The sun., 1919-06-29

pleasure OF beating up the watch and
inficting sundry outrages on the per-
sons of law abiding citizens, and the
Blasphemers, who went even further
than the Mohocks in that their attacks
were directed against the Deity: but
what held the club idea together and
insured the perpetuation of the club
spirit was the kind of fellowship found
at the meetings in the Cheshire
Cheese, where the talk was of the lat
est play or book or paper in the Spec
tdtor, or the high cost Of living in
Grub street, or the comparative ra-
pacity of the publishers in Pater-
noster Row.
Famous French Literary Circle.
The first OF all French literary clubs,
to characterize it as its detractors have
always characterized it, is the Acad-
emie FRANCHISE. The academy had
been a club in the sense that to be-
come an Immortal, or as one cynic
phrased II, to be zone of the forty
geese that guard the Capitol" not
only high talent has been necessary,
but also strict social responsibility not
only of department. but also of work.
When the Academy persistently re-
fused lola, 1t was in much the same
spirit that the Century of New York
probably would have blackballed Ed
gar Allan Poe had the name OF the
author of The Raven" come up for
election some time in the eighteen
forties. In neither case was the gen.
Jus to be denied, but lola would have
been out of place wearing the green
coat with the palm leaves and Poe
never would have fitted in the com
pany OF the Centurions. No more
typical and romantic French literary
circle ever existed than the one that,
in the early half of the last century
was in the habit of meeting in rooms
in the Impasse du Doyenne, a bit of
Middle Age Paris that was later swept
away, but which once flourished be-
tween the Rue de Rivoh and the Seine
on ground that is now occupied by the
Place du Carrousel
Gautier the Leading Spirit.
The leading spirit of that circle was
Theophile Gautier, who is as famous
10 posterity for the flaming crimson
waistCoats he wore when Victor
Hugo's Hermann" caused Paris to bt
divided into two camps, as for the
writing OF "Madamoiselle de Maupini
and "Capitaine F'raCasse." Gautier''
lieutenants were Camille Rogier anG
Gerard de Nerval. who translated
Goethe's Faust" into French anC
who met a tragic and mysteriou!
death, being found one morning hang
ing TO a lamppost in the Street OF the
Old Lantern. In time the circle wa!
increased by the acquisition OF som'
OF the greatest Writing men ant
artists. The elder Alexandra DumaI
was in the habit OF rushing in ant
out again, for in the rooms of III
circle he was very likely to find Ma
quet, with whom he was collaborating
on THE Count OF Monte Cristo.
Gavarni was there planning portrayal
of new Partisan types. and DelacroiS
seeking relaxation after long hours o
composition on battle canvas. Arsen
Houssaye belonged TO the circle an,
left poem called LA Boheme d
Doyenne." There was a period whel
Houssaye. Gautier, Gerard de Nerva
and Regier were to be found in tn
quarters from dawn to dawn. Eve
after the hardest night they rose YER
early in the morning and began worl
Gautier always painted or drew be
fore ne began to write, but his serou
task was the composition Of "Madamoi
selle de Maupin," the masterpiece,
which incidentally was eventually sol
for $500. Regier was illustrating tn
Tales of Hoffman," and Houssay
writing LA Pecheresse." Finally tn
circle staged a ball that was success
full and so noisy that a hard hearte