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memoirs, published about ten or twelve years ago a member of the Polignac administration, frein the Quarterly," was contraband, stolen from quently wrote in it; and one of the recognized Colnet, and smuggled into the Review as though editors at this period was the founder of the jourit were native produce. There was not a critic innal, Joseph Michaud, author of the "History of England to detect or expose this plagiarism, or to the Crusades." M. Merle used to write the prove to our countrymen that there was scarcely an theatrical, and M. Balzac the feuilletons; but original thought in the articles, all being borrowed of late, this latter person has ceased to write. or literally translated from the French. The igno- The circulation of the "Quotidienne" is under rance of France and of French literature in Eng-4000. land is astonishing. With the exception of Mr. Crowe, recently foreign editor of the "Morning Chronicle," we do not believe there is a single man at the press of England well informed on France and French literature.

We are now about to speak of a remarkable man and a remarkable journal-the man, the late Armand Carrel-the journal, the "National." Carrel was born at Rouen, in 1800, of a legitimist family. From his earliest youth, though his family were all engaged in commerce, he exhibited a predominant passion for the military profession, and was entered of the college of St. Cyr. While a sous-lieutenant of the 29th regiment of the line, in garrison at Béfort, he took an active part in the conspiracy of 1821, which failed miserably. He was not either discovered or denounced, and proceeded with his regiment to Marseilles.

Under the ministry of Villêle, Genoude was made a Conseiller d'Etat. He then placed the prefix to his name, and obtained, although son of a limonadier of Grenoble, letters of nobility. Now it suits M. de Genoude to demand assemblées primaires or a general council of the nation-in the hope the vain hope-that the people would call back the elder branch of the Bourbons. This cry has failed to cause any fusion of ultra-royalists and republicans. The people well know that Genoude The war of 1824 had just broken out in Spain, and his party are not sincere, and that he and they when, impelled by a love of adventure, he resigned only clamor for universal suffrage, under the im- the military service of his country, embarked on pression that power would be transferred from the board a fishing-boat at Marseilles for Barcelona, bourgeoisie to the grands and petits seigneurs and and entered the French regiment of Napoleon the their dependents. M. Lourdoueix, formerly an Second. This foreign legion, after much adverse ex chef des Belles Lettres in the Ministry of the fortune, capitulated to the French troops. The Interior, is supposed to write many of the articles capitulation included the French as well as the conceived in this spirit. He is undoubtedly a Spanish soldiers. They were, nevertheless, man of talent, but, to use a vulgar phrase, he has thrown into prison, and ultimately dragged before brought his talent to a wrong market. Theatres a council of war. Carrel was tried and acquitted. are supposed to be reviewed by M. de la Forest, But this affair put an end to all hope of preferment and a few years ago the place of Colnet was in the army, or, indeed, to a military career, and filled-though his loss was not supplied-by Carrel thought of studying the law. But he was another bookseller, M. Bossange, author of a the-not a Bachelor of Arts, or, as the French say, a atrical piece.

Bachelor in Letters, and the law, too, he was M. de Nettement, son of the late consul-general obliged to renounce. He became the secretary of of France in London, frequently writes in the a distinguished historian, and in this way it was "Gazette de France," and also in the "Corsaire that his literary and political labors commenced. Satan," another paper of M. Genoude. The cir- He wrote a resumé of the Histories of Scotland culation of the "Gazette de France" has dimin- and Modern Greece for the booksellers; and variished within the last year. It had, a couple of ous articles in the "Revue Americaine," the years ago, about 1500 subscribers in Paris, and Constitutionnel," the "Globe," the "Revue about 4000 in the provinces, but now the abonnés Française," and the "Producteur." In 1827, he in Paris are scarcely a thousand, and it is said not published, in his twenty-seventh year, his "Histo have 3000 in the provinces. The legitimist toire de la contre Révolution en Angleterre," a press is reported to have lost 4000 subscribers work of sterling merit, and was rising into the since the feuilletons of Alexandre Dumas, and of first eminence as author and journalist, when, in that lively writer, Theophile Gautier, have been 1829, Jules de Polignac was called from the emadmitted into it. Both these gentlemen are bassy of London, to fill the place of president of liberals, and your true Carlist, too much like some the council of ministers in France. Carrel's eager of the same breed among ourselves, would scorn | to be instructed, and will not deign to be even entertained by the most amusing liberal in Christendom.

The "Quotidienne" was a most furiously bigoted high church paper in the days of Villêle, and it is so still. It detests the very name of the revolution, and abhors the memory of all those who remained in France during its progress. In 1827 and 1828, the "Quotidienne" was written in a most obsolete and barbarous style, by young seminarists, who had never seen the world, and who were taught to admire the ages of monks and inquisitors. During the Martignac administration, the "Quotidienne" was enthusiastically supported by the pure Ultras, at the head of whom were La Bourdonnaye, Delalot, and Hyde de Neuville. M. de la Bourdonnaye, then the leader of the centre opposition, and afterwards, for a short period,

mind, weary of what appeared to him the languor and indifference of the other journals, conceived the idea of founding the "National." He communicated his intention to Thiers and Mignet. It was agreed that they should each in turn take the place of rédacteur-en-chef for a year. Thiers, as the eldest of the three, was first installed, and conducted the paper with energy and spirit till the revolution of 1830 broke out. From the first the

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National" set out with the idea that the dynasty was incorrigible, and that it was necessary to change it. The leading principle of the journal was Orleanism, yet at this period Thiers had never seen the Duke of Orleans, now Louis-Philippe.* The effect produced by the refusal of a budget, and the refusal to pay taxes, was immense-a

*He has stated this in his last famous speech, in the month of March, in the chamber of deputies.

refusal owing altogether to the spirited counsels and articles of the National." The crisis and the coup d'état of the incapable ministry were hastened, if not produced, by this journal.

and manly eloquence-the eloquence of feeling, not of phrases or of words-and a political writer of the very highest order. There was a simplicity, a clearness, a firmness, and a noble coloring and grandeur in all he said and in all he wrote, for he was a man of heart and conviction, simple, sincere, and straightforward. The two greatest geniuses of France-representing the poetry and prose of our epoch-followed him to the tomb.

On the 26th of July, 1830, the editors behaved nobly. At the office of the "National" it was, that the famous protest was drawn up and signed, which proclaimed the right, and exhibited the example, of resistance. The authors of this remarkable document were Thiers and Rémusat-His friends Béranger and Chateaubriand wept both afterwards ministers-and Cauchois Lemaire, over his mangled remains, and have recorded-the a journalist and man of letters. To issue such a one in undying verse, the other in imperishable document was to put one's head in peril; yet it prose-their deep and mournful sense of the loss was signed, and speedily, too, by the soldiers of which France sustained in his premature and the pen. On the following day the office of the melancholy end. Carrel was tall and handsome, paper was surrounded by the police, aided by an with a countenance sicklied over with the pale cast armed force, and there the presses of the journal of thought. His air was chivalrous, and that of a were broken, Thiers and Carrel protesting against soldier, but his manners were somewhat haughty this illegal violence. It was Carrel's turn, after and stern. His habits and tastes were what would the revolution had been happily accomplished, to be called aristocratic, and he was no lover of take the conduct of the paper, for Thiers and Mig- equality or of communism. He had engaged, a net had both received employments in the new few months before his death, to write the life of government. Ably for some time did he fulfil his Napoleon, and had he lived he would have protask, till public opinion pointed him out as the duced a work worthy of the subject-worthy of fittest person to be sent on a pacific mission to the himself. It was so arranged, also, that if he had insurgent west. On his return from this mission been spared a month longer, the chamber would he was named Prefect du Cantal, and also offered have resounded with his earnest and eloquent promotion in the army; but he rejected both voice, but the hopes of his friends and his country offers, and resumed the editorship of the "Nation- concerning him were soon to be forever blighted. al," now the firmest as well as the ablest organ Since the death of Carrel the "National" has been of the democracy. In the columns of the journal, conducted with much less talent, and with a total which he conducted with such surpassing ability, absence of judgment. It has ever remained a pure he never concealed or mitigated his radical and republican paper, and conscientiously so; but it is republican tendencies. His idea of a supreme possible to be purely republican without sowing magistrate was, that he should be elective and noxious national hatred, or seeking to set Englishresponsible; that the second chamber should be men and Frenchmen by the ears, as it now does elective, and the press inviolable. Political re-designedly, and with malice prepense. We desire forms were, in his opinion, the only sure logical a good intelligence with all the world, but a and legitimate mode of producing social reforms. friendly, a kindly intelligence with France. "The To the arbitrary and high-handed ministry of Douglas and the Percy both together" are more Périer he opposed a vigorous resistance. When than a match for all the other nations of the earth. the rich banker, merchant, manufacturer, and min- The "National" now reflects the opinions of a ister, who had all the arrogance of a nouveau portion of the French working classes, but it has riche, and all the insolence of a vieux talon rouge, not above 3000 or 4000 abonnés. In 1836, before wished to proceed to extremities against the press, Carrel was killed, it had 4300 abonnés. But Carrel said, in the " National,' "that every though the number of subscribers was then small, writer, with a proper sense of the dignity of a the influence of the journal was immense. This citizen, would oppose the law to illegality, and is no uncommon thing in France. The "Globe," force to force-that being a sacred duty, come under the restoration, though far from having so what might." The minister hesitated in his many subscribers as the Constitutionnel," had plans, and Carrel remained victor. The mascu- much more influence-influence not merely upon line breadth of Carrel's style-his bold, brave, and the men, but upon the ideas of the epoch. A defiant tone-which, to use the graphic descrip- journal may have a great and wide publicity, with tion of his friend, M. de Cormenin, "seniblait out a great many subscribers. The publicity of sonner du clairon et monter à l'assaut," procured the "Reforme" and the National" is as real and him many enemies; and there were not wanting as great as the publicity of the "Siècle" and the those who speculated to rise in life, by coming" Presse." They may have less abonnés, but into personal encounter with a man so formidable, and filling so large a space in the public eye. Just, generous, disinterested, Carrel was intrepid as a lion-chivalrous, and, like all noble natures, somewhat touchy on the point of honor; prompt to take offence, yet forgetful of injuries. He became engaged in a miserable quarrel or squabble, which was not his, and this remarkable man, and most eminent writer-to the irresistible ascendancy of whose character all who came in contact with him bowed down-was shot, in 1836, by the hand of M. Emile Girardin, the editor of "La Presse."

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they have as many readers. It were a great mistake to suppose that the numbers of a French journal subscribed for, or sold, is any test of the number of its readers. The " Débats," for instance, has about 9000 subscribers, and probably not above 20,000 readers, i. e., two and a fraction. to each paper, whereas, the "National," with: only 4000 abonnés, probably has 24,000 readers, or six to each paper.

Every Frenchman, high or low, is more or less. of a politician, and therefore newspapers are in. greater number, and circulate through infinitely more hands than in England. This is true of the Thus perished, in his thirty-sixth year, the dearest among them, the organ of every govern-.. founder-the creator-the life and soul of the ment, the "Débats ;" but it is true in a ten-fold: "National”—a person of rare courage-of a bold | degree, of a paper appealing to popular style, and

advocating doctrines which obtain a ready acqui- | Eighteenth the night of his departure for Ghent, escence and favor among the working classes. In and who received in recompense of his loyal tears, every cabinet de lecture-in every restaurant-in at the period of the second Restoration, as a gift every café-in every gargote-in every guinguette from the king, a place which he afterwards sold to -on the counter of every marchand de vin-in the Jew advocate, Crimeux, for 300,000f.-no every workshop where ouvriers are congregated-wonder that they call this patriotic recipient and such a paper is to be found. In the workshop it dispenser of good fat sinecures," orateur eminent, is read aloud by some one workman, pro bono homme politique considerable." If a pompous publico-in the restaurant, the café, the gargote, and prophetic tone, a magisterial and solemn air, and the guinguette, it is eagerly passed from hand and common-place ideas and sentiments, suffice to to hand. Though, therefore, it may be admitted make an eminent orator, and the postponing of that the "Débats" has more abonnés than the electoral reform till liberty is secured by the erec"National," and makes more money, yet the tion of the enceinte continuée, a considerable politi"National" makes more converts, for its senti- cian-what an anti-climax!-then is Odillon Barments are diffused more widely and take deeper rot an eminent orator and a considerable politician. root. La Roche and Marrast, formerly of the The "Siècle" has not enlarged its size. It con"Tribune," conducted the "National" subse- sists of twelve columns, exclusive of advertisequently to the death of Carrel. It is now, we ments, and is about eighteen inches long, and believe, conducted by Bastide and Thomas. twelve and a half broad. The feuilleton consists of six columns, and is much better written than any other portion of the paper. Alphonse Karr, the author of the "Guèpes," is one of the principal contributors, and Frederic Soulié has sold his pen as a feuilletoniste for six years to the "Siècle" and the " Presse" conjointly. The "Siècle" has always appeared to us a dull paper-probably it is necessary that the writers should level themselves down to the intellect of the genre epicierand indifferently written. The review of Thiers' History, which made some noise, was by Chambolle, the editor, as the review in the "Constitutionnel" was written by Merruau, the friend of Thiers. But a far more correct, comprehensive, copious and fairer review of this work, appeared just after its publication, in No. 69 of the Foreign Quarterly Review," published in the month of April, last year.

The "Siècle" is a paper which, though established within the last eleven years, has a greater circulation than any journal in Paris. This is owing partly to its having been the first journal to start at the price of forty francs a year, at a period when every other journal was published at a cost of from seventy to eighty francs; partly to its being published under the auspices of the deputies of the constitutional opposition-and partly to its being what the "Constitutionnel" was, from 1820 to 1825, the journal of the shop-keepers and epiciers. Since it started into being, every journal in Paris, with the exception of the "Débats," has lowered its price, and all of them have enlarged their form; but these mutations and transformations have not injured the "Siècle," because it represents the opinion of the majority-the opinion, in a word, of la petite bourgeoisie-the small shopkeepers in cities and towns, and the proletaires throughout the country. The "Siècle" is said to have 42,000 abonnés, and the shares of 200 francs, which have always borne an interest, have been | nearly reimbursed to the proprietors, and are now worth five or six times their original cost. Ten years ago there were only two journals which paid, as a literary and commercial speculation; these were the Gazette des Tribunaux" and the "Constitutionnel;" but now the "Siècle" and the "Presse" are the most successful as commercial speculations. To show the vicissitudes of newspaper property in France, it may be here stated, that in 1839 the "Presse" was sold for 1200 francs, but in 1841, two years afterwards, it was worth a million to its new proprietors.

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We are now to speak of the oldest of the new order of journals-we mean "La Presse." This paper was founded in June, 1836, by M. Emile de Girardin, said to be a natural son of the Count Alexander, or his brother, Stanislas Girardin, by an English mother. The revolution of 1830 saw Emile de Girardin an Inspector des Beaux Arts. Shortly after that event, he became the editor of the "Journal des Connaissances Utiles," of the "Panthéon Littéraire," of the "Musée de Familles," and of the "Voleur;" but all these journals died in quick succession. He then published a book called "Emile," which had no great success.

This is certainly no proof of want of talent, or, at best, but negative proof, while it affords positive evidence of no common energy, and very great

The editor of the "Siècle" is M. A. Cham-industry. As M. Girardin had no fortune, and bolle, a member of the chamber; and M. Gustave had married the pretty Delphine Gay, (daughter Beaumont, the author of a work on Ireland, forms of Sophie Gay,) who had nothing but her pen and a portion of the conseil de rédaction. The pains- poetry, it was necessary he should do something taking and laborious Leon Faucher also writes in to create an existence, or a name and an existence, "the political department. That very dull, com- if that were possible. Conjointly, then, with an mon-place, pompous, overrated man, Odillon Bar-homme à projets, one M. Boutmey, who had inrot, to whose family comprising brothers, brothersin-law, uncles, and nephews, the revolution has given 110,000f. a year, and concessions of land in Africa, valued at 42,000f. a year, is the object of the "Siècle's" idolatry. This is not to be wondered at. Ferdinand Barrot, brother of Odillon, a writer, and a share-holder in and supporter of the "Siècle," received 24,000f. as avocat du Trésor; and on the first of May, in the past year, one of the editors of the "Siècle" obtained the decoration of the Legion of Honor. No wonder, then, that the writers in this journal call the ex Volontaire Royal, who wept over the boots of Louis the

vented a machine called paracrotte, or mud-defender, which was to be attached to the heels of pedestrians, and another instrument, called a physiortype, the ingenious Emile launched on the waters of the Seine, the project of the "Presse." As the journal was larger and cheaper than all other French journals-as it was a joint-stock company on a new plan, as applied to newspapers -as, in a word, there was a garish, slap-dash flourish, and melodramatic charlatanism about the thing, and a certain varnish of cleverness, shrewdness, modest assurance, novelty, and rouérie-the prospectus took; the shares went off briskly; and,

or bills drawn by the Baron Stieglitz, the Jewish banker, on the English Quay, at Petersburgh, is best known to those who pay and to those who receive, what Frederic of Prussia called the "yellow hussars." Though variable in other sentiments, feelings, and opinions, Girardin has ever been true to the monster Nicholas, and his system; and whenever he dare say a word in favor of either the one or the other, he is sure to do so. His pure love for the Cossack might be pardoned, and would be unsuspicious, if it were not contemporaneous with a fierce resentment against England, and the English. There is not a vile or a murky malignity, does not calumniously cast at perfidious Albion. Inhumanity, savage barbarity, fraud, trickery, hypocrisy, avarice, and corruption, are weekly, if not daily, imputed to us, by a man whose journal is conducted in the most shopkeeping spirit-by a print which seeks to put all classes under contribution, from the autocrat of the Rus

lo, and behold! the journal was born, a strong and healthy babe, after no long or painful gestation. In 1837, when only a year old, it had 15,000 abonnés; and in 1838, the product of its advertisements amounted to 150,000 francs. It must, in justice to this journal, be stated, that it was the firs. to teach the French public the use and advantage of advertisements. Twenty years previously, there were not two columns of advertisements in any French paper; whereas, two years after the existence of the "Presse," it could boast of five columns well-filled. The mother of Mde. Emile de Girardin-Sophie Gay, née Lavalette-had published, under the title of "Causeries du Monde,' ,"base imputation, which the "Presse," in its a periodical work, of which she had sold the copyright to Alphonse Karr, the sharp writer of the "Guèpes." This maternal precedent, doubtless, suggested to the daughter, then of the ripe age of thirty, but of considerable beauty, no mean accomplishments, of rare talents, and already favorably known as a poetess, to help her husband Emile in his new avocation. She started accord- sias to the smallest actor and actress of the Odeon ingly in the "Presse," with a series of articles called "Causeries Parisiennes," signed the Vicomte de Launay, which papers had immense success. Many of the vulgar-minded and title-worshipping of our countrymen-and their name is Legion-will suppose that this was from the aristocratic pseudonyme with which the articles were signed; but no human being in France cares a rush for a title, unless the bearer of it has something better to recommend him. In Paris, and, indeed, in all France, society has agreed that—

"The rank is but the guinea's stamp,

The man 's the gowd for a' that."

half of criticism, even though the critic spoke of the author (as he did) in conjunction with Brutus, Cassius, Staberius, Quintus Remius, Quintus Cecilius, Atticus, Abelard, Cardinal d'Ossat, St. Paul, the Magdalen, and Victor Hugo.

or Porte St. Martin, or to the most miserable tailor who pants for notoriety. If this be doubted, the proofs are at hand. Among the works placed at the head of this article, is a pamphlet, intituled, "Venalité des Journaux, par Constant Hilbey, Ouvrier." This poor tailor tells us, at p. 12 of his pamphlet, that not only did he pay two francs a line for the insertion of a poem in the "Presse," according to the tenor of the receipt in the marginal note at foot, but that at the request of one of the editors, (Granier de Cassagnac) who had noticed his volume of poems, he sent that person, who first wished for a silver teapot, value 200 francs, four couverts d'argent and six small spoons. If De Beranger, Chateaubriand, and De la A couvert d'argent, as the reader is aware, means Martine, were in a salon in France with the De a silver fork, a silver spoon, and a silver-handled Montmorencys, the De Levis, the De Guiches, the knife. Thus was the tailor put under contribution poets and men of genius would march to the salle for four silver forks, four silver spoons, four silverà manger before the feudal, territorial, and men- handled knives, and six small spoons, the cost of tally undistinguished aristocracy; and the place which, at the very least, must have been 200 of honor would be assigned them in any assembly. francs. This was pretty well for a column and a Not so, indeed, in free and liberal England. It was not therefore, because of the aristocratic name attached, that the "Causeries" were read, but because of the ease, grace, spirit, and talent, which they disclosed. That they were what is called a "lucky hit," and pleased readers, there Perfidious Albion should not, however, despair. can be no doubt. Meanwhile the paper was prac- If she should ever think the advocacy of the tically conducted, and in a most mercantile spirit." Presse" worth the having a not very likely The interests of the commercial and shopkeeping supposition-Emile will take her brief, if the quidclasses, as well as of the very numerous class of petits rentiers, were considered, sustained, and pandered to. In the political department, the journal had no very fixed or staple principles, and took for its motto, "Au jour le jour." As to political creed or conviction, the thing never entered into the head of Girardin, unless as a means to wealth, consideration-and what the French call, a position. But the man was adroit, confident, ready, and full of resources, and never despaired even when his prospects were of the gloomiest. With all his address and management, he barely paid his expenses. The Russian emperor and the Russian system of government, however, were without a champion at the Parisian press, and Girardin entered the lists. That this was done from pure love and affection, all Paris believes; for everybody knows that the Russian emperor never pays literary men either in paper roubles or silver roubles. Whether they are ever paid by him in Dutch ducats, or malachite vases,

dam honorarium be forthcoming. What though he be now the most untiring vilipender of our name and our country-calling us robbers in China, and butchers in India; what, though he be the most curt and contumelious in his epithets of abuse, crying, Death and hatred to the English governnient! what though he revel in prosperous and well-paid malignity, offer him but the brief to-morrow, and he will straightway become our zealous advocate. The scales will then fall from his eyes, and our sanguinary and sordid policy will not appear so utterly indefensible as it did when he had a retainer from Russia only. The financial prosperity of the " Presse" is said to have been in a great measure due to M. Dujarrier.

"La Presse, Rue St. George, 16. "Reçu de M. Hilbey la somme de cent soixante francs, poesie; A la Mère de celle que j'aime. pour insertion dans le journal. Nature de l'insertion, "Le Caissier, PRAVAZ.

"Paris, 7 Septembre, 1839."

Though M. Emile lived in 1939, "en grand train," possessing a fine, well-furnished house; or, to use the words of Jules Janin," aussi bien logé que les agents de change," with pictures, liveryservants, carriages, horses, &c., yet somehow or other there was nothing to justify this; for the journal was sinking by little and little, and the shareholders were perpetually required to pay fresh calls. From the moment M. Dujarrier entered the concern, however, things wore a flourishing aspect; and though the expenses of management amount to 282,000 francs annually, yet each cinquantième share originally negotiated at 4000 francs, now sells from 30,000 to 35,000, albeit the shareholders have yearly received ten per cent. for their money. An unlucky fatality seems, however, to hang over this journal. In 1836, as we before stated, Girardin, the principal editor of the "Presse," shot, in a duel, the able and eloquent Carrel; and in March, 1845, Dujarrier, the associate and co-editor of Girardin, lost his life in a duel with a person of the name of Rosemond de Beauvallon, till within the last three weeks an exile in Spain,† in conse- soul-degrading money-grubbing. The great obquence of an arrêt of the Cour Royale de Rouen, which declared that he committed "un homicide volontaire sur la personne de M. Dujarrier, et d'avoir commis cet homicide avec premeditation." In 1843, at the suggestion of Dujarrier, the "Presse" published, under the title of a supplement, "Le Bulletin des Tribunaux," adding 20 francs to its price. Six thousand additional subscribers were in consequence obtained in a very few months. The last accounts published by the "Presse" place its profits at 200,000 francs, or £8000 a year; and if its agreement with the Compagnie Duveyrier" prove a successful speculation, it is estimated that its net profits will be 300,000 francs, or £12,000 a year, at the end of

mercial intelligence, to its dramatic accounts of robberies, murders, fires, and sudden deaths; not forgetting its chronicle of affairs before the Police Correctionelle.

What is the Roman feuilleton? our readers will naturally ask. It is a novel or tale, written in the most ad captandum and exaggerated fashion, from seven to fifteen small columns of which is published daily, with a view to obtain readers, and, by necessary implication, advertisements; for the advertiser will assuredly go to the journal which is most read. The "Presse" was the first to invent this execrable system, by which literature is made alternately the prostitute and decoy duck of the most sordid venality. Before 1830 the main feature and distinguishing characteristic of each French paper was its political party or color. The greedy spirit of speculation has changed this. The desire of the traders in newspapers now is by the feuilleton to absorb all literature, unless such as is published in their own pages, and to render such literature as they put forth, tributary to this

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ject of the Girardins and Cassagnacs is to get money, money, money. "Rem quocunque modo rem" is their stereotyped motto. In their anxiety to procure customers-i. e. readers and advertisements-they may be likened to the Hebrews of Holywell street, or the old-clothes men of Monmouth street and Rag-fair, who, to use the cant of the trade, are of the "pluck you in" school. The "Presse" and the Epoque" are of the "pluck you in" and fripier school in literature. In their morality any trick is fair to gain an abonné or an annonce at two francs the "petite ligne," or, still better, at twelve francs "la grande ligne en petite texte." Journalism and literature run equal dangers from these tricky tradesmen. In seeking to make newspapers books, and books newspapers, To the English reader, some explanation of the these men destroy the distinctive character and Compagnie Duveyrier" is quite indispensable. nature of books and newspapers. The book in This company farms out the advertisements of cer- being cut up into fragments, and written not to tain journals, allowing the proprietors so many portray truth and nature, but to suit the journal thousand francs a year net. To the "Presse," and its customers, is written to sample and pattern. for instance, Duveyrier and Co. allow 100,000 At the end of the tenth, or twelfth, or seventh francs, or £4000; and for this sum, the "Société column, as the case may be, there is an interestGeneral des Annonces," as it is called, has a right ing situation, where the tale breaks off, on the to so many columns of the journal. The head Monday. The grocer's daughter, the dyer's wife, office of the society is in the Place de la Bourse, the baker's cousin, and the priest's niece, are in No. 8; but there are 214 bureaux d'insertion in raptures, and look for the paper on Tuesday with various quarters of Paris, or from five to a dozen eager expectation. The tale or the novel is in each arrondissement, according to its population, therefore like Peter Pindar's razors, not made to commerce, &c. There is a scale of charges pe- shave, but to sell; not written to represent life as culiar to the society. What are called "les an- it really is, but to present it as a series of startling nonces agrées," are charged at two francs la petite incidents and surprising contrasts. It will result ligne, or twelve francs la grande ligne, en petit from this system that as a political authority the texte. It is a great problem whether this company journal must be lowered, and as a literary effort will be successful-a problem which time alone the book discredited. Independently of this concan solve; but it is the opinion of an excellent sideration the public taste becomes as a consefriend of ours-the editor of the "Constitutionnel" quence daily more and more vitiated and pervert-M. Merruau-that the undertaking will be suc-ed. All relish for serious literature, or matured, cessful. Though the small teasing and worrying well reflected productions, is lost. The moral, the usually thrown at the English by the "Presse," may have made it popular with a portion of the populace of Paris, yet its greatest success (apart from the Roman feuilleton) is owing to its com

*Lettre à Mde. Emile de Girardin, par Jules Janin. + Since this was written M. Beauvallon has returned to France and taken his trial.-See the "Journal des Débats" of the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st March; the "Morning Chronicle" of the 3d, and the "Daily News" of the 4th April.

political, and the literary views of the question are sacrificed to the mercantile, mechanical, and money-getting. Romances are now ordered by the wholesale houses, in the journal line, by the square yard or the square foot, with so many pounds of abuse of priesteraft; so many grains of double adultery; so many drachms of incest; so many ounces of poisoning; so many scruples of simple fornication or seductions of soubrettes; and so many pennyweights of common sense to knead

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