The following item appeared in the column “Au cours de la plume,” in issue 29 (May-June, 1904) of L’Ère Nouvelle, a Christian-anarchist publication edited by E. Armand and Marie Kugel. Although the column is unsigned, it seems most like that it was written by Armand. I’ve provided a rough translation. There are a number of other anecdotes about Tucker, which it will be fun to assemble at some later date.
— J’ai eu ces jours-ci le plaisir de rendre visite au camarade Benj. R. Tucker, dont notre étude sur l’ouvrage de M. Paul Ghio nous a fait connaître les idées. Benj. R. Tucker est un grand admirateur de Max Stirner, de Proudhon, personne n’en douterait, et de M. Henry Maret. Il ne se livre pas facilement. Nous n’avons eu d’ailleurs qu’à nous louer de sa cordialité, ainsi que de la gracieuseté de Mme Tucker. Benj. R. Tucker n’est pas très tendre pour les libertaires de ce, pays-ci et ce n’est pas sans un sourire qu’il nous a franchement déclaré qu’ « il n’y a pas trois anarchistes en France ».
— I have recently had the pleasure of paying a visit to the camarade Benj. R. Tucker, whose ideas have been made known to you through our study of the work of Mr. Paul Ghio. Benj. R. Tucker is a great admirer of Max Stirner and of Proudhon, no one will doubt it, and of Mr. Henry Maret. He does not give of himself lightly, so we can only congratulate ourselves on his cordiality, as well as the graciousness of Mme. Tucker. Benj. R. Tucker is not very affectionate toward the libertarians of this country and it was not without a smile that he frankly declared to us that “there are not three anarchists in France.”
Working translation by Shawn P. Wilbur
