The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-19
SOME OF THE NEW BOOKS


''The Romance of Ny Childhood and
Youth" by Madam Adam (Juliette Lam
berD covers, as the title rightly suggests,
a period before her real work in the field
Of art and letters had begun. If she' reck-
ons truly with her past. it seems not sur
prising that so unusual child was des-
tined TO become a journalist of note, the
author of 'Laide and the founder of a
famous salon. Madam Adam is to-day a
remarkable woman. There is nothing in
these sprightly memoirs to suggest that her
sixty-six years have in any measure robbed
her Of that youthful vivacity and spirit
which she chronicles with such evident
satisfaction. 1.-THE Romance of My Child
hood and Youth is essentially a study in
temperament, high-strung, emotional and
Gallo. Race dominates the book. Readers
are treated Enthusiastically to the French
character, the French point of view.
The child life of Juliette Lambert is rem
dered abnormal both by inheritance and en-
vironment. She is abandoned in infancy
Dy her father, a man of brilliant mind but
Withai impracticable and emotional to the
point or insanity. Filled with a just indig-
nation, her grandmother, Madam Serou,
takes the child in charge. Madam Serou
has had romantic past. and her whole
life Is consecrated to the worship of ro-
nance. Her affection for the child becomes
all-absorbing. Monsieur Lambert. early re-
penting of his action, makes passionate
appeal Tor the return or his daughter. her
grandmother refuses to give her up, and
the family drama is The child Is
ever the victim or violent family scenes
between her father and mother on the one
hand, and her grandparents on the other.
Each wishes not only the exclusive pos
session of her person and her love, but
strives to direct her opinions in matters
political and religious So at the mature
age of eight her father would make a So
cialist of Juliette. Madam Serau reads
Balzac to her, hates reform, is a devout
church woman and adores the middle way.
DIR. Serou, who seems a jovial sort OF per-
son, cries always ''Vive Empereur! Low
ing them all. as she does, the passionate
and sensitive Juliette is much tossed about
in mind and spirit, and it is in the strenu-
Gus effort to understand her ancestors
and to reconcile their conflicting views that
the little girls faculties are developed TO
the uttermost of which they are capable.
Reused to feverish activity by these end
less discussions on politics, religion and
literature, Juliette early begins TO put her
impressions upon paper, ambitious at the
age of ten for a literary career. 1t was
inevitable that the general state OF affairs
should have made the little girl something
of a prig, and il is no wonder that Madam
Adam, even in retrospection, takes herself
rather too seriously. The family drama
develops many amusing situations, but
bursts of pure humor on the part OF the
author herself are rare. There is one re-
current incident of her early life. however,
over which she laughs and claps her hands
in childhood The account runs thus
AZ have already said what colossally
big man grandfather was, and that he
drank copiously. Toward evening, speak
ing of the Emperor and the campaigns he
had followed at Lutzen and elsewhere, he
usually made a mistake in the final tri-
umphant phrase. There L had him.
Take care. grandfather, not to upset
your fine phrase
HE would begin it, and. invariably be-
ing troubled by my interruption, would
end it in an emphatic manner impossible
TO describe. and with an outburst of In
imitabe pride.
land when Larrey needed me no long
er, l fought on my own account, Joining
the Grenadiers Guards, and / was always
the last to fight and the first to run.
Then / would clap my hands and cry:
Bravo. Grandfather! and he would under
stand by that that he had made mis-
take.
Madam Adams literary style is admir-
able a model of simplicity and directness
The characters are clearly and strikingly
developed The pictures of the country
life of that period, of the school, of the
first communions, are most charmingly
drawn. Altogether the book. although not
of the popular sort, is very pleasant read
ing. New York: ID. Appleton q CO.