IV INTRODUCTION

excellent moral tone of her novels have won for her an honorable place among modem authors.

She is particularly happy in her delineation of life in Russia. Among the best of her Russian novels are the following : V Expiation de Savéliy Dosia (1876); la Princesse Oghéroff^ Sonia^ les Epreuves de Raissa^ les Koumiassine (1877) ; PAmie (i 878); le Voeu de Nadia (1882) ; la Fille de Dosia^ Ariadfie^ la Niania, Marier sa Fille^ V Héritage de XéniCy le Violon russe, and CUopâtre.

Her novels of French life are even more numerous than those which deal with Russia. Especially successful and withal true to life, though a trifle idealized, are her portrayals of the peasants of la Manche. The most worthy of mention among her stories of rustic life are the following: le Moulin Frappier, les Mariages de Philomène, Bonne Marie ( 1 879) ; Un Crime ( 1 884) ; and Claire Fontaine {1%^^), Of these, Un Crime is particularly good. It is a careful study of the human heart in the person of a young peasant girl thrown upon the world.

The life and manners of Paris are depicted in la Cité Ménard and in Perdue; the life of comedians, in Rose Rozier (1882).

Her novels which treat of the higher classes in France are a little less picturesque and vivid, but are, nevertheless, pleasant reading. Among these are Louis Breuil, which relates an incident of the Franco-Prussian war, les Ormes, Suzanne Normis^ and Autour d'' un phare.

By far the most popular of the many novels of Henry Gréville is Dosia, It has passed through 126 editions — over twice as many as its nearest rival (Perdue) — and it was crowned by the French Academy. The chief interest of the story lies in the graceful and vivacious delineation of the heroine. Dosia is a young Russian girl in whom willfulness, audacity, and an overpowering love of mischief are blended with beauty and charm of personality. She is vivacity and unconventionality personified. Her individuality is strongly marked. In fact, as one of the characters in the story remarks^ "there is only one Dosia in the world.'*