New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-03
Letter Box
On Foreign Books

(
" Dear Sir: To-day nations know very
little OF each other, and here | see
o wonderful opportunity for an idea1ist
who believes in peace and goodwill.
Up to now we have no real insight
into the soul of the other nations, as
1T reveals itself again and again in
literary productions. 1t is true that
the European classics have been trans
lated, but how little is done for
modern authors! Yet that is just the
most important thing TO know France
Of to-day, Russia Of to-day, Germany
of to-day. 1t is superauous to import
ephemeral best sellers, but men of
judgment ought to find out the really
significant books which are published
over there, and they ought to be pub
lished here, too. Not twenty years
after their first appearance, but with
out unnecessary delay.
| know what am talking about My
knowledge of literature has preserved
me from hatred, How could I hate
Russians, or French, or English, or
Germans, or Italians when know that
| owe the authors Of all these nations
debt of gratitude which can never
repay?
This is the way you sometimes talk
to your friends, and you are always
able to sweep away their objections,
perhaps more by the purity Of your
enthusiasm than by the cogency Of
your argument. May | now come TO
the real aim and theme of my letter :?
Allow me to make come suggestions
about European books which might
serve your praiseworthy cause.
! have always been amazed by the
fact that Johannes v. Jensen should
entirely have escaped the attention Of
American publishers. He is a famous
man in Europe. George Brandes said
about him that since Jacobsen's death
ne was the first writer who had given
a new impetus to Danish literature.
Jensen has lived in the United States
--he was an ardent admirer of Theo-
fluenced his early production. He has
Madame d'Oroi," and one about
Chicago, "The Wheel" They are both
powerful and fascinating. Chicago
have never been able to see with my
own eyes since I read "The Wheel"
A book of flawless artistry is death
in Venice" by Thomas Mann. Since
Goethe's Elective Affinities" ruthless
Eros has never been pictured with
equal profundity and alluring beauty.
Thomas Mann and Hugo Won Hof-
mannsthal Gin his "Prosaische Schrif-
ten") are to my mind the greatest
stylists. of Germany and Austria. Hof-
mannsthaPs diction is enchanting bel
canto, Mann's wonderful achievement
will be found in the perfect congru-
ity of thought and word He, more
than anybody else, has what the Ger
mans call "Die innere Form" | may
mention here that HofmannshaPs
drama electra" would have a very
good chance on our stage. 1t has two
magnificent women's parts and the
bold modernization of the antique
story would interest all the Freudians
| have been told that Spengler's
grandoise fantasy, DER Untergang des
Abendlandes" is in translation already,
In monumental books like this one we
find the real Germany, not in the
froth and babble Of modern German
drama. Most of that is turnip-litera-
ture, product of unnourished brains.
There is lot of talent in Kaiser ST
Gernheim. unruh and other ones, GER
tainly! But what is talent? A toy.
= a
synopsis instead of drama; mono
logue instead of struggle between
will and will, idea and idea cinema
instead of an evolution
Another monumental book is Kavser-
ling's DIARY of Travelling Philoso-
pher.' The book is unique. do not
know Sanrthing in modern literature
that could be compared to it. 1t is an
absolutely new stunt. Kayserling
(feudal lord, hunter, naturalist, scholar,
philosopher, poet) goes to India. China,
Japan, and wherever he is he tries to
lose his national soul and to imbibe
the soul of the native. The results
of this queer and seemingly absurd ex-
perlence are astounding.
Both books are difficult to read, and
therefore | am mentioning book
which is mere novel, but worthy to
be known in this country, EFF Briest,"
by Theodor .Fontane. 1t is pity that
some of the FoHtane novels are too
local to be understood and appre-
ciated here, but "Effii Briest' has so
much human appeal that it would win
host of admirers. Written by man
OF seventy, it is one of the great still
books" which you can read again and
agsin.
. Perhaps this is enough for the mo-
ment; perhaps it is even too much
What | suggested here for German lit
erature ought to be done for all the
other countries. And, by the way, it
seems almost unbelievable that the two
Swiss novelists, Gottfried Keller and
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, should re-
main unknown while all kind of trash
is brought over. Our motto should be
that the best only is good enough for
the American reader.