Morris: Irving^ s Fiction in France 



13 



poetic power of his imagination is seen by M. Rosenzweig in ' 'West- 

 minster Abbey" and in ''The Journey'^ (p. viii) ; M. Fie vet also speaks 

 of its ''capacity for prolonged and lofty flight" (p. xiv). 



His observation is said to be, first of all, honest. "One of the 

 characteristic marks of his talent," said M. Haussaire, "is honesty 

 {franchise^ (p. 11). It is also said to be exact. Speaking of the 

 Sketch-hook this same writer says: "In it we find many details, the 

 result of direct observation, not one of which can be criticised" (p. 11). 

 Philarete Chasles^^ thinks the accuracy of his observation worthy of 

 Teniers or of Wouvermans. As to its depth, there is a difference of 

 opinion. M. Rosenzweig calls Irving a "sagacious observer" (p. viii) ; 

 M. SamueP^ calls him a "profound observer", and M. Sedley de- 

 clares that the fictions of the Alhamhra show "penetrating observa- 

 tion of real life" (p. xvii). On the other hand, M. Fontaney decides 

 that it is "sometimes superficial and incomplete, perhaps" (p. 517); 

 and M. Fievet affirms that Irving "is not a profound observer" (p. xiv). 



Concerning his judgment there is almost perfect agreement. "The 

 author has a great deal of common sense," says an anonymous writer. 

 "His essays are fundamentally reasonable," says a contributor to the 

 Revue encyclopedique.^^ "His own views of mankind and human events 

 are founded on reason and common sense," asserts M. Ollife (p. ix). 

 "In his simple narration of the dreams of the oriental imagination 

 [in the Alhamhra], he betrays a great fund of common sense," says M. 

 Sedley (p. xv). On this point L'Abbe Julien writes as follows: "These 

 pages cause to pass before our eyes . . . reflections bearing the right 

 stamp. "I'' "Irving continues, in America, the English school of 

 common sense," declares Remy de Gourmont.^^ His good taste no 

 less than his common sense shows a discriminating use of judgment. 

 "He is a pleasing story-teller possessing good taste," says Fontaney 

 (p. 9). "He is a man of taste and attainments," writes Philarete 

 Chasles.^^ M. Haussaire declares that "Irving is always, both in 

 expression and in thought, a writer of good taste" (p. 13). L'Abbe 

 Julien is the only one of Irving's French critics who has any fault to 

 find with him on this score. ''Sometimes Irving lacks reserve," he says, 

 "and goes out of his way to slip in a thrust at Catholicism" (p. vii). 



His Talent. According to French critics Irving is not merely 

 a story-teller — his talent is many-sided. In the first place, they say, 



1* Etudes sur la litterature des Anglo- Americains , (1851) p. 47. 

 Grande Encyclopedie, 1895. 



16 "A. M.", in Revue encyclopedique XLIX (1831), 625. 



17 Notice in Sketch-book, 1885, p. 7. 



18 Revue Suisse, April and May, 1887, p. 9. 



19 Revue des Deux Mondes, April 15, 1841, p. 309. 



