CXXXIV. TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT, at Paris
Nohant, 30 November, 1869
Dear friend of my heart, I wanted to reread your book [Footnote:
l'Education sentimentale.]; my daughter-in-law has read it too, and
some of my young people, all readers in earnest and of the first
rank and not stupid at all. We are all of the same opinion, that it
is a beautiful book, equal in strength to the best ones of Balzac
and truer, that is to say more faithful to the truth from one end to
the other.
One needs the great art, the exquisite form and the severity of your
work to do without flowers of fancy. However, you throw poetry with
a full hand on your picture, whether your characters understand it
or not. Rosanette at Fontainebleau does not know on what grass she
walks and nevertheless she is poetic.
All that issues from a master's hand, and your place is well won for
always. Live then as calmly as possible in order to last a long time
and to produce a great deal.
I have seen two short articles which did not seem to me to rebel
against your success; but I hardly know what is going on, politics
seems to me to absorb everything.
Keep me posted. If they did not do justice to you I should be angry
and should say what I think. It is my right.
I don't know exactly when, but during the month, I shall go without
doubt to embrace you and to get you, if I can pry you loose from
Paris. My children still count on it, and all of us send you our
praises and our affectionate greetings.