The New York herald., 1921-07-03

SpeCtdt CdOt 20 NEW 1Ohk HERALD.
Copyright, 1891. By THE New York HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Paris, July 2.
Is Pierre Benoit, author Of "At-
lantide" and half dozen other novels
guilty of plagiarism. or Is he merely a
practical joker?
This question is exciting the French
literary world following the discovery
that Benoit's latest work, Lac Sale,
which Is based upon the difficulties OF
the Mormons at Salt Lake. is full OF
phrases, and often paragraphs. lifted
bodily from other writer's.
Benoit has already gained undesirable
criticism since 1t was discovered he
plagiarized Sir II. Rider Haggards s
She" But Benoit insists that the Lac
Sale" plagiarisms were intentional as a
trap for one Of his literary critics whose
vehemence. criticism and egotism in all
mat ers literary so got on the author s
nerves that he decided to teach him a
lesson.
Plagia risms Explained.
Strangely enough, although this un-
named critic has posed as an expert or
everything concerning Victor Hugo. il
was not he. but Dijon University pro-
fessor. who discovered the Hugo para
graphs in Benoit's book. Two Paris
newspapers swallowed the bait also and
came out this week with sensational
comparisons of the texts. But Benoit
laughed as he explained the plagiarism
I've been accused of not writing good
French, so l decided to trap my SIAN
derers by putting in portions of recog-
nized but long dead authors" he said
Moreover, before doing so I confided
my secret to scores Of friends and also
to the Minister Of Public Instruction
who will be able to verify my state
ments."
Critics. however. are not accepting Be-
noit's methods as good literature, stat
ing that the public must be considered
and not the authors personal affairs
and they are pointing out that otherwise
nothing would pg event one from stealing
whole chapters from other writer's and
gaining fame by a purely mechanical
literary process.
Inst Publis Letter Writer.
Paris can boast that 1t probably has
the last public letter writer among CIV
ilized nations. In a little shanty or
ground loaned by the city until his
death, Edouard Faes. aged 20. carries
on the profession inherited from his
grandfather nearly a century ago. AL
though the capitals percentage of illit-
eracy Is exceedingly small. not day
passes that Faes does not perform some
scribal task for his clients. residing
chiefly in the poorest district of the city
His labors range from writing love let
ters for illiterate SWANS or amorous
nlaidens who wouldn't think of asking
the parish cures to help their love af-
fairs, to drawing up Wills for his neigh
bors or preparing applications for di-
vorce Although he never took col
legiate degree. Faes Is recognized by the
police as a veritable authority on all
legal matters and more than once has
been called in to give advice on ticklish
questions when the public prosecutor was
not available.
Like his grandfather. Faes does all
his writing with gold pen. unless his
clients demand typewriter documents,
for which event an early model caligraph
machine is brought from behind piles
of dusty dossiers and tapped laboriously,
Faes insisting that he can write with a
pen by watching the letters but that
modern inventions are too much for his
waning eyesight.
Under an old law Faes Is not allowed
to charge for his services, but his grate-
full clients remunerate him literally
enough TO keep the wolf from the door.