In his essays, Renard emphasized the necessity of writing a novel as one would pursue the scientific method. That is, even if the premises are false, the reasoning is still scientific. For instance, in Renard’s short story “Les vacances de monsieur Dupont” (1905), or Mr Dupont’s Vacation, dinosaur eggs hatch due to intense heat as a normal egg would do. The merveilleux-scientifique novel thus presented itself as the “development of a hypothesis that is both logical and fertile”.
Alias Victor Dupont
Real Names/Alt Names Victor Dupont, from Brown, Dupont et Cie, sewing machines and bicycles, stores on Boulevard de Sébastopol, factory in Levallois-Perret
First Appearance “Les vacances de Monsieur Dupont” included in Fantômes et fantoches (1905) by Vincent Saint-Vincent (pseud. of Maurice Renard)
First Publisher Plon-Nourrit
Appearance List “Les vacances de Monsieur Dupont” in Fantômes et fantoches (Ghosts and Puppets, 1905) by Vincent Saint-Vincent (pseud. of Maurice Renard) — first edition, Librairie Plon; “Les vacances de Monsieur Dupont” (1922) by Maurice Renard serialized in La Revue française hebdomadaire/The Weekly French Review nos 35–37 (27 août, 3 septembre, 10 septembre 1922) — revised/definitive version, illustrated; Le Voyage immobile (The Still Journey: Literary collection of Adventure Novels, 1922) by Maurice Renard — collected edition (G. Crès & Cie); Les Vacances de Monsieur Dupont; suivi de Eux; Quand les poules avaient des dents; Sur la planète Mars (1994, collection, Grama (Brussels); “Mr Dupont’s Vacation” included in Doctor Lerne, Sub-God (2010) by Maurice Renard, trans. Brian Stableford, Black Coat Press; “Les vacances de monsieur Dupont” posted by La Porte Ouverte in 6 parts [Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6]
Description In his essays, Renard emphasized the necessity of writing a novel as one would pursue the scientific method. That is, even if the premises are false, the reasoning is still scientific. For instance, in Renard’s short story “Les vacances de monsieur Dupont” (1905), or Mr Dupont’s Vacation, dinosaur eggs hatch due to intense heat as a normal egg would do. The merveilleux-scientifique novel thus presented itself as the “development of a hypothesis that is both logical and fertile”.
