The New York herald., 1922-04-23
By CHRISTIAN GAUSS,
Professor Of Romance Languages,
Princeton University.

IN N Va flenSA
VI literature have doubtless
felt, as have. a certain
qualm when the worlds greatest
masters were mentioned not to hear
among them q name Of a French
man. Homer, Dante, Shakespeare
Goethe-a Greek, an Italian, an
Englishman, German-these seem
to be the four fixed stars in the
armament OF literature. Even when
the list Is somewhat extended and
yergil and. by lesser right. Milton
Are included the French name Is
nevertheless still wanting.
] do not now wish to enter upon
any improbable discussion as to the
absolute value OF this general esti-
mate: wish merely to indicate that
II Is q great disadvantage to a ma
tion not TO have one OF the COM
manding names TO which IL can d.
rect attention and which Il can in
woke to sum up the literary quail
ties and characteristics Of its
people. Such. however, IL the un-
fortunate case with France. alma
mater OF the arts. even though in
fer long line Of distinguished men
The general level OF literary excel
lence Il higher than In any other
land.
Many changes have come over the
so-called modern spirit and we seem
to be threatened with an imminent
revaluation Of literary values.
Nevertheless. II poll were taken to-
day even among the younger critics
Of Greece. OF Italy. Of England and
Of Germany ! have very little doubt
that they would ratify these tradi-
tional choices so far as they con-
cern the outstanding figure in their
literary history. Furthermore. II
that poll were extended and 1t were
announced to a group OF French
critics. to the French Academy let
Us say. that they were to choose
one French name to add to this
galaxy / likewise have no doubt
that they would select Moliere. I
am not going to urge even in
this tri-centenary year that his
name be now included. I do feel,
however, that one Of the reasons
why he Is SO rarely found in this
list is that Moliere is essentially the
genius of comedy, and for some rea-
son comedy has never been ranked
as highly as the epic and tragedy.
In ancient times 1t was to the epic
poem that the first place was gem
orally conceded. Under the inffu-
ence of Shakespeare's fame and the
aesthetic theories of German
philosophers like Hegel It was
tragedy which came to head the list.
Tradition has certainly had much to
do with this rating Of the genres.
and up to the present no writer Of
comedy as such has been included.
Without pressing the question it is
safe to say that If the time has
come to include a Representative Of
this exceedingly difficult form OF art.
tine great Frenchman should now be
accorded a place. OF his four great
colleagues, all, with the possible ex-
ception of Dante, would UNDER
stand and welcsme him. He would
bring laughter into that company,
and how close the spirit of comedy
is to the very greatest is apparent
when we remember that Homer,
Shakespeare and Goethe show that
they possessed in rich measure that
sense of humor which constitutes its
essence.
MoHere's place in the university
curriculum has by implication been
Indicated in this introduction. More
truly than any other man he repre-
sents at once the spirit of France
and the spirit Of comedy. 1t Is inn
possible to teach either French liter
ature or comedy without him. If a
man wished to understand France
and could read but one author
would recommend Moliere. If he
wished to study the spirit of comedy
and could read but one playwright
ruo,,ld aian racnrnrnnnd Mnlinrn and