New-York tribune., 1909-07-31
NEW FRENCH BOOKS.
Vel ,Wrtten Works of Scholarship,
TrdUeL and Fiction.
Paris. July q.


NJ. Maurice Paleologue has made valuable
contribution to biographical and critical htera-
ture concerning the author Of the Divine Com
edy" in his excellent book, Dante" published
by the Lbrairie Plon. The Italian poet is in q
sense as familiar as Shakespeare or Washing
ton; nevertheless NJ. PaleoIogue has succeeded
in presenting his commanding personality in a
new and original light. After reading this work
one can appreciate the sensations of the women
of Ravenna, who when they saw Dante entering
their town, exchanged glances. and observed.
! Here comes the man who has returned from
hell" NJ. Palaologue's biography is traced light
ly and cleverty and one forgets that almost
every assertion is "documented" and based upon
sound erudition.
NJ. Michel Corday in his novel Les Reveles,"
just issued by the Librairie Fasquelle resumes
the psychological investigations which began so
successfully with ''Embrases." and 'Demi- Fous."
The revelation comes to a nervous. highly
strung young woman. who has been married to
a cold. abstruse professor, in the shape of
comrade of her early youth. The pair finding
their affinity irresistible. feel justified in
tering into union Iibre" and give their rea-
sons for doing "Du Trente a rHeure,"
cleverly written collection of notes and observa-
tions made by the Comtesse de Ia Morlniere de
Ia Rochecantin during an automobile trip
by the Librairie PIon. contains short and breezy
impressions Of Seville. Madrid Toledo Granada
| and other places Of interest. The authoress has
| a good eye for color, but her allusion to Muro
/ as the Lamartine of painting" is inapt and
somewhat arrogant. The typical bourgeois
songster of the Louis -Philippian never pro-
duced anything in "Joselyn." "Meditatons"
that can at all he compared with Murio's LAS
sumption" The illustrations in color Of the
Cortesse de Ia Morinere's little handbook
ecuted by NM. Georges Scott Levy -Dhurmer
and G. Vuillier, bright sketches. NJ. Achille
Luchare in La Societe Francaise au Temps dc
Philippe-Auguste,' presents striking and vivid
sketches of domestic and social life toward the
close of the twelfth century during the perpetual
wars with Richard Copur de Lion. The chap
ters dealing with student life and with the con
dition Of women and girls are particularly edi-
flying
In "PoIochon." published h. the Librairs Fas-
quelle, NJ. de Pawlowski has brought together
some quaint stories, rural portraits and bucolic
vignettes of contemporary France that make
refreshing and instructive reading for summer
resorts. The same house brings out Elisa beth
Faldras" a novel somewhat after the methods
Of Jules Verne. In which the author. N de-
TrayneI introduces as his hero certain Or
Faldras. who by means OF 4 newly discovered
serum endows humanity with such degree OF
longevity that "old fossils" live OF and block tho
way for younger man. All professions and call
ings become clogged. The ayiis Of overpopula-
ton are such that the safety valve comes in the
form OF a universal war, waEed not only or
land and water. but below the surface and high
up in the skies Heavy artillery is replaced BY
artificial volcanoes" A fantastic tale specially
adapted for young folk. LIB.