LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL, IN 1801. 



(lie rationalistic standpoint, but it seems 

 il>le that it will survive all attempts to hin- 

 ler its taking a permanent place in religious 

 ire. M. V. Sardou's drama "Thermidor " 

 1 up several writers to discuss the mat- 

 ami it is instructive to note how much 

 and passion are evolved at the same time. 

 1. II. WclehingiT has brought out an int< 



llection of studies on the revolution, un- 

 .! title "Lo Roman de Dumouriez." The 

 .\ill amuse many, if it do not really benefit 

 uyliody. The Comte d'Herisson has studied 

 .ircfully certain points of contemporary history, 

 ii nd writes about them in his own peculiar style. 

 [nines are the result, viz., "Romance of 

 ie Prince Imperial "and " Man-Hunting " (re- 

 ferring to Algeria and what occurred there). 

 Pul'lic opinion seems to be that the count has 

 told his stories well and to the point. A work 

 entitled " Political Caricatures in France during 

 tin- War, the Siege, and the Commune " is pain- 

 fully suggestive of that disastrous time in France. 

 A few of the various historical works of the year 

 may here be noted, such as M. E. Spuller's " Par- 

 liamentary History of the Second Republic"; 

 Vol. VI of M. Perren's "History of Florence"; 

 " 1 1 istory of Vendde Angevine," by M. C. Port ; 

 "The Clergy under the Old Regime," by M. K. 

 Mt'rio; the conclusion of M. Wallon's "Les Re- 

 plants du Peuple en Mission et la Just ice 

 tlevolutionnaire " ; M. Lair's "Nicolas Fou- 

 }uet"; M. V. Fournel's "Men of the Four- 

 teenth of July"; M. Debidour's "Diplomatic 

 listory of Europe " ; M. Grand-Carteret's curi- 

 as study of Bismarck. Note also is properly to- 

 rnado that memoirs and journals have been 

 extensively studied, and ofttimes with excellent 

 results. Among these are ranked highly the 

 Due de Broglie's published memoirs of Prince 

 Talleyrand, although the critics complain that the 

 nemoirs have been curtailed, modified, altered, 

 so as materially to injure their value for the 

 3urposes of the history. M. Goncourt's " Jour- 

 lal, 1870, 1871 " does not satisfy those best quali- 

 fied to judge of that grievous time of trial and 

 "name to France, especially Paris. The corre- 

 aondence of the poet Roucher, published by M. 

 (. (itiillois, under the title "Pendant la Ter- 

 eur " i. e., during the siege of Paris is strik- 

 igly characteristic of French ideas and mode of 

 ction under certain contingencies. It is impossi- 

 ale to give even the names of books of this sort, 

 ome of which are of value, no doubt, but a con- 

 iderable number is nearly worthless. Memoirs 

 " various sorts are pretty much the rage now, no 

 latter, apparently, now disgusting from a moral 

 oint of view, how frivolous, or how useless they 

 iay be. Louis XV and his abominable licen- 

 iousness, Cardinal Richelieu and his shocking 

 hamelessness, souvenirs of kings and nobles 

 lore or less vile, or inferior men's secret me- 

 loirs such as these are printed, and must find 

 eaders, or they would not be printed. In po- 

 litical studies a work of real merit has made its 

 appearance, viz., " La Politique Francaise en 

 Tunisie." To this we may add M. A. Lebon's 

 interesting volume, "Etudes sur 1'Allemagne 

 Politique ; "La Vie Politique & 1'Etranger," 

 published under the superintendence of M. La- 

 vi-se, noted last year; M. L. Marillier's "Liberty 

 of Conscience " ; and M. J. Reinach's " La Poll- 



tique Opportuniste." A translation of Stanley'! 

 " In I >ark<>st Africa " has been published in Paris. 

 The critic;, compare this volume (in favor of their 

 own countryman) with Captain Trivier's travel* 

 and experience in Central Africa. A numlx-r of 

 minor books of travel has appeared, as well as 

 some studies in geography. Of these we name 

 a few, such as Col. (iallieiii'g "Deux Campaniles 

 au Soudan Francais," M. lion-Hi's account r,f 

 his travels in Ethiopia, M. V. Camlx.n's -Au- 

 tour des Balkans," M. G. Thomas's "Du Dan- 

 ube a la Baltique," M. L. Li'-gor's " Rurae et 

 Slaves," M. ('. Die-til's "Excursions Archcolo- 



B'ques en Grt-ce." Some lively pages of M. Alex, 

 umas fih are in print; M. A. Heulhard pro- 

 nounces a eulogy over Rabelais ; and M. Hccque 

 has brought out afresh his"Querelles LitU'-ram-s.'' 

 Madame A. Barine has devoted a monograj)h to 

 the .author of Paul and Virginia, in which are 

 several refreshing lights thrown upon St. Pierre's 

 life and character. Among criticisms of artistic 

 and literary works mention may here be made of 

 M. L. Gouze on " L'Art Gothique," M. E. Le- 

 gouv^'s excellent essays on the Education of 

 Girls, M. E. Picard's "Pentalogie Decadente," 

 Dr. Chatelain's "La Folie de J. J. Rousseau." 

 M. A. Sorel's "Madame de Stael," and M. Paul 

 Ginisty's " L'Annee Litteraire." Numerous vol- 

 umes of verse have been produced during the 

 year; some of these are of more than average 

 merit, although the yield as a whole is hardly sat- 

 isfactory. " Le Regne du Silence," by M. Ro- 

 denbach, is praised by the critics : the " Reves et 

 Impressions " of M. Ch. No are said to be in vivid 

 and thrilling verse. Others are mentioned with 

 approval, viz., " Etudes Antiques," by Messrs. 

 Iloubron and Daniaux ; " Cendres Chaudes," by 

 M. E. Rouvray ; " Croyances," by M. L. de Chau- 

 vigny; "Dieu et Patrie," by Mile. Rousseil ; 

 " Poemes de Flandre." by M. A. Capon. In the 

 domain of fiction Zola seems still to hold pre- 

 eminent position. His latest volume, "L Ar- 

 gent," is powerfully written, no doubt, but it 

 shows too much of the author's beastly taste to 

 be spoken of except with mingled indignation 

 and disgust. It can be nothing but wicked per- 

 versity which leads him to outrage the feelings 

 of all decent people by his course. M. Guy de 

 Maupassant has brought out in his latest book, 

 " Notre Cceur," a psychological study over which 

 the critics are much exercised, and respecting 

 which various opinions are expressed. M. Paul 

 Bourget's new novel, " Un Cceur de Femme," is 

 also of the psychological-study sort, but gives 

 only moderate satisfaction. " Tartarin is Dead ! " 

 everybody knows now, and M. Daudet seems 

 wise in having brought his career to an end. 

 Possibly had he not done so, Tartarin might 

 have killed off Daudet. M. Anatole France's 

 " Thais " is not a very successful effort to reha- 

 bilitate the famous courtesan of that name in 

 ancient days. Stories connected with the thea- 

 tre and actors and actresses are numerous, but 

 do not need to be named here. M. Andre Theu- 

 riet, a well-known and good writer, has published 

 four novels, all of which are praised by the crit- 

 ics. M. F. Fabre's "Xaviere" is said to be a 

 new idyl of very fascinating character, and M. 

 Jean Richepin has collected in a volume pictur- 

 esque and attractive novelettes, under the title 

 of " Truandailles." M. Henry Rabusson is a 



