The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-19
cAnother 6l)tequ -
y - of Emile lola.

The popular notion Of lola as a pcssimist Of
phalic turn, whose tongue loved to roll libidi-
nous norsel for It's own sake, will be found on
closer examination and wider study OF his novels
and his life to be an erroneous one.
lola believed IN iteration he would have made
good practical politician" Like Charles
Dickens he was a reiotuier. He knew that
the impression made by an ordinary story Of
incident was evanescent He knew something
OF physiology He knew that only by persistent
dropping can the tablet Of the brain be in
serihed.
On one theme alone he wrote twenty novels
(the Rougon- Maoquart seriesl the text Of which
was the influence of disobedienee OF the moral
laws upon offspring lie described fully and
seriatim each type OF moral deeadenee. His
method was strictly scientific hut to the average
reader redundant 10 the point OF safety
Undoubtedly pruriency was his greatest rec
concentration 20 a large class OF readers. The
fame Of this quality was, too, valuable advertise
ment everyone wishing 70 read for himself what
was described as of such doubtful proprieU.
"Peeping Toms" not extinct. The popular
error lies in imagining that his analytic method
did not extend beyond the study Of sexual iin-
morality. So far from this being the case, the
whole gamut Of delinquency, from forgery and
thieving to family hatred and religious fanati-
cism, is analysed with just as great thoroughness
and even more relentessly Witness the spiritual
struggles OF Pierre, the priest so infinitely de-
pieted In that wonderful trogy "Lourdes,
| Rome" Paris" The truth Is, we Anglo-SaXons
| are apt 10 regard sexual morality as the only
morality. This is we'll shown by the familiar COM
| notation OF the word, whereas commissions Of
numerous crimes and omissions Of many duties
not in the least connected with the observance Of
| chastity are Of just as great Importance IN the
maintenance OF the social iabrie-whieh Is
morality
So far from pessimism, Zolas philosophy was
serene cheerful and even at times joyous opti-
| msm founded upon rational knowledge OF man S
| true destiny and aim. He described these moral
excreseenees in such detail to emphasize their re-
! pulsiveness and 20 show that their cause lay IN
| lack OF knowledge and their remedy in science
| He demonstrated that where science ruled were
/ simplicity happiness, purity of life oontentmen
with daily toll and that beautiful harmony OF de
velopment which is the highest good Of man
perfection and beauty Of character, In Or Pos
| call the concluding work Of the Roueou-Mac
quart series, all this is summed mp and vividh
painted in manner TO appeal not only TO thu
scientific but to the large human sympathies o.
our natures. In The Young girl, ClQthilde, IS pre-
sented 3 wonderful study OF the overcoming o.
her superstition and the induced hysteria by th'
combined influences OF knowledge and character
until She in turn acquires through the influence
Of that knowledge and character such serenity
as was Zolss ideal
He found the roots Of this serenity in th'
mother earth alone. Even all ITS mistakes, fail
ures and disappontments did not make this NE
undesirable With charity that virtue muci
praised and little practiced by the Christian
churches life was good thing This is re
peated again and again in la lerre,' IN Paris
and TO a less extent in other OF his novels W.
can know" the after life What then va
have labor we have love Is it not good
ToM a. WILtIAMs.