New-York tribune., 1922-11-05

0at uS lS more than this.
lie is director of the CO.
oelins factories; he Is a friend Of Mr.
oiemenceau; he has a score of volumes
OF art CRITICISMS to his credit: he has
written many books descriptive Of the
French provinces as we'll as several
novels. AS president of the Academic
Goncourt he is, by definition, natural
'st- His philosophy is the philosophy
OF the School of Life, the Love Of Life.
Lie and Truth are the pillars of his
church. Even apart from his presi-
dency we know this to be true because
he is anti-clerical.
Mr. Getfroy has published a volume
OF tales which he calls LA Comsdie
Bourgeoise." 1t is in the tradition of
naturalism. As witness:
The Singing Master seraphin
bercKmann leads d modest existence.
loving only music. On the night when
his fayorite pupil has carried off a tri-
umph at the opera he sits alone and re-
nects that his mission is ended. There
Is knock at the door. She enters with
her faithful servant to announce that
she has come to sup with him and that
she Will retain him as her teacher t'if
You will permit me to increase your
fees"
"The School for Mothers Mime.
Longecourt was not only we'll but ele-
gantly preserved. Walking one day
with ner twenty-year- son, she over
hears two coramon men exchanging re-
marks about her appe arance. She and
her son are troubled. The next day she
puts on the nabiliments of an old
woman.
"The True Mother" Nine. Rollec had
no child by her husband, who NAL
treated her. She adopted daughter.
When she died the daughter learned
the truth. why did she not tell me"
walled the girl, II should only have
loved her the more"
alimony, Nine. Legandre rears her
daughter in discreet poverty. One day
they meet the father on the Champs
Elysees. He finds his daughter to be
q pretty girl, spoils her, she prefers
to leave her mother for him. The
mother resigns her.
"The Misunderstanding" widowe1
and his daughter have sacrificed them
selves to one another, he refrainine
from remarrying, she remaining un.
married. One day they reproach each
other. The storm over, the daughter
says: "There! Now we shall always
stay with mamma"
"The Standard Bearer" M. anc
| Nine. Roulier decide that their daugh
ter shall be married only to young
| man of proper ideas and unimpeach
| able conduct. He appears one day, tht
ii - -.
SEVERN. The marriage takes place ant
the parents perceive that he is al
! ignoble addict to alcohol and must bt
put into an asylum.
| "Lionnette's Child" Lionnette dance!
in music hall and the fashion il
which she conducts herself with gen
tlemen is deplorable. A young mar
does her great wrong. Later one O.
his pals is astonished to see her push
ing before her, sweetly and gravely, ;
baby carriage. She is going Straight.
Maternity has saved her.
MY taste is, suppose, naive, but
confess that M. Geffroy's book gav'
| me not little pleasure. There is {
noble frankness about these ineffably
virtuous stories from real life (by The
Master Of the School of Life) that
warns my heart. Oh, you are
right. In another mood I might have
flung the book out of the window. But
am just as glad was not in that
mood.
IN the preface to NJ. Geffroy's ola
Vie Artistique" M. Edmond de Goncour'
wrote: "You are the writer of most
admirable and pictorial style, style
colored just to the right point, poetic
and technical at once, style which
brings ideas into the light; in brief
the most beautiful modern French that
is being written"
Well, let it go at that. Put it that
haven't said word and that father
Goncourt, writing in his barn on the
Boulevard Montmorency, was right.
Every few days some one sends me
from the erroneous impression that
am a potential bookbuyer, an attrac-
tive prospectus. I am just as glad to
have it. Excepting booksellers
catalogue, whose variety it lacks, moth.
ing is more interesting than prospec-
tus. 1t is always printed on excellent
paper in beautiful type. Sometimes
there is a specimen page which one
reads, beginning in the middle Of one
beautiful sentence, and ending half
ray through another. Occasionally, q
, colored plate accompanies the an
nouncement, and, when this is tipped
to the paper it may be removed with
out difficulty and employed to cover q
,, spot on the wall paper of ones garret
/ have lately had these.
/. Announcement of an edition zen