[E. L. C.]
The Isle Of Flowers
A Canadian Legend

"Lights And Shadows Of American Life / Edited by Mary Russell Mitford"; vol.III --- London; Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley; 1832 --- pp.274-330

Introduction.

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    The story presented here has been published in at least three keepsakes or souvenirs:
  1. The Token / Christmas And New Year's Present; Boston [MA]; S.G. Goodrich; MDCCCXXVIII [1828]. This story, entitled A CANADIAN LEGEND and with no author name, occupies the pages 10 to 47. 1
    We identify this edition with: {Tok}.
  2. Lights And Shadows Of American Life Edited by Mary Russel Mitford. / In Three Volumes / VOL. III; London; Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley; 1832. The story, entitled THE ISLE OF FLOWERS / A CANADIAN LEGEND and with no author name, occupies the pages 274-330.
    We identify this edition with: {CB} (standing for Colburn and Bentley).
  3. The Litterary Garland; A Monthly Magazine devoted to the advancement of general litterature; Montreal; John Lovell; 1839-9; Vol.1 N° 1 December 1838. The story, entitled A CANADIAN LEGEND / BY E. L. C., occupies the pages 167-180 (in number 4, march 1839).

The Isle Of Flowers is here edited with the variants of {Tok}. The text is established from {CB} that was used, a few months later, as basis of the french translation of 1832.

A translation in french — “L'Île des fleurs” — has been published in the keepsake “Le Salmigondis / Contes de toutes les couleurs”, tome I (Paris; Victor Magen; 1832), announced by La Bibliographie de la France of october 13, 1832, p.586 #4996). “L'Île des fleurs” was signed SANDS and there was no indication that this was a translation from english.

The french author's name Sands was, probably intentionnally, confusing, and this must be explained in details: Indeed, in may 1832, “Indiana”, a novel promised to a continuous success, had been published and the name of its author was G. Sand.

The name Sand had gained some renown already since the publication in 1831 of “Rose et Blanche”, a five volumes novel signed J. Sand that received favourable echoes in the french press. In 1831 Sand—that must not be mixed up with Karl Ludwig Sand, the murderer of Kotzebue in 1819—was the pseudonym used by Aurore Dudevant and Jules Sandeau 2. “Rose et Blanche” is the only work of some importance written by Aurore and Jules, but separately or in common they produced, in 1831, some other texts whose attribution to her or to him is decidedly complex though the general opinion is that Aurore was the main writer.

In 1831, beside “Rose et Blanche”, Aurore et Jules published some small fictions in periodicals, signed Jules Sand or J. S.. 3

In 1832 the tandem rapidly separated and the name Sand splitted: Aurore chose the initial ‘G.’ while Jules conserved ‘J.’, his own initial. Aurore then published “Indiana” in may and another novel, “Valentine”, in november, both under the name G. Sand 4; in the meantime she also published in the Revue de Paris: “Melchior” a short fiction signed G. Sand as well. It is in december that she adopted the name Georges Sand, first in Revue de Paris: “La Marquise” (december 9, 1832) and until the middle of 1833 when she definitely dropped the final “s” of Georges, prefering the english form George.

So is it with Aurore-George. Now Jules: in 1832 he only published six comprehensive critical papers in Le Journal des D�bats, under the signature of “J.-S.” 5.

In 1833, Aurore and Jules, separately, will publish each a short fiction in the fifth volume of “Le Salmigondis”–the same keepsake where “L'Île des fleurs” had been printed. Georges Sand signed “L'H�te cora”; J. Sand signed “Cyprien”.

Now, the twelfth volume of “Le Salmigondis” contains a table of authors–a twin table could we say–: a list of male authors, including J. Sand; a list of female authors, including Georges Sand. Where then is the SANDS!? Nowhere, he/she does not exist, it's like mock-turtle a mock-author's name.

But this was embarrassing indeed. Sands being supposed the very author of “L'Île des fleurs”, it was identified with Jules Sandeau 6 or supposed to be George Sand 7.

We do not edit the variants of 1839, precisely because The Litterary Garland is posterior to “L'Île des Fleurs” of 1832.

We believe that E. L. C., the author not otherwise identified, is a woman, because—(1) the prominent characters – Aim�e et Maraka – are women;—(2) the main young male characters are vain, inconsistent (Bougainville, actually mostly absent), or vindictive and hostile (Duplessis);—(3) the atmosphere, poetical, sometimes mystical is commonly feminine---such was it in the beginning of 19th century---, as is also the alternant submissive and independant (or obstinate) behaviour of Aim�e;—(4) love is victorious, and violence is defeated instead, while no real action causes the change.

The title The Isle Of Flowers could very possibly have been added by Mary Russell Mitford, who directed the english edition of 1832—the only one bearing that title.

In short, this text, composed between 1820-1822 and 1828 had been written by a woman, either an american of a north-east state (Vermont, New York, Massachusett, ...), or british, or english speaking canadian. Owing to her good knowledge of the landscapes of the Saint-Laurent and the surroundings of Montreal, not to speak of the city itself, the author of The Isle Of Flowers had quite plausibly sojourned or lived in Montr�al.

Notes

  1. Here is the Preface of the book: “ {[3]} THE plan of this work was suggested by the beautiful volumes, which appear annually in London under the general title of Souvenirs. [...] If, in respect to the embellishments, the token is found inferior to the English Souvenirs, the Publisher hopes that this disadvantage may be compensated, in some degree, by higher interest in the litterary contents of the volume; at all events, as many of the pieces and many of the embellishments relate to American history, scenery, and manners, he trusts that the work may find favor with those, who would encourage every attempt {[4]} to explore our native mines, and draw from them the treasures of poetry and romance. / [...] / BOSTON, Nov. 1, 1827. ”
  2. Aurore Dudevant is the future George Sand. Jules Sandeau, though almost forgotten today, would eventually become a celebrated author and be admitted in the prestigious Acad�mie Fran�aise – while George Sand could not even imagine to join this institution that accepted no feminine candidature before ... Marguerite Yourcenar, late in the 20th century!
  3. They also published a four volumes novel, “Le Commissionnaire”, a work of command, under the posthumous name Claude Signol whose novel they were appointed to achieve or rewrite.
  4. The beginning of “Valentine” has been published in “Le Cabinet de lecture”, november 4, 1832, signed J.Sand, auteur d'Indiana.
  5. One is signed “J. S.” and one “J.-s.”
  6. See J.-M. Qu�rard, “La France Litt�raire” (1836), vol.8, p.436.
  7. In “George Sand / Étude bibliographique sur ses œuvres” (1914), the vicomte Spoelberch de Lovenjoul wrote (we translate): « the authenticity of this story [...] is questionable. George Sand disclaimed it. » Besides, in 2013 again, before to discover the existence of the original story in english, we attempted to demonstrate that “L'Île des fleurs” was a work of George Sand's, in spite of her disclaiming, such disclaiming being not per se a reason sufficient to reject the attribution of a work from the J. Sand period.