New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-17
COROT IND H1LS.
Ncsc Biographies of the Poet and the
Rc0list.

AN0tkSks
coz II AID HIS FRIENDS BY Fvcrard Nov
ri go, ;WTeniy- nine Illustrations Svo, pp.
FTlANs IiAIs-sA VIE ET soN d2IvRE. Far
= " Moos- (Traduit par J. de Bosscherel
iluStr'- ito, Up Il2. Bruxolles. G. Nan otst
There has been need 81 just such a book as
Mr.. MeEnen has written about Corot. The spe-
oial student Of the French master will ALWAYS h,
obliged 10 turn to Robaut and AIoreau- Nelaton
hut neither Of those authorities provides quit,
What Is wanted 10y The general reader. Mr.. Mey-
nell Is NOT a perfect biOgrapher. Being anxious
10 pitch his narrative in the peculiarly light and
cheerful key of Corot's character he tries to he
gay and clever, with the result that he IS oft n
STRAINED and merely hippant At times he even
E'eS near 10 TatrOnizing his hero. But all this
one suspects, Is due to nothing more nor less
than youthful feTvor. Mr. Meynelrs heart is IN
me fleht place, and there is denying his in
c3SifN' The pains he has taken not only to get
- ne facts II Corot's career but TO reconstruct
IiS surroundings. We like. too, the way in
which he has put has book together and has
hNto rs form. He Prints a number OF interest
inE distractions. but they go into a conyenien,
octave book TO be read as easily as one reads
novel
novels Of the day are as interesting as
" story Of the simple life OF a man of genius
Cvrots father Was hairdresser, his mother a
r0frhdHdt Dc modes His parents destined him
for service in shop. They never understood
lirl even when he had become famous But II
is part Of the joyous charm that belongs TO his
biography that the want of sympathy in his
family for the artistic predictions which he
carly in developing never involved him in
any bitter relations with the hairdresser and his
WIFE. They gave him his way soon enough, and
good uatUredly kept him in funds while he was
hating out his style. II is true that there was
nothing sumptuous about his allowance When.
al twenty-nine, he departed for Rome it was TO
practise there the sternest economies But
trat mattered nothing TO Corot. He could be
happy bread and water. in any case he
would go loving his father and mother. He
mover blamed them because they failed to real
ize The significance OF his gifts Life was too
o,. chtful for him TO blame anybody for any
thing. He went painting. singing he painted
and elderly man he continued TO give TO
Dis people at home the affection and obedience
~ a schoolboy.
Was there ever in the history Of art A
Loyable as Corot? MT. Meynel talks about
MS work. about his susceptibility to the infiu-
erce Of PrudhOn. about the inspiration that he
found in Italy. about his attitude toward nature
his technical methods and so. He is a good
oritical interpreter. But the reader is always
turning aside to dwell on incidents like these:
He was confirmed in benevolences. His painting
went the better on day Of almsgiVing; and 10
lend. without hope Of repayment, was chief
pleasure with him. To give daily bread as
habtusl the taking OF il; and every detail OF
his lfe-his SOUP. eTen-Was the excuse Tor a
little charity. This soup OF his was excellent
and his caretaker charged him siX-halfpence for
day shared il with him How much?" asked he
six sous said Coro6- why, pay ten for mine,
and it's not so good this" said the friend
SO" said Corot, telling his story, as interesting
20 him as aneodOte OF 10000 francs, ''the next
day I complained bitterly TO my caretaker. You
have been deceiving me about the price OF my
soup j can no longer pay You SIX sous SAID
herself continued, 1t is worth more, and will
pay You ten sous
Thus II was that he had a nice way Of refusing
thanks and eXcusing himself for his kindnesses
- When he Henri DumeSnil q picture and was
about 20 be thanked he interrupted with, NO, no.
Among his beggaTs who came and
awaited his charity at his door in cab. "She is
very well dressed" said COrOts servant, with
Indignation having 10 convey a request for
thousand francs; Il cannot understand how
with such toilet can borrow money II
Coroi handing her notes for the money. and re-
member that the worst kind OF misery is misery
dressed IN silk
When Daumer fell upon evil days in his old
age Corot bought him a house at Valmondois
and in sending him the title deeds he wrote
Now I defy your landlord to evict you" The
tale Of his charities is, in fact endless. The