets such store. that all those who love him
will care most TO remember him.
Nature. indeed. made him sportsman and
the hunting instincts sun remain. thouSh atIo-
phied in the atmosphere of his large Sympathles.
which forbid the infction OF pain or fear on any
creature that can feel them
Once. when discussing the comparative value
OF sports to the sportsman. his eye kindled at
the story of some fox hunting runs An ne
sighed. with smile. how thankful L should oe
that / wasn't born an Enslshman- L should
have found hunting harder 10 give UP than any
thing else
IN was ON the same evening reused perhaps
by the riding memories of his youth. that after
explaining where the post was dropped on the
railway and how letters were brought by
messenger 10 the house he cried OUT
But why should this man have all the pleas
ure which might be ours? Let US so and fetch
the letters ourselves.
So three horses We're ordered. one for son OF
ToIstoy's. who staying in the mousse put
only saddle equipment for one was forthcorninS-
..Never mind laughed TOistoy. bring them
round. The fox hunter will be just as happy
without saddle
The fox hunter could only accept the com
pliment as cheerfully possible. though the
PAGES of a Russian country bred are as detest-
able as those of a kashmiri yaboo- anu we
into n night just darfened by the loss OF lts
Young moon. The going would have been none
too good for daylight. ruts two feet deep. the
stumps and roots of yS through a clearing or
the forest here and there capaclouS Sancpit
al the edge of the road We roundered INTO one
of these Tostoy. ahead. with a shout or warn
ire and we after him too close 10 heed IT, t'dt
the incident had no effect on our discretion
We doundered out in different directions. col
Iided in an effort TO find each other on the
further side. and started on again at the SfiHS
mace Al the station had to wait for the
train and before il arrived TostOy had, despite
the darkness made the acquaintance or every
one on the PLATFORM and heard the life histories
of half of them. Life histories in RUSSIA, IL
must be mentioned. especially among the peas
ants are yery accessible and soon told The let
ters We're delivered and we started back with
them about midnight, Tolstoy fun OF the stories
he had heard. and retailing them with MS own
amazing fertility of Interpretation.
The incident is worth relating because IL
shows the writer in mood which his books 90
not reveal and To which the earnest students OF
life who make pilgrimage 10 haSnaya roy
ana make no reference, and also because TOO
much stress cannot he laid on The wholesome
sanity of Tolstoy's mind. seeing that he has
been proclaimed insane from the hrst WORD he
wrote on social matters
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
DISTINCTION WE'LL EARNED

From The Washington Star.
This" said the guide. lis one of the most re
markable towns in the whole country"
What makes il remarkable? asked the trav-
eer.
lit hasn't made any plans for holding an ex-
position of any kind
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

Gautier died without receiving the honor that
is conferred by election to the Academy. New
ertheless for Frenchmen, he is immortal
Whether not he will ever take permanent
rank transplanted classic in foreign coun-
tries is, the other hand, question which
Professor Sumichrast raises more, but
cannot answer by undertaking to put all the
works of the brilliant Frenchman into English.
The execution of his enterprise demanded cour-
age and devotion. Gautier left considerable
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1901.

The opening of the publishing season coin
'des with the opening of the present month.
Autumn lists" are flying through the air from
very direction: the booksellers are beginning
- bestir themselves. and their activity is, of
.9urse. an index to what is going on among the
publishers and printers. There is something
lleasant about this moment of renewed enter
prise To read an old book when a new one
comes out is doubtless n good idea, but it is
To be made rule. We sorry for the
reader who does not feel concerned in the more
or less simultaneous entrance of several hun
dred new books in the field. They invariably
include some trash. but just rs invariably there
are books worth reading in the collection. This
year the publications of whose merit one may
feel fairly confident in advance are decidedly
numerous-if, for example, the life of ]. II.
Green, edited by Leslie Stephen, is not inter-
cSting will be surprised. But the lists are
stimulating. too when they most problcmat-
.cal; there is piquancy in the prospect of
pungng the hand into the bag with the chances
about even of drawing out a prize or Il blank.
Who in the big company of authors advancing
with their wares is going to win honor and
who * going 10 find defeat? The great literary
lottery is full of dramatic significance and an
autumn list. properly considered. has its very
human side. When the Christmas trade is over
there will be much figuring and casting up of
accounts. But it is more suggestive to think of
the hopes and fears agitating the literary
bosom; of the jubilation and despair involving
more than the question of dollars and cents of
the talents new-delcated to high ideals by sue
cess or failure, and Of those driven by either
force to cheap methods and commercalism.
New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
THEOPHlLE GAUTIER.
HIS COMPLETE WORKS IN AN ENGLISH
TRANSLATION.

THE WORKS OF THEOPHII.E GAUTIER.
Translat ted and Edited by Professor F. G.. De
Sumchrast. Department of French. Harvard
University. In Twenty-four Volumes. Illus
trated. Vols. IN. Octave, PIP. 3l5, 3li. 352 40l.
35 3ii S222, S75. 32222, 300. George d. SprouI.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24

ability. his personal rectitude. and his sta
ton In life To speak plainly, he might be
in better business.
The common people--or, to use Mr.. Lin
coins phrase. the plain people"-do not
need the special championship of Mr. Bry-
an or of any man. They are very power
full body in the United States, and have
shown themselves able to take care of their
own interests. The enormous sums in the
savings banks represent the earnings OF
the plain people, and the comfortable and
well-kept homes which line the streets of
all the villages. towns and cities testify To
their competency TO fight the battle of ilfe
In no other country on the globe are plain
people so prosperous. so capable. or SO self
respecting and respected. In the United
States they are the people.
Mr. Bryan would do better by employing.
his great talents toward persuading the
men of large property interests to take a
more active part in political affairs. There
IL danger to the country from the attitude
Of many OF these men. In fact. the de-
plorabe situation now existing in num-
Der of our cities is chargeable directly to
the neglect of their duties as citizens by
men who by reason of their capacity and
Intelligence and industry have gone to the
top in business. Their private success
seems to have dulled their public pride.
They have abandoned politics altogether.
and suffered the government of their COM
munities to fall into the hands of men who
make selfish trade of politics. The Gro
ker machine in New York. the Quay ma
chine in Philadelphia and the Harrison ma
chine In Chicago would be powerless if the
people of substance in those cities would
join hands for their redemption.
Howling against property, or against the
spirit which seeks property, is poor employ
ment. The poor of today are the rich of
tomorrow. THE republic is opportunity;
and no man need despair of lettering his
condition who strives earnestly, and de-
serves to do so.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24

guarding the bill at all points against at
tack In the filtration matter Mr.. Grout
wisely avoided arousing friction as to the
process to be employed, and thus secured
the adoption of the necessary money pro-
vision while leaving the choice OF a system
to be determined by other and better means
than a hurried debate on the floor OF the
House. This exhibition of good manage
ment and fair play to all concerned has
characterized Mr. CIRCUITS entire career as
a legislator, and especially his work aHect-
ing the District of Columbia, and 1t Is
matter for sincere sorrow that as result
of his legitimate aspirations for promotion
to the Senate, in pursuing which he re-
linquished his chance for reelection to the
House, this efficient public servant tempo
rarily retires after March to private life.
leaving a gap which it will be difficult to
fill. 1t is to be hoped that HIS absence
from Washington may be brief.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
Water Meters Unpopular In the House

The proposition to force the water users
of Washington to use meters mustered only
five votes in the House of Representatives
yesterday. and the showing thus made may
be accepted as representing the chance OF
it's ultimate adoption, under existing cir
cumstances. The suggestion was side
tracked as soon as Mr. Grout in charge q
the District bill. called attention to the facl
that the government is the gravest onendei
In this matter OF water waste, and that~h
is useless to seek to secure reform through
the agency of an appropriation bill. As
long as the direct. representatives, OF the
government frankly acknowledge that 'ht
federal departments. including the Capto
itself are responsible for the bulk OF the
waste. there will be little danger OF the
imposition upon the people of the hardsmf
of COMPULSORY meters.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24

At almost stated intervals members OF
the House of Representatives. sometimes
southern, usually western. seize upon a
favorable opportunity In debate to assaii
the organic act which now governs. in the
main the fiscal relations of the District to
The general government. These episodes
occasion no alarm. especially when. as yes
trrday they close with a humiliating de-
feat for the assailants. The District can
well afford to be attacked by men who d.
rect their opposition to the organic act
against the agencies for public education
and public cleanliness.
IL IL IL compliment to the steadfastness OF
the committees of the House that the OPP
ponents of the organic act complain that
no direct proposition to repeal that statute
stands show of ever being reported. 1t
is sadly true that the organic act has not
always been respects by the committees.
They have permitted specific violations
which have brought serious results to
shake the faith of the people of Washing
ton at times In the fairness of their legisla-
tors. But the act itself seems secure
against the onslaughts of those who would
like TO see Washington at a stroke reduced
once more to the undeseryed poverty OF
national neglect, struggling to keep up Its
enforced pace with the federal establish
m-nt without the least aid from its largest
property owner.
FirSt-term members out of the west are
prone to prefer this spectacle to that OF
the weil-governed. progressive, handsome
city which has resulted from the enforce
ment. in the main. of the organic act OF
tSIs. II is noticeable. however. that after
emerging from their country districts and
living here for few terms. and apprecfat-
ing the benefits OF a wel-ordered. nom
political properly supplied municipality.
they, as q rule remit their efforts to cast
discredit upon the statute which has made
possible the development of such a city as
the seat of government. They have learned
that this result would he impossible other
wise than upon the basis of the act of 1873.
They have permitted their dream OF cap
ital-removal to pass. They have relin-
quished their ideal OF a bucolic capital.
They have come to measure the 1.-THE given
by their own constituents toward the main
tenance of this splendid example Of Amer
lean city-making in true terms Of economy
= d profitable investment and to be CRATE
full for the tardy wisdom of predecessors
who provided such a system.
The process of educating a new represent
stiVe 10 this state of mind Is becoming
easier session by session. The outbursts
of the congressional pupil do not harm the
capital, they do not deter the development
of such necessary institutions as the public
library and the bathing beach. and they
seem incidentally to amuse the newcomers
for time and to give them material for q
little campaign fiap-doodle In their dis
tricts. So everybody Is satisfied.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
The mOner. No. 1, Vol. 1

The Commoner makes its bow at a time
when the attention of the people is directed
elsewhere. The death of Queen Victoria
and the speculation playing around the
pame of King Edward are topics which for
the moment overshadow all others But
these topics will pass, while the Commoner
will remain. and AT an early day this new
journalistic venture may possibly awaken
the Interest," rs founder and his friends
have confidently been expecting.
Mr. Bryan's' sslutatory, however. is not
promisiag- 1t shas' '.the poor against thu
rich ring. 1t shows that Mr.. Bryan is
still trying to divide the people. and to
arouse prejudices in the minds of those who
have little against those who have more.
The tone Is not creditable TO a man of his
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
The New Kings Sneecb.

Nothing could have been In better taste
than King Edwards speech to the mobiles
yesterday upon taking the oath. 1t was
such dn expression as might confidently
have been expected from such a man. tact
full, indicative of deep feeling and reassur-
ing. the speech of a man of sentiment and
sense. 1t should Immediately reassure
those who have been needlessly alarmed
lest the new monarch might prove a bull
in a china shop. 1t commits him to his
mothers course as a strictly constitutional
sovereign, and this doubtless means a con.
tinaaace of her policies and ideals of gov
eminent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
Renliniscence.

People have a heap to say
Bout our own progressive day,
Yet l sometimes heave a sigh
Fur them good OIL days gone by,
When the January air
Made you step along for fair.
Winter neutrality-suspicious. me!
'risn't what II used to be-
When see the young folks. too,
Then l git to feelin' blue;
They are SO polite an prim.
Zucks! How me an Mandy'd skim
'Crost the country in a sleigh,
Where they'd dance till break o. day.
Coin courtin' me!
'Tisn't what 1t used to be.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
by, that's salvage"
No Chance.

There seems to be some disposition"
said the statesman. Ito insist that man
who goes to the United States Senate shall
be poor all his days"
II never heard Of such disposition"
Eyes: perhaps you have unconsciOusly
voiced it. If a man Is rich before he goes
to the Senate the gossips say all manner Of
unkind things; and If he gets rich after he
goes TO the Senate-the gossips still say all
manner of unkind things
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24

Sir Hiram Maxim says he has observed
that the working man In the United states
tries to do as much as he can Whlle she
working man in England tries to DO as
little as he can SO as to make the oop last
longer This fact may not be without some
Importance in explaining why England Is
now worried about the invasion of her mer-
camille domain by the United States.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24

The late Cornelius Vanderbilt made per-
sonai requests to his executors in consd-
Grafton of which he expected them to serve
without collecting the usual commissions
1t was this same thrifty foresight that
made the estate well worth collecting
commissions on.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-24
A CONFEDERATION.

fought not public man to feel proud of
any opportunity to go to the front and help
save his country" inquired the earnest pa
triot
'Of course he ought to-" answered Sena-
tor Sorghum.
Then how about this fortune you have
been piling up?'
''Um-why that's salvage"