This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By ANATOLE FRANCE
The real name of the subject of this preface is Jacques-Anatole Thibault.He was born in Paris, April 16, 1844, the son of a bookseller of the QuaiMalaquais, in the shadow of the Institute. He was educated at theCollege Stanislas and published in 1868 an essay upon Alfred de Vigny.This was followed by two volumes of poetry: 'Les Poemes Dores' (1873),and 'Les Noces Corinthiennes' (1876). With the last mentioned book hisreputation became established.
Anatole France belongs to the class of poets known as "Les Parnassiens."Yet a book like 'Les Noces Corinthiennes' ought to be classified among agroup of earlier lyrics, inasmuch as it shows to a large degree theinfluence of Andre Chenier and Alfred de Vigny. France was, and is,also a diligent contributor to many journals and reviews, among others,'Le Globe, Les Debats, Le Journal Officiel, L'Echo de Paris, La Revue deFamille, and Le Temps'. On the last mentioned journal he succeeded JulesClaretie. He is likewise Librarian to the Senate, and has been a memberof the French Academy since 1896.
The above mentioned two volumes of poetry were followed by many works inprose, which we shall notice. France's critical writings are collectedin four volumes, under the title, 'La Vie Litteraire' (1888-1892); hispolitical articles in 'Opinions Sociales' (2 vols., 1902). He combinesin his style traces of Racine, Voltaire, Flaubert, and Renan, and,indeed, some of his novels, especially 'Thais' (1890), 'Jerome Coignard'(1893), and Lys Rouge (1894), which was crowned by the Academy, areromances of the first rank.
Criticism appears to Anatole France the most recent and possibly theultimate evolution of literary expression, "admirably suited to a highlycivilized society, rich in souvenirs and old traditions . . . . Itproceeds," in his opinion, "from philosophy and history, and demands forits development an absolute intellectual liberty . . . . . It is thelast in date of all literary forms, and it will end by absorbing them all. . . . To be perfectly frank the critic should say: 'Gentlemen, Ipropose to enlarge upon my own thoughts concerning Shakespeare, Racine,Pascal, Goethe, or any other writer.'"
It is hardly necessary to say much concerning a critic with suchpronounced ideas as Anatole France. He gives us, indeed, the full flowerof critical Renanism, but so individualized as to become perfection ingrace, the extreme flowering of the Latin genius. It is not too much tosay that the critical writings of Anatole France recall the Causeries duLundi, the golden age of Sainte-Beuve!
As a writer of fiction, Anatole France made his debut in 1879 with'Jocaste', and 'Le Chat Maigre'. Success in this field was yet decidedlydoubtful when 'Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard' appeared in 1881. It atonce established his reputation; 'Sylvestre Bonnard', as 'Le Lys Rouge'later, was crowned by the French Academy. These novels are replete withfine irony, benevolent scepticism and piquant turns, and will survive thegreater part of romances now read in France. The list of AnatoleFrance's works in fiction is a large one. The titles of nearly all ofthem, arranged in chronological order, are as follows: 'Les Desirs deJean Seyvien (1882); Abeille (1883); Le Livre de mon Ami (1885); NosEnfants (1886); Balthazar (1889); Thais (1890); L'Etui de Naire (1892);