The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-29
French Poetry.

AZ one time IL might have been thought
that general conception would be want
ing in the new art, writes NJ GustaVe
Lanson in the International Monthly for
October The decadents and symbolists
had something the appearance of being
merely the apes of Banville and Balde-
laire. they had the air Of being maniacs
or copyists, proudly developing, I'm the
frenzted dance OF their rhythms and in
the foolish arahcsdues OF their images,
all the abnormal perceptions or eccentric
fantasies which rose ia their brain. but
Nerlane pointed out a pathway His
"Sagesse" Is the journal of a penitent
soul: il Is the crisis Of the conversion of
the sinner. the song-one OF the most
beautiful that there is--of the soul, both
bruised and joyful before the life whose
mystery a ray of God has Illuminated.
Ia the collection which followed ''Sa-
gasse' pious verse alternated with sem
sual, the effusion contrite humility and
pure faith with slightly veiled images OF
the sins Of tho flesh. Nerlaine was not,
| believe, impossible 10 the rhythmic
grace OF this alienation, But through
these contradictions he only became more
largely the representative OF religious
God, who commands, and the flesh, which
refuses TO obey So. with him. poetry
tations" and the "Contemplations," was
filed with metaphysical anguish. it re-
turned 10 It's duty OF expressing the abso-
lute and the universal. or rather its indt-
VCrsal.
1t is necessary TO be the old devil that
spiration in the philosophy of the petit
catechisme." The younger generation
who would not, OF could not return TO
the old faith, would have been occasion
ally embarrassed To Invent a general con-
ception OF life IL is because the philoso-
phes along with religion We're departing
humantarianism deism. keantism. Ideal
ism. scientific materialism, the pesslfnlsm
OF SchOnenhauer-all the great systems
which for a century have furnished an In
tellectual armatllre FOR poetry. had had
their day. and had not yet been replaced.
A more stuble philosophy. at once less
abstract and more scientific than the old.
fond Of precisiOn and in love with -lteL
was being elaborated. Without sys-
TENS being imposed, "a tendency was tax
ing shape among the poets.
Poetry since Chateaubriand had been
Of a sad cast. Christians spirituausts
and materiaiists had Wed with one an
other in crying against the wounds. be
trayals and wickcdness Of human lie.
With Leconte de Lisle, Ackermann ana
Richepin, pessimism had been installed
as lord. To condemn God and curse na .
ture seemed the natural function OF
poetry The Christian Illusion, even ~
retreating from souls long time soothed
by Immense homes. had left in them dis
taste for the mean and fleeting realities
OF life They revolted against the In
complete in it's process of eternal dissolu-
ton. against the eternal and ever unhn-
ished becoming of lifei life was irre-
dcomably bad.
But in good time the idea sprang up
among the "Jeunes" that Art should be-
one with Joy. IL was sunSient TO dispel
the aspirations FOR NirVana, the apos-
trophies 10 mature as cruel stcpmolhtr
ali the rhetoric blasphemous pessimism.
it no longer seemed foolish 20 fell love
for life Poetry was still sad. but it wa
no longer desperate. except among ccr-
tain PeIuians with an Imagination too
deepIV tinctured with Catholicism. There
was Il gentlcncas in its sadness; an in-
clnation was shown 20 accept lite JUST na
IN is, I'm IT'S misery. i'm It's acctlng Charac-
ter i'm it's inachicvCmcnt. Co love 40 be-
cause IL is, and because nothing can exist
save in IL aud by it-the universe. truth.
beauty.
From the Christian point OF view which
makes life appear wicked 10y directing
ms 60 the beyond. TO eternity, poetry re-
turned TO the Crock point Of view which
embraces NE iu an its nakcdncss-rlch
i'm evil and in good and uned with this
sweet and clear charm OF brlng