BOOKS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19803, 3 December 1938, Page 8

BOOKS OF THE DAY

Alexandre Ihe Great. His Books And Sequels

By "1.H.5.” e IXl' i - EIGHT years ago. on BeceraD ber 5,1870, Alexandre Dumas, aged 68. died at his son's villa on the coast, near Dieppe, France. On the ninth day of the previous June, Charles Dickens had passed away in England. Thus in the same year the earth lost two of her famous literary children. Dickens, as is well known, wrote almost to the very last, and when the inevitable call came he left a manuscript —“Edwin Drood” —unfinished. It was not so with Dumas. He was not engaged in literary labours during the final months of' his life. What did he do during that period? The answer to this question seems inconceivable. He just sat in a comfortable chair and read some of bis own books.

The popularity of Dumas, as an author, appears to continue undiminished, even though nearly ten decades have elapsed since his best work achieved publication. During the last few years two of his major romances have been witnessed in the form ol screen-plays, and the exhibition of these was undoubtedly successful both from the point of view of Hie theatre.

goer, and from the point of view of of the exhibitor. The public showed their appreciation of the excellent entertainment offered. With the notable exception of “The Count of Monte Cristo” practically all Dumas’ better known novels belong to certain well-defined series. In this article, which will of necessity be rather in the nature of a catalogue, it will be shown how the books arc inter-related. Most Popular Volume The romancers most popular volume, taking into consideration the number of translations and editions, is undoubtedly “The Three Musketeers.’’ and it is not generally known that this romance was founded on a more or less obscure work by Courtilz de Sandras (his real name was Gatien de Courtilz), entitled “The Memoirs ■of D’Artagnan.” These memoirs were first published at, Amsterdam in 1700. and it is a curious fact that ten years later fie Sandras was imprisoned in the Bastille where lie remained for nine years. He bad written a somewhat too truthful account of the life of the French court and this, in all likelihood, led to his downfall.

"The Three Musketeers” was first published in 1844, and in the following year “Twenty Years After" appeared, to be followed closely by "The Vicomtc de Bragelonne.” These three works, one complete novel, contained the enormous number of approximately a million words. “The Vicomtc de Bragelonne” owing to its length has been published in English -and American —editions, under two. three or four distinct titles. The most ■ommon arrangement being “The Vicomtc de Bragelonne," "Louise do i Vallierc,” and “The Man in the Iron Mask." There is still a further sequel, obtainable in both French oid English, entitled “A Son of Porhos” which, in the English version, is Invariably erroneously attributed to Dumas. It is actually a story by Paul Mahalin who wrote more than half-1-dozen sequels to the romances of his illustrious fellow-countryman. Young Men of Noble Birth

The characters in “The Three Musketeers” are by no means fictitious. D’Artagnan—his full name was Charles de Bat/, de Casteimore, Comte d’Artagnan—enjoyed the confidence of Louise XIV, who made him the Captain-Lieutenant of the Grey Musketeers. There were two companies of the Musketeers, the Grey and the Black, so called from the colour of their horses. D’Artagnan was killed, while leading his men to attack, at the siege of Maestricht in I(>7T Athos, Porthos and Aramis, were aristocrats who came from impoverished families of Gascony. Only men of high rank were admitted to the Musketeers who were responsible for the personal safety of their monarch. Thus these young men of noble birth came to Paris to seek wealth, honour and adventure. How 'hey eventually obtained all three, can be read iri “The Three Musketeers” and the sequels. “The Memoirs of a Physician” series opens with “Joseph Balsamo,” sometimes known by the title of the series. For his character of Balsamo Dumas drew upon the history of Count Cagliostro, the eighteenth century man of mystery, who was, according to Carlyle, “the King of Quacks.” "In ‘Joseph Balsamo’ the possibilities of hypnotism are stretched to the uttermost demands of fiction,” states Davidson in his, now hard to procure, hook: “The Life and Works of Dumas.” The sequel to “Balsamo” is “The Queen’s Necklace,” which is followed by “Taking the Bastille,” sometimes called “Ange Pitou," “The Countess de Charny,” and “The Chevalier de Maison Rouge” in that order. The last mentioned book is hardly a true sequel to “The Countess de Charny” which ends with the arrest of Louis XVI., and Marie Antoinette it Varennes on June 21, 1791. Philippe de Taverney Maison-Rouge _ of the “Physician” series is certainly not him of “The Chevalier de Maison Rouge.” Historical Personages

“Marguerite de Valois” ("Queen Margot”), a brilliant story of the time ol the Saint Bartholomew massacre is the beginning' of a new romance. The sequel is “Chicot the Jester,” sometimes known as _ “La Da mode Monsorcau.” Bussy d’Amboise and Chicot who appear in I hose pages are actual historical personages. The source of Dumas’ inspiration for the volume was the ■’Journal” of L’Estoile which has not vet, been translated. The final book of this series is "The Forty-live Guardsmen." An English firm of publishers has issued the above “Valois” novels in eight sections. “The Great Massacre" and “Henri dc Navarre” constitute “Marguerite de Valois,” ■•The Lady of Monsorean,” appeared in three parts: “Chicot the jester,” "Dorn Gorenfiot,” and "The Fatal Combat.” “The Forty-five Guardsmen” also appeared in three parts: “The Porte Saint Antoine,” "Chicot Rodevivus,” and “The Duo d’Anjou."

Alexandre Dumas has been rightly called "the prodigious." A collection ~f the first editions of his works would consist of GSO volumes, without taking into account at least 80 stage plays and innumerable articles and verse contributed to various journals. His historical romances are often compared with those of Sir Walter Scott, but none of Scott’s characters is as popular as D’Artagnan.

Books in Demand

A WEEKLY list provided by Miss Brenda S. Cox, Librarian, Taranganui Library:— Fiction OUT OF THIS NETTLE, by Norah Lofts. THE DEATH OF A HEART, ‘by Elizabeth Bowen. CAN IT BE TRUE, by Clarice Eedy. STRAWS IN AMBER’, by Naomi Jacobs. MORE THAN ONE SERPENT, by R. J. Walling. SEA WIND, by Ji. M. Ward. AND TELL OF TIME, by Laura Krey. SONS OF THE SWORD-MAKER, by Maurice Walsh. JURY OF FOUR, by Gabrielle ValIjmg. CALAMITY JANE AT DEADWOOD GULCH, ‘by Ethel Hucston. Non-Fiction ENDLESS PRELUDE, by Vaughan Wilkins.

< * a * -vjt «•* «i <*• <•»*• »• •• e* -* S * THERE’S' ROSEMARY, by Princess 'Montesquiou. WHISPERING 1 .GALQERY OF EUROPE, by iMaj.-Gen. A. C. Temperley. AFTER HITLER'S FALL, (by F. A. Mitchell-Hedges. THE AYES HAVE IT, by A. P. Herbert. FOOTNOTES TO THE FILM, by .'Charles 'Davy. ADVENTURES OF A BOOKSELLER, by G. Orioli. TO WORK OR NOT TO WORK! That was the question! He felt 1m was in for the ’flu—but lie bought Pulmonas —and kept free from ’flu. Pulmonas pastilles release vapours which sweep right through the breathing system destroying all germs, quickly soothing coughs and colds. Pulmonas are handy to carry. Three sizes^— l/~, 1/ij' and 2/6. All chemists and stores.*