He is an unusual figure in
France--one would have thought rather to find his home in Germany.
[Footnote 114: C. Saint-Saens, _Charles Gounod et le Don Juan de
Mozart_, 1894.]
[Footnote 115:
But ten years old, slightly built and pale,
Yet full of simple confidence and joy (_Rimes familieres_).
]
[Footnote 116: Charles Gounod, _Memoires d'un Artiste_, 1896.]
In Germany, however, they make no mistake about him. There, the name of
Camille Saint-Saens stands for the French classical spirit, and is
thought worthiest to represent us in music from the time of Berlioz
until the appearance of the young school of Cesar Franck--though Franck
himself is as yet little known in Germany. M. Saint-Saens possesses,
indeed, some of the best qualities of a French artist, and among them
the most important quality of all--perfect clearness of conception. It
is remarkable how little this learned artist is bothered by his
learning, and how free he is from all pedantry. Pedantry is the plague
of German art, and the greatest men have not escaped it. I am not
speaking of Brahms, who was ravaged with it, but of delightful geniuses
like Schumann, or of powerful ones like Bach.
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