Renown in Letters Written Large in Swiss History

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 13, 30 January 1937, Page 17

Renown in Letters Written Large in Swiss History

LAUSANNE. — The xole that Switzerland has played in the literature of Europe is entirely disproportionate to its size. Nor should one merely look at its native writers; it has inspired some of the best-known works of men iike Sehiller and Shelley, it has even in our own day opened its doors wide to Henry James, Romain Rolland (who lives at Villeneuve) and Thomas Mann. Only the other day a bust was unveiled at Gjeneva to Chateaubriand who was fond of visiting Switzerland, while the name of Rousseau and Woltaire are inseparably connected with the country. A Literary Cruise Nothiixg eould be more instructive than a "literary cruise" round Lake Leman. The memory of Calvin, oj Madame de Stael, of Benjamin Constant, of Amiel, are evoked. The Chateau de Chillon was celebrated by Byron. Gibbon completed in his Swiss home his monumental work on Roine. Ruskin delighted in the vision of lake and mountain. Sainte-Beuve wrote his "Port-Koyal" at Lausanne. A French Academician, Edmond Joloux, has made his abode by the lake that has also drawn to it Andre Gide and Jacques Chardonne. Differ on Writer's Style Among the literary celebrities of the hour is C. F» Ramuz, authentically ' Swiss, who has, adopting a style that is severely criticized by some and highly lauded by others, imposed hiixxself on all who read and love the French language. • In the German language Switzerland counts four great writers of the nineteenth century— Gotthelf, Keller, |0. 1=* ■ 4Ieyer and Cari Spitteler, and to-day there is a iong list of young men and women who are carrying on the tradition of Germano-Swiss culture. In the Italian Tongue The Italian tongue haa been enriched by Francesco Chinesa, who has been onthusiastically aecepted across the Alps, for the originality of his thought and the quality of his style. Nor is he alone — he is the centre of a pleiad of writers in Italian. It is a notable fact that one littie country should thus have contributed worthily to the literature of three countries, while remaining fundapientally itself, j