New-York tribune., 1919-03-01

ism and French peace conditions, which
is based upon the book by NJ. Andre
Cheradame, NJ. Giraud takes exception
to NJ. Cheradame's union Of Germany
and German Austria, seeing in it the
nucleus of new menace and adding:
at is safest to multiply measures of
precaution." That recollections Of Vic
tor Hugo's poetical commentaries upon
the war of 1870-71 have haunted French
minds these past years is very inter
estingly set forth by NJ. Giraud. The
temptations" and "Chatiments" has
lent his voice to the poets of to-day
until it seems safe to call this war his
war Nor is it out of place to call at
tention to his prophetic vision in that
poem where he speaks of the last war
in which his people are to be aided by
the soul of all humanity.
But the most valuable part Of the
book is "a Half Century of French
Thought" 1t begins with two reminis-
censes that challenge comparison and
are admirably suggestive. During the
siege of Paris in 1870, Castor Paris, in
a lecture at the College de France,
expressed his faith in science as hav-
ing no other object but truth, and
added:
"Thus understood, common studies
pursued in the same spirit in ali
civilized countries, form beyond the
restrictions of natonalities. divers
and sometimes hostile, great com
monwealth which no war can affect"
Forty years later Henri Bergson, at
the same college, speaking of the aim
of philosophy as being understanding
remarked
"Were I to choose in the face Of
crime, / should prefer to give vent
to my Indignation rather than to
understand"
Giraud considers the year 1866 the
highwater mark of materialistic phil
osophy in France. For it saw the pub
lication of Berna eds work on expert
mental medicine, Berthelots "Organic
Chemistry." Tanc's "lIistory of English
Literature" Flauberts "Salambo' and
Leconte de Lisle'a, "Poemes Barbares.D
Signs Of reaction began to appear even
before 1870. In the writings of Bruno
there, Bourget. Faguet and de Vogue
the author traces the growing convic-
tion that "the soul, too, is in nature
as much as the body and has a birth
right in literature and in art"
NJ. Giraud takes note Of the reaction
against Zolas scientific naturalism'
which manifested itself even in the
later works oil his t0rmer dlsclples rs
Paul Marguerite, Edunrd Rod and }.
K. 1[uysmans. He finds the new spirit
as much in philosophy as In poetry;
ain fact. tho doctrines of NJ. Berg
son and the verse of M. Henri de
Regnier respond to the snme need of
the soul; the desire to eseape from
tho obseesion which one has agreed
to cai! reality, and which in truth
Ia nothing but tho exterior and the
appearance Of thinga@the ambition
OF liborntIng the human soul, Of CIV
ing IL It's dues and fulfilling It's legI~
innate hspratlons.'
Even in the theatre the new tendency
can be traced ns M. Giraud suggests,
by mentioning the works Of BrleuX,
Horveu, de Curel, Lavedan, Donnay
and the late Rostand. But it has found
its purcst and strongest expression in
Pierre Lott, Rene Bazin aud Maurice
Barres. They championed the spiritual
rcnascence which gave the Fei Grafton
that had just come to maturity the
moral strength to wrestle in deadly
combat with numerically and physi-
cally superior foe. Among the French
war books of the past year, "Le Mira
Gle Francas" is one Of the most clo-
quent and enlightening. A. e.