New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-19
A RefreshingIy Candid Life OF
Victor Hugo.
VICTOR HUGO: HIS LIFE AND WORK.
Bv a r. Davidson. Illustrated. 6Vo
up. XIV. S5l Philadelphia: The }. h
Lppincott Company.


Victor Hugo has his monuments in
EParis-so many OF them that the art
LESS foreigner might be excused for as
Stunning his memory to be dearer to the
gclty than is that of ST Genevieve her
-self-and on all official occasions they
are regarded by the Partisan with
scrupulous respect. But, after all, the
anniversary Of the poets birth comes
around only once a year, and the rest
Of the time people are thinking of other
things. Their indifference to his fame
has deepened of late. The populace is
good naturally affectionate in its atti-
tude toward Victor Hugo-when it re-
members him-but the well read,
thoughtful FTenchman no longer takes
him so seriously as was his wont, and
this readjustment of the balance has
synchronized with a rather drastic
overhauling of the Hugo legend
throughout the world. Everywhere, as
in his own country, he is observed IN
a juster perspective. The present vol
:ume, an excellently discriminating me-
moir, well illustrates the more critical
view which Is now taken Of the man
and his work.
The late Mr. Davidson, who first
showed his quality in a good biography
OF Dumas, appears to have approached
the rival Of that puissant romancer
with all the sympathy in the world, but
with just the right sense Of proportion.
He had industry and he had humor.
AS he pursued his researches into
Hugo's life he was bound to hit upon
discrepancies between the facts and
the legend aforesaid, and as he passed
from one absurdity to another he could
not help framing his narrative with a
certain light and even disdainful touch.
by the time he got through he had no
illusions left, and it is not his fault If
the reader arrives at the end Of this
book In a similar mood. The truth is
that no one who disinterestedly comes
10 close quarters with Victor Hugo can
avoid the reflection that the famous
4 man was one Of the most overrated fig
ures in the history Of modern litera-
ture. Tersely characterized, he was
charlatan Of genius. 1t has been sur
missed by some ingenious commentator
that every man of genius has in him a
touch Of the charlatan, and portents
like Byron and Napoleon have been
cited I'm confirmation of the idea. If II
l,a tr1 a
any rate the consolation Of knowing
that in a genius Of the highest type
the element of charlatanry is essen
TALLY subordinate: something like
mere chemical trace-a foible and moth
ing more In a man like Victor Hugo
The proportions are reversed. Genius
is there, but it is overlaid. and in the
long run deprived of its full effect, by
the earthier quality.
The operations of genius denote
something in the nature of a divine
possession. Inspiration seizes upon a
man and bends him to its will. Hence
the old conception Of the poet as the
seer and the belief in all ages that the
great creative artist is in the hands Of
his destiny, using a power that is
stronger than himself Victor Hugo
. changes all this. His ego is Of more
importance to him than is the sublim-
est Of inspirations. He sees the uni
verse in terms Of self Utterly humor-
less, he deals not only in his own ideas
but in public events as though their
function was but the affirmation of his
own authority. Mr. Davidson is lib
eral Of instances, but we need not
quote more than one or two. Some
one asked him why he had not at
: tended Armand CarrePs funeral
Z NO" he replied, II am not a Repub-
ican-I cannot be a Republican. You
don't understand why? Well, I am
surprised. In a republic my life
wouldn't be worth three days pur-
chase. The different parties would
wrangle with each other to get hold Of
me. and in less than three days my
head would fall" Referring to Hugos
conduct at the time of the coup detat,
Mr.. Davidson wittily reduces the
Historic dun Crime" to a sort of
scenario. from which we take the fol-
lowing passage:
Bent on some desperate deed Hugo goes
forth on the boulevards Meeting Jules
Simon and friend he says 10 the former:
'Supposing j went and got myself killed
in the Latin quarter, and my corpse were
carried through the streets, do you think
that would make the students rise?" II
have no doubt II would" replies JULES
Simon. And with warm pressure OF the
hand they part. Horror stricken. Simon's
friend says TO him: Surely he doesn't
mean it?'' "Oh, yes" answers the other;
way from here TO the Latin quarter"
So on reflection, Hugo seems to have
thought. At any rate he does not cross
the river. but, taking cab, drives TO the
Place de la Bastile
There you have Victor Hugo to the
life. He never lacked the fitting Jet of
emotion or the histrionic gesture that
went with it. In and out of his books
he always gravitates toward the centre
of the stage, intercepting the limelight
and eating up the fat" lines. His
career from beginning to end was one
glorious melodrama. And just here.
with the charlatan IN full swing, we
also discern the man OF genius He
knew how to fill his chosen part. Jules
Simon, as we have seen, and men like
him NAV have smiled a LITTLE cvni-