“THE DREAM OF MY LIFE”

Evening Star, Issue 20633, 5 November 1930, Page 11

“THE DREAM OF MY LIFE”

FRENCH NOTABLES SPEAK SOME GALLIC CANDOUR. Famous French statesmen, authors, and artists were requested to answer the question: “What is or what has been the dream of your life? ” "he following answers are given:— Ryamond Poincare, former President of the French Republic; To live always in the peace and quietness pf my native country, far from political arena and boring callers, with a few chosen books and some beloved animals, in order to prepare myself for death, Paul Bourget, novelist, member of the French Academy; The dream of my life? Merely to be a writer. Louis Barthou, former Prime Minister, member of the French Academy : I have lived my life untrammelled and not even inspired by a dream. I have never given myself a set purpose. 1 am not the man of only one book. Nevertheless, I must answer your question, and inasmuch as it is not indiscreet I should say that I have always had a leaning toward literature and politics. Had I ever dreamed of anything it would have been to become Prime Minister and member of the French Academy. Henride llegmer, poet and dramatist, member of the 1’ rench Academy: Never tell anyone, least of all yourself, the “dream of your life. It should remain secret and silent, whether it be the dream of your heart or that of your soul. Henri Bergson, philosopher, member of the French Academy: i have never had a dream of this sort. I have merely carried out to the best of my ability the tasks I have undertaken day by day. I have perhaps thereby avoided some great disappointments and must have calculated right. I wish I had something more interesting to say. Marcel Prevost, author, member of the French Academy: When one has gone far beyond what Dante called the “ middle of the path of life one s dream aeroplane is overloaded with tlio past and is no more able to rise from Henri Lavedin, dramatist, member of the French Academy: Dreams of love, fortune, ambition, and glory are all too many. Those of mature years are never the same as those or youtli and it is well 'that it should bo so—until one reaches the age at which dreams take only the form of regrets. Paul Valery, the poet: To awaken. Colette, novelist: The dream of my life? What could I do with only ono Maeterlink, poet and dramatist: There is more than one dream in every life. There arc perhaps as many as there are years. My last dream is “to know.’ I believe it is the greatest, the least likely to come II Edouard Herriot, former Prime Minister • What would have been the dream of my life? To teach—that is to say, first of all, to learn. For that one must travel and read (which is travelling in the past), with long intervals of rest in the country to study tne plants and animals. Helen Vacaresco, poet; The dream of my life? Without knowing it 1 missed it. From my birth 1 should have loved to bo tall, slim,and blonde. Paul Geraldy, dramatist: Your question comes very late. At fifteen years of age I might have said to write! At sixteen, to love! At twenty, .to be

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loved! I might have said in the course of years—to work, to do nothing, toplease others, to please, myself. There was a time I might have answered, like one of my characters; “I would like to know what I could love; i should love it so !’ ’ -At present the dream of my life is to dream no longer and to see clearly; in other words, merely to live. Andre Maunois, novelist and biographer: Solitude among friends. A warm climate, yet invigorating. Books the beauty of which never palls, laughter and gaiety, but always intermingled with earnestness, _ sensuality, without remorse, and love without sadness. Contradicts in terminis, what would you say? No doubt, but, after all, dreams are absurd. Maurice Bedel, author; To be satisfied with what I have written. Jean Giraudoux, author: To remember my dreams. Yvette Gnilbert, singer: I have not even had the time to sleep, let alone to dream. I have been devoted to stage work since I was thirteen years of ago, when I wanted to be “ pretty.’ - This dream-never came true; I am therefore “fed up ” with dreams. Roland Dorgeles, author: A dream?, A real dream, which becomes an obsession, bewilders and overwhelms. The men of my age who fought in the war had all the same dream—to come through it alive. The dream came true for me; I don’t ask for more. Francis Cargo, painter: The dream of my life would be to become a good painter, but it is too late now to try. Pierro Brisson, dramatic critic: To meet a friendly dramatist.