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opening pages of the story entitled 〃Mouche；〃 where he recalls；
among the sweetest memories of his youth； his rollicking canoe
parties upon the Seine； and in the description in 〃La Vie
Errante〃 of a night spent on the sea；〃to be alone upon the
water under the sky； through a warm night；〃in which he speaks
of the happiness of those 〃who receive sensations through the
whole surface of their flesh； as they do through their eyes；
their mouth； their ears； and sense of smell。〃
His unique and too scanty collection of verses； written in early
youth； contains the two most fearless； I was going to say the
most ingenuous； paeans； perhaps； that have been written since the
Renaissance： 〃At the Water's Edge〃 （Au Bord de l'Eau） and the
〃Rustic Venus〃 （La Venus Rustique）。 But here is a paganism whose
ardor； by a contrast which brings up the ever present duality of
his nature； ends in an inexpressible shiver of scorn：
〃We look at each other； astonished； immovable；
And both are so pale that it makes us fear。〃
* * * * * * *
〃Alas！ through all our senses slips life itself away。〃
This ending of the 〃Water's Edge〃 is less sinister than the
murder and the vision of horror which terminate the pantheistic
hymn of the 〃Rustic Venus。〃 Considered as documents revealing the
cast of mind of him who composed them； these two lyrical essays
are especially significant； since they were spontaneous。 They
explain why De Maupassant； in the early years of production；
voluntarily chose； as the heroes of his stories； creatures very
near to primitive existence； peasants； sailors； poachers； girls
of the farm； and the source of the vigor with which he describes
these rude figures。 The robustness of his animalism permits him
fully to imagine all the simple sensations of these beings； while
his pessimism； which tinges these sketches of brutal customs with
an element of delicate scorn； preserves him from coarseness。 It
is this constant and involuntary antithesis which gives unique
value to those Norman scenes which have contributed so much to
his glory。 It corresponds to； those two contradictory tendencies
in literary art； which seek always to render life in motion with
the most intense coloring； and still to make more and more subtle
the impression of this life。 How is one ambition to be satisfied
at the same time as the other； since all gain in color and
movement brings about a diminution of sensibility； and
conversely？ The paradox of his constitution permitted to
Maupassant this seemingly impossible accord； aided as he was by
an intellect whose influence was all powerful upon his
developmentthe writer I mention above； Gustave Flaubert。
These meetings of a pupil and a master； both great； are indeed
rare。 They present； in fact； some troublesome conditions； the
first of which is a profound analogy between two types of
thought。 There must have been； besides； a reciprocity of
affection； which does not often obtain between a renowned senior
who is growing old and an obscure junior； whose renown is
increasing。 From generation to generation； envy reascends no less
than she redescends。 For the honor of French men of letters； let
us add that this exceptional phenomenon has manifested itself
twice in the nineteenth century。 Merimee； whom I have also named；
received from Stendhal； at twenty； the same benefits that
Maupassant received from Flaubert。
The author of 〃Une Vie〃 and the writer of 〃Clara Jozul〃 resemble
each other； besides； in a singular and analogous circumstance。
Both achieved renown at the first blow； and by a masterpiece
which they were able to equal but never surpass。 Both were
misanthropes early in life； and practised to the end the ancient
advice that the disciple of Beyle carried upon his seal： 〃Remember to distrust。〃 And； at the same time；
both had delicate； tender hearts under this affectation of
cynicism； both were excellent sons； irreproachable friends；
indulgent masters； and both were idolized by their inferiors。
Both were worldly； yet still loved a wanderer's life； both joined
to a constant taste for luxury an irresistible desire for
solitude。 Both belonged to the extreme left of the literature of
their epoch； but kept themselves from excess and used with a
judgment marvelously sure the sounder principles of their school。
They knew how to remain lucid and classic； in taste as much as in
formMerimee through all the audacity of a fancy most exotic；
and Maupassant in the realism of the most varied and exact
observation。 At a little distance they appear to be two patterns；
identical in certain traits； of the same family of minds； and
Tourgenief； who knew and loved the one and the other； never
failed to class them as brethren。
They are separated； however； by profound differences； which
perhaps belong less to their nature than to that of the masters
from whom they received their impulses： Stendhal； so alert； so
mobile； after a youth passed in war and a ripe age spent in
vagabond journeys； rich in experiences； immediate and personal；
Flaubert so poor in direct impressions； so paralyzed by his
health； by his family； by his theories even； and so rich in
reflections； for the most part solitary。
Among the theories of the anatomist of 〃Madame Bovary；〃 there are
two which appear without ceasing in his Correspondence； under one
form or another； and these are the ones which are most strongly
evident in the art of De Maupassant。 We now see the consequences
which were inevitable by reason of them； endowed as Maupassant
was with a double power of feeling life bitterly； and at the same
time with so much of animal force。 The first theory bears upon
the choice of personages and the story of the romance； the second
upon the character of the style。 The son of a physician； and
brought up in the rigors of scientific method； Flaubert believed
this method to be efficacious in art as in science。 For instance；
in the writing of a romance； he seemed to be as scientific as in
the development of a history of customs； in which the essential
is absolute exactness and local color。 He therefore naturally
wished to make the most scrupulous and detailed observation of
the environment。
Thus is explained the immense labor in preparation which his
stories cost himthe story of 〃Madame Bovary；〃 of 〃The
Sentimental Education；〃 and 〃Bouvard and Pecuchet；〃 documents
containing as much minutiae as his historical stories。 Beyond
everything he tried to select details that were eminently
significant。 Consequently he was of the opinion that the romance
writer should discard all that lessened this significance； that
is； extraordinary events and singular heroes。 The exceptional
personage； it seemed to him； should be suppressed； as should also
high dramatic incident； since； produced by causes less general；
these have a range more restricted。 The truly scientific romance
writer； proposing to paint a certain class； will attain his end
more effectively if he incarnate personages of the middle order；
and； consequently； paint traits common to that class。 And not
only middle…class traits； but middle…class adventures。
From this poin