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Prince Zilah By: Jules Claretie (1840-1913) |
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By Jules Claretie
With a Preface by Compte d'Haussonville of the French Academy
JULES CLARETIE Arsene Arnaud Claretie (commonly called Jules), was born on December 3,
1840, at Limoges, the picturesque and smiling capital of Limousin. He
has been rightly called the "Roi de la Chronique" and the "Themistocle
de la Litterature Contemporaine." In fact, he has written, since early
youth, romances, drama, history, novels, tales, chronicles, dramatic
criticism, literary criticism, military correspondence, virtually
everything! He was elected to the French Academy in 1888. Claretie was educated at the Lycee Bonaparte, and was destined for a
commercial career. He entered a business house as bookkeeper, but was at
the same time contributing already to newspapers and reviews. In 1862
we find him writing for the Diogene; under the pseudonym, "Olivier
de Jalin," he sends articles to La France; his nom deplume in
L'Illustration is "Perdican"; he also contributes to the Figaro,
'L'Independence Belge, Opinion Nationale' (1867 1872); he signs articles
in the 'Rappel; as "Candide"; in short, his fecundity in this field
of literature is very great. He is today a most popular journalist and
writes for the 'Presse, Petit Journal, Temps', and others. He has not
succeeded as a politician. Under the second Empire he was often in
collision with the Government; in 1857 he was sentenced to pay a fine of
1,000 francs, which was a splendid investment; more than once lectures
to be given by him were prohibited (1865 1868); in 1871 he was an
unsuccessful candidate for L'Assemblee Nationale, both for La Haute
Vienne and La Seine. Since that time he has not taken any active part in
politics. Perhaps we should also mention that as a friend of Victor Noir
he was called as a witness in the process against Peter Bonaparte; and
that as administrator of the Comedie Francaise he directed, in 1899, an
open letter to the "President and Members of the Court Martial trying
Captain Dreyfus" at Rennes, advocating the latter's acquittal. So much
about Claretie as a politician! The number of volumes and essays written by Jules Claretie surpasses
imagination, and it is, therefore, almost impossible to give a complete
list. As a historian he has selected mostly revolutionary subjects. The
titles of some of his prominent works in this field are 'Les Derniers
Montagnards (1867); Histoire de la Revolution de 1870 71 (second
edition, 1875, 5 vols.); La France Envahie (1871); Le Champ de Bataille
de Sedan (1871); Paris assiege and Les Prussiens chez eux (1872); Cinq
Ans apres, L'Alsace et la Lorraine depuis l'Annexion (1876); La Guerre
Nationale 1870 1871', etc., most of them in the hostile, anti German
vein, natural to a "Chauvinist"; 'Ruines et Fantomes (1873). Les Femmes
de la Revolution (1898)' contains a great number of portraits, studies,
and criticisms, partly belonging to political, partly to literary,
history. To the same category belong: Moliere, sa Vie et ses OEuvres
(1873); Peintres et Sculpteurs Contemporains, and T. B. Carpeaux (1875);
L'Art et les Artistes Contemporains (1876)', and others. Quite different
from the above, and in another phase of thought, are: 'Voyages d'un
Parisien (1865); Journees de Voyage en Espagne et France (1870);
Journees de Vacances (1887)'; and others. It is, however, as a novelist that the fame of Claretie will endure. He
has followed the footsteps of George Sand and of Balzac. He belongs
to the school of "Impressionists," and, although he has a liking for
exceptional situations, wherefrom humanity does not always issue without
serious blotches, he yet is free from pessimism. He has no nervous
disorder, no "brain fag," he is no pagan, not even a nonbeliever, and
has happily preserved his wholesomeness of thought; he is averse to
exotic ideas, extravagant depiction, and inflammatory language. His
novels and tales contain the essential qualities which attract and
retain the reader. Some of his works in chronological order, omitting
two or three novels, written when only twenty or twenty one years old,
are: 'Pierrille, Histoire de Village (1863); Mademoiselle Cachemire
(1867); Un Assassin, also known under the title Robert Burat (1867);
Madeleine Bertin, replete with moderated sentiment, tender passion, and
exquisite scenes of social life (1868); Les Muscadins (1874, 2 vols... Continue reading book >>
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Fiction |
Literature |
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