THÉOPHILE GAUTIER
Tarbes, 1811--Paris, 1872
Born in Gascony, Gautier was educated, partly in his native town, partly at the Lycée Charlemagne in Paris. Here he became a friend of Gérard de Nerval, who was of such influence on the later decadent school. He was a friend of the Romanticist, Victor Hugo, and the typical red waistcoat which he wore at the first presentation of Hernani has become almost historic. In 1830 he published a volume of verse, and two years later Albertus in the extreme Romantic style. A novelist and poet, he traveled extensively and embodied his experiences and impressions in many works on travel and art criticism. His work is characterized by a remarkable esthetic appreciation, an almost flawless, ornate style, and a strong tendency toward the fantastic. Faguet says of him: "He knew all the resources of the French language and style." He stands above all for form (cf. his poem, L'Art).
Important works: Poésies (1830), Albertus (1832), Mademoiselle de Maupin (1835), Fortunio (1838), Les Grotesques (1844), Avatar and Jettatura (1857), Émaux et Camées (1858), Le Roman de la Momie (1858), Le Capitaine Fracasse (1863), besides descriptions of his travels.
Edition: Charpentier, in 34 vols.
LA MILLE ET DEUXIÈME NUIT
The title is borrowed from the Mille et Une Nuits, translated into French by Galland (1704).
[201.]--1. favorite. This peculiar feminine form is due to analogy with petite (in the masculine petit and favori end with the same sound, hence by analogy they have the same sound in the feminine).
13. ne sachant que faire. Pas may be omitted: (1) in certain fixed phrases (n'importe, etc.); (2) after qui or que expressing a regret or a desire (qui de nous n'a ses défauts?); (3) before the interrogative pronouns que, quel, quoi (je n'ai que faire de vos dons, ne sachant que faire, etc.); (4) with ni (il ne boit ni ne mange); (5) with ne... que, meaning "only," or when another negative follows (point, rien, etc.); (6) with certain verbs followed by an infinitive (pouvoir, savoir, etc.); (7) with si when expressing a reservation in the sense of à moins que; (8) in certain subordinate clauses (je n'y vais jamais qu'il ne m'arrive quelque accident,. c'est vrai qu'il ne s'est jamais marié, mais ce n'est pas qu'il ne l'ait voulu, etc.). This list does not embrace the pleonastic uses of ne. Notice further in regard to this phrase (ne sachant que faire) that, although the indirect question usually becomes in French a relative clause (il ne sait pas ce qu'il fait), with the infinitive the old Latin construction is preserved (with avoir, pouvoir and savoir, when negative). Ne (alone) to express negation is a survival of the usage in Old French where ne (without pas) could be used generally.
[216.]--27. Ibnn-Ben-Omaz. There seems to have been no celebrated poet of this name. Gautier's knowledge of Arabiç was apparently limited (a number of his errors have been indicated under the proper words in the vocabulary). Omar Khayyam (eleventh and twelfth centuries) is naturally suggested; Ibn al-Khattab Omar, the second Caliph, who succeeded Abu-Bekr in 634 and who took part in writing the Koran, is also suggested. Omaz is not an Arabic name.
[218.]--22. l'escarboucle magique, ou l'aigrette de plume de héron. That is, she was neither a fairy nor of royal blood; the carbuncle was formerly a magic stone and was credited with the power to emit light; in regard to the héron, possibly Gautier had in mind the ibis, the sacred bird of Egypt.
[219.]--29. la princesse... n'enverrait... que je refuserais. For si la princesse envoyait... je refuserais.
[220.]--23. vous l'a fait préférer. Notice that in this construction the object of the infinitive precedes faire.
[221.]--1. c'est tout au plus si je pourrais. In conditional clauses the conditional is not allowed after si; this clause is declarative, the meaning is: "at the utmost I could do no more than."