New-York tribune., 1908-11-15
VICTORIEN SARD0U

Bxrdou is dead and, being dead. he has. OF course
a some quarters been aiTiiy dismissed as an
archaic curiosity OF neither much interest i'm
portaloe.-various complacent writer's. not pos
sessed OF even q 1.-THE OF his great ability, de-
averinE Judgment with the customary glib assur
snce Of tie shallow brain. Many Of Sardou's plays
belong 10 the order designated as melodrama
he was extraordinarily elictous in providing Sarah
Berphafdt with dramatic vehicles adapted TO her
peculiar requirements: but his best achievements
were IN the vein OF comedy. Happily neither de-
fence OF Sardou. exposition OF his powers.
So required His life was FULL rounded. complete
and bis works VIII speak for themselves, long after
his detractors have been forgotten AT this time
personal views OF him may found Of interest
and the following selections from the late Blanche
Roosevelt's intimate record ere here reprinted:
sT have remarked 6 curious coincidence: three
probably the greatest IN brain power OF the
century. actually resembled each other not alone
IN form but IN feature: need name George Eliot
George Sand. and Nine ViardotI Victorien Sardou
Siso strikingly resembles three great persons
Dante. voltaire. and the First Consul.
AT twenty years OF age he looked so Ike Soma
parte that Il was ridiculous. and Arsene Houssaye
showed a little silver statuetts OF the En-
peror. which [ thought, and said. must be 81.
ssrdou. dressed for a bal-masque,
After the seasons that have @aned and faded.
in spite Of the fatigue and the cares and brain
work. the face has et times a Nspoleonic express
mon. ASItes q hOIiaiTlzn eApFeSSlOl. WHICH
adds strange character to that charac-
teEistio physiognomy. No one could glance
At Sardou and not recognize in him e parsonage;
he has that indefnable something about him which
attracts. End one and all turn second time to
.ook az OF such marked Individuality.
Ec Is about medium stature, OF q very slight ply
sique. very spare, very active, very eager Every
thing about Sardou is 0ltUe; his gestures are
perfectly graceful: his speech Is graceful: his
walk IS graceful. but. naturally. his face has
<ka
head. crowned with masses OF long and still
tustrous black hair, scarcely unged with thread
Of gray. His face clean shaven; the mobile
mouth denotes keenness. frmness and tenderness
veile6 hy fne ironIcal expression. changing when
he smiles. rare. seductive smile. which shows all
his kindness and would be charming in a
who wished to charm. His eyes are dark,
gray, large and sparkling; they light up with every
expression Of his face and. long before he speaks
indicate his huTnor: in short the whole counenance
IS OF eagerness. intensity and intelligence. He
is the very incarnation OF life. OF readiness OF
being. he Is very remarkable rehearsals but
he Is quite remarkable when reading OF his
scenarios CT skeletons OF plays. which by the way
are very Tar from being skeletons. these drst
studies are IN themselves almost complete plays
Ee Is perfect actor. every part and Illus
trstes every OF his characters with such
ttity and vgoT that the Illusion Is quits complete
Fou may laugh and you may cry with him and
never know how II came about: indeed the stage
has lost II him great actor.
Only those who have known the sting OF bitter
want can fully appreciate the agony of the intel
lectUal students career. The eager brain, the
:Ehed body, the long night-watches and hideous
Nightmares the struggle to make both ends meet
20 keep body and soul together the continual battle
With poverty. pride ambition. hope and despair
6ardou's young lie was such a struggle He pos
sessec valiant soul, and he did give way; the
more he had 70 work against the harder he worked
and every new trial fell Ike pointless dart against
The Efeel Of hfz He Se-1- fpa5
TO be some one. and ne realized that the bridge
which spans greatness and nothingness IS Knowl-
edge. Although daily he passed the old Theatre
&ouere and was familiar with the artists and su-
thors ef the day. he never thought Of becom-
ing playwright: but in order 70 prosecute his
studies he gave lessons in history. philosophy and
mathematics. BE wrote articles FOR dictionaries.
eaiises, and even medical journals; he essays
snd essayed serious stories; novelette,, La
Perle Noire-' found its way intos the hands of
good, 4 discriminating public He toiled day
and night with the dogged perseverance which
ever has been. and is. Of his eminent char
Rcteristics pains were great 10 take: he was
never behindhand IN any promised work. and ever
striving TO improve his mind: 10 garner up such z
store OF miscellaneous Information as few even
Of +le most eIudite possess to-day. He thus laid
TIE foundations alone OF that fame and fortune
5ustly his due but Of all the envy Jealousy and
ridiculous exaggeratioH afcat IN France which
repeatedly, though vainly, assails OF her most
brilliant and versatile
n the midst of these enforced classical studies.
Sariou began to feel the quickening OF that dra-
matte instinct which has brought to life such spIen-
cid and noble creations. He adored the play but
IVES equally devoted to the opera. and. speaking Of
the latter he said:
"Ah, don't talk TO me OF music; that is OF my
passions / remember long time ago when / went
20 the opera-nut in box stalls, but right I'D
an the gsiiery-to hear The Hug uenols' or The
Prophet delighted in Meyerbeer-the seats were
four francs apiece l had probably pawned my
hest coat get there; but there was, and never
think Of those costly evenings without remember
ing how enjoyed them. and felt certain sense OF
qualification that have never experienced since
And now" ] replied. other students pawn their
rest clothes to sit 10 the gallery or on The roof
not TO hear Meyerbeer. but sardou-'
.sNsIe naturellement.'' he said. laughing. "c'est
sinsi que lie monde"
One day we speaking Of the deceptions
.t.,ye youth knows OF the shattering Of our IDOLS
OF the ruthless hurting from their fair pedestals
wuds whose to Us are as the canopy OF
heaven sardou gave the keynote his somewhat
cynical character, condemned by the many, under
stood by the few
-AhF' he cried. ''to whom do you speak OF de-
eeutiops? Ny life has been one long deception
xnent in seeing my idols shattered and my gods
6efhroned I remember the first great illusions I
ever hac- I enthusiastic by. running all
ever Paris with plays In my pockets that no man
arsr wanted-I don't wonder. they we're bad enough
theni / was so fond Of reading that in the streets
a a.HriFl Gn~