Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Georges, or the Isle of France
The scene of the pretty and graceful story which goes by the name of its hero, the romantic half-caste, Georges Munier, is laid in the Mauritius, or as it was called by the French previously to the English occupation, The Isle of France. The leading interest depends on the rivalry between white and black, the ineradicable prejudice of the former against the latter, and the gallant but unavailing struggle of the hero, a rich mulatto planter's son educated in Europe, to break through the barrier. With this main thread is interwoven the account of a slave revolt, and a pleasing love story, how Georges woos and wins the beautiful Creole, Sara de Malmedie, to say nothing of a dashing description of the encounter of the rival squadrons of France and England, and the eventual conquest of the island by the British.
The sea-fight in question is not historical, nor are all its details entirely convincing to a sailors mind, but it makes an exciting episode nevertheless. "Lord Williams Murrey" and "le capitaine Villougby" will be searched for in vain in the Biographical Dictionaries. At any rate, Dumas, when dealing with the sea and ships (did he not own a yacht of his own, and did he not sail her himself?), is nothing if not technical; and the great fight off Port Louis afforded some fine hard nuts for the translator to crack!
The amiable Eugene de Mirecourt - Jacquot of the "mercantilisme litteraire" accusations - says Georges was written by one Felicien Mallefille; but then Jacquot and Querard and their like were always ready to affiliate any child of Dumas' pen on anybody - except of course the rightful parent, Alexandre Dumas. According to these gentry Monte Cristo itself was one half by Fiorentino, one half by Maquet! "It was such a simple thing to believe I was the author that they never so much as thought of it," was the great man's laughing comment.
In connection with this same M. Mallefille a good story is told, which we must apologize for borrowing from Mr. A. E. Davidson's admirable Life and Works of Dumas: "Speaking of Mallefille - one of his collaborators, and not one of the most remarkable - the master observed, as if pondering a problem, 'There is just something he lacks, - I can't define what it is, - to make him a man of talent.'
"'Perhaps he lacks the talent, ' suggested some one.
"'Tiens!' said Dumas, 'well, perhaps you are right. I never thought of that.'"
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