New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-07
course. in the reading. to the ntroduc-
tons weighing OF their merit.
THE BEST FRENCH NOVEL
An Effort to Persuade Some
Writers to Name It.

Paris letter in The London Globe.
great deal of interest is being taken
in artistic circles here in a newspaper
symposium which is still proceeding on
the subject of the best work of fiction
in the French language Replies 10 the
questions "Quel est L. meilleur roman
Francais?' and Que. est lie faux chef
dpuvre" reveal diversity of views
which was only to be expected.
The two questions have been put to
nearly all modern French intellectuals,
many of whom. however, have wisely
begged to be excused from committing
themselves. Among the comparatively
few replies that have been published so
far. in only one or two cases is "A de-
clslve answer given On the whole, 1t
seems that Flaubert Balzac and the
Abb6 Provost are most in favor. Victor
Hugo, Stendhal. George Sand and Dumas
pere have the suffrageS of some. and the
claims Of Pierre Lott and NJ. j. H.
R"sny aine among modern authors are
not overlooked But of Henri Murger
and Guy de Maupassant there is no
mention, and the name of Emile lola is
not even whispered. In about half a
dozen temerariOus replies spurious mas
terpieces are laid to the reckoning of
Dumas fills, Chateaubriand Honore
d'Urfe. J. J. Rousseau and his disciple.
9
NJ. Alfred Mezieres. the veteran Acade-
mician finds it extremely difficult to
name the best French novel. The most
pathetic, he thinks, is the Able Prevost's
, "Manon Lescaut," the most romanesque
| George Sands "Mauprat" NJ Rosny
| aine. the author of La Vague Rouge"
asks how one can be expected to choose
| between Bazac's "Pere Goriot' and
"Cousine Bette" Stendhars lie Rouge
of 10 nivf No,
vary and a dozen Others NJ. Charles
Benoist, the Deputy and member Of the
| Academy of Political and Moral Sci
ences. who does not hesitate to declare
Les Trois Mousquetaires'' the best
novel. has the distinction of being alone
| In his preference for Dumas's cape and
sword books.
NJ. Gilbert Augustin Thierry, the his
torian, pumps for Les Miserables." Of
which he says: With its magnificent
poetry and colored prose and as a poig-
nant human drama. a penetrating his
| tory Of the lives of our fathers and an
| admirable lesson in pity. gentleness,
sweet temperatures and social sOlidar-
| ity Les MiserableS stands alone No
novel Of any other country equals Vic
tor Hugo's masterpiece, not even La
Guerre ct la PaiX.' or Resurrection Of
| that truly great but too mystic Toll
!
Nine. Severine. who writes: Whoever
reads this book feels more sensitive 10
the troubles Of others, less selfish. more
| brotherly. in fact, altogether better"
NJ. Georges Ohnet says the best French
| novel Is probably lie Pere Goriot"-lIn-
less 1t be lie Rouge ct lie Noir" NJ. Henri
Welschinger. the Academician. does not
dsdain contemporary writer's. and
among modern works fastens his choice
upon Pierre Lofts "Pecheur dIslande."
NJ. Frantz Jourdan admits that La
Cousine Bette" has an inexplicable fas-
cination for him. although he recognizes
| that "Manon Lescaut" must not be
lightly passed over. NJ. Henry ks
temacckers. the dramatist, upholds the
claims of Madame Bovary" to the first
place in French fiction, as also does NJ
Leon Bailby, the director of "I'Intran-
sigeant." NJ. Jules Huret, whose
sketches Of modern nations occupy q
high place in contemporary French lit
erature, has a decided preference for
Flaubert's Education Sentimentale,"
while NJ. Pierre Mile the we'll known
contour. declares in favor OF Stendhals
"Chartreuse de Parme.'
Nine Marcelle Tinayre. whose book
"Maison du Peche" has had a striking
success Is non-committal. There is no
best French novel; she writes: there
are several with equal claims to admira-
ton. Among living writer's 1t seems to
me that NJ. Rosny ainG has given US In
La Vague Rouge the best novel I'm 4
time when lisping, infantile literature
and a false simplicity are the fashion"
This Is what NJ. Henri Rochefort. the
famous polemist, writes: "ro me tho
most human, the most ingenious, the
best constructed and at the same time
the most terrible novel Of all is Les
Liaisons Dangereuses,' of Choderlos de
Lacros published in 1872"
NJ. Maurice Maeterlinck. unfortunately.
declines to answer the question; so. also.
does NJ Brieux.
Modern htterateurs are not at all WILL
Ing to name spurious French master
pieces. The general tenor Of the replies
Is that there are so many that II Is I'M
possible to single out one for special
mention. few books. however. are so
stigmatized. NJ Rosny aine. while de-
string to express his admiration for Les
Memories dOutre-to mbe" work OF
which Chateaubriand himself was nordi-
nately proud considers the author-am-
bassador's Martyrs n much overrated
novel. NJ. Thierry makes an onslaught
on La Dame aux Camelas." Of Dumas
Ills, ana Mime. Tinayre places it with
Honore cures pastoral novel. LAS
tree among spurious French master
pieces. In It's day j. j. Rousseau's "Nou-
velle Heloise' had great vogue. but NJ.
Bailby condemns il. Bernardin de Saint
Pierres idyll. Paul ct Virginie." over
the merits of which English and French
critics nave long disputed. is described
by NJ. Jourdain az the most spurious.
pretentlous, misshapen and wearisome OF
books that have been given the title OF
masterpiece.
! think the best contribution TO the
symposium comes from NJ. Jean Aicard.
the poet and author of the novel "Maurin
des Maures, He says: THE most es-
sential requirement OF a really good book
Is that It should appear to be the best OF
all books at the time We are reading IT,"