New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-21
FRENCH VIEWS
The Strength of the Nation and
Its Roots
rRENcH PERsPEcrIvEs By- Tll1.beth sh3ssp

FRENCH PERsPECrryEs By T7izs beth, sh fg,
icy Sergeant. l2mo. pp viii. 2Ss. Boston ln'
Houghton Mirlin Company.
Those who have read the studies in
this volume which have seen previous
publication in our periodicals Will well
come their temperance in book torm,
supplemented and complemented py
others which have not hitherto seen
the light. It is book for the hour,
book of the real France which, emery
ing from its industrious, prudent, fru-
gal retirement, has saved the day Tor
the nation, France unknown 10 those
the world over whose eyes were
blinded, whose ears were dedfened,
whose nostrils were offended by the
recklessness and the extravagances. the
scandals and corruptions of the Paris
of tourists and pleasure seekers, mis-
takenly accepted then, but no longer
now, as the image and the mirror OF
the nation.
Says the author In her preface:
cannot see France as reborn, by
a sort of miraculous conversion,
from the ruins of the Varieties and
the Latin Quarter. see her rather
as living through these bitter years
on the strength Of her ancient
everyday virtues. Most of all by
force Of what has been called her
professional conscience" that love
Of work for works sake. that pas
sion for technical perfection, that
scrupulous patience in carrying
through things which Is,
long ago came TO believe, the deep
Of n
ehergy.
Perspectives. these, Of the French
home, its strivings and reservations,
of its conservatisms, which withstand
innovations, the spirit Of the times,
until they, too, have proved their right
Of admission and inclusion, until they,
in turn, have become part Of the estab-
lished order of things, of the conserva-
tive tradition. A book not only of the
homes of the well-to-do, the solid mid
ole class, but Of the poor also, the very
poor, for nobody who is familiar with
the degradations of home industries in
New York or in the East End of Lon
don will venture 10 call the Partisan
industries 'sweated' in the same sense.
. Whatever her suffering and it is too
often great-the OuUri6re d dOmicile
The Partisan perspectives ere the
best, because they reveal most directly
the genius Of the French race, above
ALL OF its women, that professional
conscience" that devotion 70 duty
which, but little perccptlble on the sur
face as an influence, as silent mostly as
il is efficient and persistent, kept labor
ing through the turmoils Of the cep>
aration of Church and State, Of inter
nationalism and anti -militaricm, of
army scandals and public venality, ever
at its task of preserving the foun-
dations of the nation, preparing, ever
preparing, perhaps without clearly re-
alizing why. Therefore, though the
nations government failed her at the
outset, the reserve power was there,
ready TO spring into action, as il had
been ready IN the chaos of the Kevolu-
tion to respond to the cry, ia Datrie
en- danger"
Our author deity suggests that she
is not blind to "ies defaults des anal
tics" Of the race. Her passing refer
ence TO chat least pleasing attribute
Of the French, their mefdnce, their
suspicion of ones motives and policies"
proves that But 1t is their genius she
celebrates; their foibles do not mat
ter in the crisis.
The American girl, she understands
her not, the bOurGeOise who takes her
en- pension. Her ways do not fit into
the orderly, frugal French family sys-
tenn:
at is patheticl" cries Madame.
81 take her TO market and explain
how, when one pays little more
for the outlet, one pays little
less for the fish; how, if one wants
strawberries one doesn't buy early
asparagus the same day, since the
allotted amount for n meal must
not be exceeded, and she is so in
terested, If one keeps house this
way she says, there's some fun in
it; it's a sort of game. We just
order by telephone, you know. and
father pays the monthly bills"
Is that, Madame asks. and Monsieur
agrees with her, the proper training
for life, its duties and responsible