Page:The Cambridge History of American Literature, v4.djvu/186

 598 Non-English Writings I many historical writings, both French and English, he dis- played to a friendly public not only the ascertained facts of those portions of Louisiana history which he investigated but the many charming traditions and romantic legends upon which he came, and which he embedded in his narrative some- what after the manner of Barante's Dues de Bourgogne. Of American authors he most nearly suggests Prescott, whose own cycle of studies indeed he touched upon in his life of Philip II of Spain (1866). Besides histories, addresses, and articles he produced comedies — The School of Politics (1854) and Dr. Bluff, or the American Doctor in Russia (1869) — and novels — Fernando de Lemos, Truth and Fiction (1872) and its sequel Aubert Dubayet. The novels contain some excellent descrip- tions of New Orleans. For a generation nearly all that has been written in French in Louisiana may be found within the volumes of Comptes Rendus of L'Athenee Louisianais, a society for the encourage- ment of the French language and literature. Much of it is amateur and dilettante; much of it also is carefully considered and well written. Poems, essays, antiquarian researches, stories, discussions of many sorts — these indicate the taste of the contri- butors and readers. Dr. Mercier, founder of the society in 1 876, was one of the most voluminous of these pleasant writers; another was Professor Alcee Fortier (1856-1914) of Tulane University, active and learned, the author of numerous studies of the language and folk-lore of his state, and of the elaborate History of Louisiana in four volumes which crowned his labours in 1904. His Louisiana Studies (1894) forms the basis of all our knowledge of the French literature of Louisiana. ///. Yiddish It is very difficult to set geographical limits to Yiddish literature. American Yiddish authors were all born in Eu- rope, and it is quite natural for them to revert to themes of the old home. The constant intercourse among Jewish au- thors in both hemispheres and the mutual influence exerted render geographical divisions still more artificial. Yet it ' s necessary, in the interests of orientation, to omit authors only indirectly related to American Yiddish literature and to