按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
blishing her celebrated _Lettres a Marcie_ in _Le Monde_。 We have already spoken of these letters； in order to show how George Sand gradually attenuated the harshness of her early feminism。
＇33＇ _Correspondance_： To Jules Janin； February 15； 1837。
These letters alarmed Lamennais； nevertheless； and she was obliged to discontinue them。 Feminism was the germ of their disagreement。 Lamennais said： 〃She does not forgive St。 Paul for having said： ‘Wives； obey your husbands。'〃 She continued to acknowledge him as 〃one of our saints；〃 but 〃the father of our new Church〃 gradually broke away from her and her friends； and expressed his opinion about her with a severity and harshness which are worthy of note。
Lamennais' letters to Baron de Vitrolles contain many allusions to George Sand； and they are most uncomplimentary。
〃I hear no more about Carlotta〃 （Madame Marliani）； he writes； 〃nor about George Sand and Madame d'Agoult。 I know there has been a great deal of quarrelling among them。 They are as fond of each other as Lesage's two _diables_； one of whom said： ‘That reconciled us； we kissed each other； and ever since then we have been mortal enemies。'〃 He also tells that there is a report that in her novel； entitled _Horace_； she has given as unflattering a portrait as possible of her dear； sweet； excellent friend； Madame d'Agoult； the _Arabella_ of the _Lettres d'un voyageur_。 〃The portraits continue；〃 he writes； 〃all true to life； without being like each other。〃 In the same book； _Horace_； there is a portrait of Mallefille； who was beloved 〃during one quarter of the moon；〃 and abhorred afterwards。 He concludes the letter with the following words： 〃Ah； how fortunate I am to be forgotten by those people！ I am not afraid of their indifference； but I should be afraid of their attentions。 。 。 。 Say what you like； my dear friend； those people do not tempt me at all。 Futility and spitefulness dissolved in a great deal of _ennui_； is a bad kind of medicine。〃 He then goes on to make fun； in terms that it is difficult to quote； of the silly enthusiasm of a woman like Marliani； and even of George Sand； for the theories of Pierre Leroux； of which they did not understand the first letter； but which had taken their fancy。 George Sand may have looked upon Lamennais as a master； but it is very evident that she was not his favoured disciple。
It was due to his teaching that George Sand obtained her definite ideas about Catholicism； or rather against it。 She was decidedly its adversary； because she held that the Church had stifled the spirit of liberty； that it had thrown a veil over the words of Christ； and that it was the obstacle in the way of holy equality。 What she owed specially； though； to Lamennais was another lesson； of quite another character。 Lamennais was the man of the nineteenth century who waged the finest battle against individualism； against 〃the scandal of the adoration of man by man。〃＇34＇
＇34＇ Compare Brunetiere； _Evolution de la poesie lyrique_； vol。 i。 p。 310。
Under his influence； George Sand began to attach less importance to the personal point of view； she ceased applying everything to herself； and she discovered the importance of the life of others。 If we study this attentively； we shall see that a new phase now commenced in the history of her ideas。 Lamennais was the origin of this transformation； although it is personified in another man； and that other man； was named Pierre Leroux。
What a strange mystery it is； among so many other mysteries； that of one mind taking possession of another mind。 We have come into contact with great minds which have made no impression on us； whilst other minds； of secondary intelligence； perhaps； and it may be inferior to our own； have governed us。
By the side of a Lamennais； this Pierre Leroux was a very puny personage。 He had been a compositor in a printing works； before founding the _Globe_。 This paper； in his hands； was to become an organ of Saint…Simonism。 He belonged neither to the _bourgeois_ nor to the working…class。 He was Clumsy； not well built； and had an enormous shock of hair； which was the joy of caricaturists。 He was shy and awkward； in addition to all this。 He nevertheless appeared in various _salons_； and was naturally more or less ridiculous。 In January； 1840； Beranger writes： 〃You must know that our metaphysician has surrounded himself with women； at the head of whom are George Sand and Marliani； and that； in gilded drawing…rooms； under the light of chandeliers； he exposes his religious principles and his muddy boots。〃 George Sand herself made fun of this occasionally。 In a letter to Madame d'Agoult； she writes：
〃He is very amusing when he describes making his appearance in your drawing…room of the Rue Laffitte。 He says： ‘I was all muddy； and quite ashamed of myself。 I was keeping out of sight as much as possible in a corner。 _This lady_ came to me and talked in the kindest way possible。 She is very beautiful。'〃＇35＇
＇35＇ _Correspondance_： To Madame d'Agoult； October 16； 1837/。
There are two features about him； then； which seem to strike every one； his unkemptness and his shyness。 He expressed his ideas； which were already obscure； in a form which seemed to make them even more obscure。 It has been said wittily that when digging out his ideas； he buried himself in them。＇36＇ Later on； when he spoke at public meetings； he was noted for the nonsense he talked in his interminable and unintelligible harangues。
＇36＇ P。 Thureau…Dangin； _Histoire de la Monarchie de Juillet。_
And yet； in spite of all this； the smoke from this mind attracted George Sand； and became her pillar of light moving on before her。 His hazy philosophy seemed to her as clear as daylight； it appealed to her heart and to her mind； solved her doubts； and gave her tranquillity； strength； faith； hope and a patient and persevering love of humanity。 It seems as though； with that marvellous faculty that she had for idealizing always； she manufactured a Pierre Leroux of her own； who was finer than the real one。 He was needy； but poverty becomes the man who has ideas。 He was awkward； but the contemplative man； on coming down from the region of thought on to our earth once more； only gropes along。 He was not clear； but Voltaire tells us that when a man does not understand his own words； he is talking metaphysics。 Chopin had personified the artist for her； Pierre Leroux； with his words as entangled as his hair； figured now to her as the philosopher。 She saw in him the chief and the master。 _Tu duca e tu maestro_。
In February； 1844； she wrote the following extraordinary lines： 〃I must tell you that George Sand is only a pale reflection of Pierre Leroux； a fanatical disciple of the same ideal； but a disciple mute and fascinated when listening to his words； and quite prepared to throw all her own works into the fire； in order to write； talk； think； pray and act under his inspiration。 I am merely the popularizer； with a ready pen and an impressionable mind； and I try to translate； in my novels； the philosophy of the master。〃
The most extraordinary part about these lines is that they were absolutely true。 The whole secret of the productions of George Sand for the next ten years is contained in these words。 With Pierre Leroux and Louis Viardot she now founded a review； _La Revue independante_； in which she could publish； not only novels （beginning with _Horace_； which Buloz had refused）； but articles by which philosophical…socialistic ideas could have a free course。 Better still than this； the novelist could take the watchword from the sociologist。 just as Mascarilla put Roman history into madrigals； she was able to put Pierre Leroux's philosophy into novels。
It would be interesting to know what she saw in Pierre Leroux； and which of his ideas she approved and preferred。 One of the ideas dear to Pierre Leroux was that of immortality； but an immortality which had very little in common with Christianity。 According to it； we should live again after death； but in humanity and in another world。 The idea of metempsychosis was very much in vogue at this epoch。 According to Jean Rcynaud and Lamennais； souls travelled from star to star； but Pierre Leroux believed in metempsychosis on earth。
〃We are not only the children and the posterity of those who have already lived； but we are； at bottom； the anterior generations themselves。 We have gone through former existences which we do not remember； but it may be that at times we have fragmentary reminiscences of them。〃
George Sand must have been very deeply impressed by this idea。 It inspired her with _Sept cordes de la lyre_； _Spiridion_； _Consuelo_ and the _Comtesse de Rudolstadt_； the whole cycle of her philosophical novels。
The _Sept cordes de la lyre_ is a dramatic poem after the manner of _Faust_。 Maitre Albertus is the old doctor conversing with Mephistocles。 He has a ward； named Helene； and a lyre。 A spirit lives in this lyre。 It is all in vain that the painter； the _maestro_； the poet； the critic endeavour to make the cords vibrate。 The lyre remains dumb。 Helene； even without putting her hands on it； can draw from it magnificent harmony； Helene is mad。