BOOKS.
A FRENCH STUDY OF RUSKIN.*
Tins book is something of a literary curiosity, and in two ways. First, it is rare indeed that an English writer in his words, thoughts, peculiarities should be appreciated by a foreigner as M. de la Sizeranne appreciates Mr. Ruskin. Secondly, this study is full of long translations from Mr. Ruskin's books, the most difficult books in the world, one would think, to translate into French ; and no one who has not read them will believe in the charm of these translations. It sounds like exaggeration to say that these Ruskin extracts are almost as fine in French as in English ; but it is not far from the truth. The translation is very literal, and it is very nearly perfect. The thoughts and expressions lose little of their distinctive character, their force and clearness, in this passage between two alien languages.
M. de In Sizeranne keeps himself in the background, almost too much so, and devotes all his powers to setting forth Mr. Ruskin and Mr. Ruskin's doctrines for the in- struction of his countrymen. The book would have been even more interesting if the author had allowed himself a little room for criticism. Not that we cannot admire, and very heartily, this attitude of mind in a young man towards an old and famous writer. Pure reverence and unmixed admiration are not so common that the world can ever have too much of them. But we should have liked to know, for instance, whether M. de la Sizeranne is himself a convinced disciple of Mr. Ruskin's theories of Art, as well as of Life. We can hardly imagine a French art critic accepting as a whole those attractive but difficult sayings about choice, idealism, &c., which, taken literally, have made some people believe themselves artists because they could correctly copy a little piece of Nature. However, if Mr. Ruskin was at one time responsible for a wrong definition of art in some minds, he has taught people to look at and to worship Nature, more successfully than any one ever did. On the other hand, again, it has sometimes seemed to us that in preaching humility he has taught pride. Certainly among the most bumptious persons we have ever known are those—the genera- tion is now passing—who drank in every drop of Mr. Ruskin's teaching from their young days, thought themselves artists and judges without a scrap of real artistic feeling, and laid down the law, artistic and social, in Mr. Ruskin's own style, treating all as immoral fools who would not accept their infallibility. We do not think that M. de la Sizeranne knows England well enough to be acquainted with this type of person.
• Ruskin at Is Religion de is Beanie. Par Robert de Is Sizeranne. Ayes 2 Portraits, Paris: Hachette et Cie. His introduction is very interesting. Here he tells us how he first crossed the path of Ruskin's influence by hearing some English girls aux voilettes blanches reading aloud from one of the thin red books before the St. Thomas Aquinas picture at Santa Maria Novella. The description is pretty and effective. The mind of the English tourist of the better sort is hit off excellently, both here and later in the book, in that telling chapter, "La Modernite," where Mr. Ruskin re- ceives the honourable titles of " l'archange des Cook's Tours et le prophete des Terminus." M. de la Sizeranne, very rightly, does not claim for the disciples that they really understand the works of art much better for Mr. Rnskin's little books. Still, it is all very charming in itself, and it probably does them good, though to some people it seems an artificial and rather presumptuous atmosphere. We have always wished, for aurselves, that builders of cathedrals and palaces, and painters of early pictures, could be confronted with Mr. Ruskin's reading of their minds. We suspect they would be in some cases a good deal surprised. And yet books like The Stones of Venice make such criticism seem too cynical.
However, no one would deny that Mr. Ruskin's books, as a whole, have been altogether on the right side, and have done a noble work in England. Unless a very remarkable change is coming over the French mind—perhaps this is the case, for the book before us seems to indicate it—we should not fancy that he would ever have any wide influence in France. French minds, as a rule, are too cool and well balanced for Mr. Ruskin. As a rule, they would find it difficult to follow him through his changes and contradictions with the loyalty of M. de la Sizeranne. And being still a polite nation, the French would hardly be brought to admire that " franchise " in language and letter-writing for which this admirer makes such gallant excuse. But yet there is a large margin—the more leaves we turn over the larger we find it—in which every generous heart and intelligent mind, every lover of beauty in the abstract, must be in harmony with Mr. Ruskin. And their own good sense will save his French students from following his doctrines to any extreme and unpractical end. The command, "Let your gowns be beautifully made—but by the village dressmaker !" may occur—we forget the exact words—to old and steady readers. Who could help a smile tad a sigh?
Nothing can be more complete or more excellent than the manner in which M. de la Sizeranne has here set forth Mr. Ruskin's "religion of beauty." The book is divided into three parts ; the first, " Sa Physionomie," treats of the personal characteristics which have so largely influenced the work; the second, "Sea Paroles," is to a great degree the study of the books in outward form, their subjects, beauties, peculiarities ; the third, " Sa Pensee," the most important, follows the thought of the master on Nature, Art, and Life, tracing it from its source to its results, present and future. This is done with a comprehension which is of the nature of genius. The few words with which the author prefaces this part of his book are among the most remarkable in it, and few will feel inclined to question his claim of a high source, a noble end, for Ruskin's teaching. Here, too, he explains his motive for abstaining from any reserves or criticisms of his own. Some day, perhaps, if this book rouses the interest of his countrymen in the subject, he may speak again and tell us how these things really strike a mind as capable—we know it from his former book—of helpful criticism as of honest and generous admiration.
In the meanwhile, we recommend the present delightful and inspiring study to English readers of French books.
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