Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 1. No 1, June 1850Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 1. No 1, June 1850
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Madame Dudevant was married in 1822, her husband is represented as a
plain country gentleman, very upright and literal in his way, and quite
incapable, as may readily be supposed, of sympathizing with what one of
her ablest critics calls her "aspirations toward the infinite, art and
liberty." She bore him two children, lived with him eight years, and,
shortly after the insurrection of July, 1830, fled from her dull house
at Nohant, and went up to Paris. Upon this step nobody has a right, to
pronounce judgment. Nor should the world penetrate the recesses of her
private life from that day forward, if her life could be truly
considered private, and if it were not in fact and in reality a part and
parcel of her literary career. She has made so little scruple about
publishing it herself, that nobody else need have any such scruple on
that head. She has been interwoven in such close intimacies with a
succession of the most celebrated persons, and has acted upon all
occasions so openly, that there is not the slightest disguise upon the
matter in the literary circles of Paris. But even all this publicity
might not wholly warrant a reference to the erratic course of this
extraordinary woman, if she had not made her own experiences, to some
extent, the basis of her works, which are said by those most familiar
with her habits and associations, to contain, in a variety of forms, the
confession of the strange vicissitudes through which her heart and
imagination have passed. The reflection is not limited to general types
of human character and passion, but constantly descends to
individualization; and her intimate friends are at no loss to trace
through her numerous productions a whole gallery of portraits, beginning
with poor M. Dudevant, and running through a remarkable group of
contemporary celebrities. Her works then are, avowedly, transcripts of
her life; and her life consequently becomes, in a grave sense, literary
property, as the spring from whence has issued the turbid principles she
glories in enunciating.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account