amongst them, and in an instant they tendencies, will manifest a marked prediwere scattered about the stage-chatter-lection for permanence and stability ing, screaming, biting, scratching, in hot when in. It should also be remembered contention for the spoil. Something of that many of the principal writers were the same sort occurred, when the govern- not journalists by profession, but took to ment of France, with its rich array of pa- their pens when they deemed their liber: tronage, was surrendered at discretion ties at stake, as their forefathers would to the movement party, and a good half have taken to their swords. Still they of the best places were distributed, or need not have thrown them down in such rather flung, amongst the journalists.* a hurry as to bring discredit on the call, The compact line which they had present- ing; it was hardly prudent, even as reed since 1823 was broken in a moment, gards themselves, to let the public into. and all hurried forward to secure a share the secret of their real objects; and they of the plunder. Far from seeking to re- might have left to others the task of disstore order, the leaders made no other abusing their associates. use of their authority than to acquire an advantage in the race; and so soon as any one of them gained a firm footing, he kicked down the ladder by which he mounted, often with so little caution, that it fell plump upon the noses of his fol

lowers.

There was something almost ludicrous in the eagerness with which the example was followed by the less distinguished members of the press, and the greediness (it deserves no better name) with which theygorged themselves on the good things. Some of them (a well-known Garde des Sceaux, for example) fattened, literally and physically, in six months; and the entire scene irresistibly recalls the description given by Tacitus of the effects of longfasting on such adventurers. Their places were instantly supplied; for the news-or rather the visible, palpable signs--of their success, acted on such of the rising generation as had their fortunes to make, much in the same manner as the first importation of gold from the New World, or the return of the first race of nabobs from the East.

In a country such as France, where there is no fixed landed or commercial aristocracy, nor any class set apart by circumstances for the service of the state, men like MM. Thiers and Mignet are only assuming their natural position, and exercising a legitimate right, when they aspire to the conduct of affairs; and it would be unfair to judge them by the rules of a country like England, where it is deemed necessary to send a reviewer to India, with an exorbitant salary to enThe new Eldorado rich himself, before he is thought qualified for the Cabinet. They, therefore, and Golconda was journalism; the recannot be blamed for making the best use turns of commerce and the regular proof their opportunities, and in a former fessions were voted too slow for the rising number we suggested the best excuse for genius of the capital; and crowds of any trifling discrepancy that might be provincials, grands hommes de province, traced between the principles they main- hurried up to compete with the metrotained before the revolution, and those politan celebrities. Many of the old they have professed since. Calling for hands who had come off second-best in liberal measures is one thing, the passing the distribution, also continued at their of them another; libellous denunciations posts; so that there was no want of and insurrectionary movements are often talent, vigour, experience or audacity. of great use to an opposition leader, but But the veil was rent asunder, and the an invariable source of annoyance and embarrassment to a minister; and the same politician may have no objection to progressiveness when out of place, who, so long as he is left to his own natural

illusion at an end: principles were no longer the real, and hardly the avowed, object; there was neither concert, steadiness of purpose, conviction, or enthusiasm; they did not respect themselves, and were not respected; they distrusted We believe every writer of consequence in the one another, and the public distrusted Journal des Débats got something, and all the them their tone partook at once of founders of the National were handsomely provided for, except Carrel, who declined the offered prefer. the blighting bitterness of the veteran, ment, and Sautelet, who, under the combined pres. sure of love and debt, committed suicide before the consummation of their hopes. In the course of a few months, M. Guizot, as Minister of the Interior, displaced and replaced 70 prefects, 176 sub-prefects, and 38 secretaries.

and the compromising indiscretion of the recruit; and so soon as it became evident that their more fortunate predecessors neither could nor would provide places for the whole, they grew irritated, angry,

almost savage, in their denunciations of and was about to start in commerce when such base, such shameless, such unheard- he was offered the appointment of secreof and profligate apostacy-as they term- tary to M. Thierry, the historian, which ed a course of conduct which they had his literary tastes induced him to accept. been most anxious to anticipate, and His duty consisted in verifying the referwould be most happy to pursue. The ences, arranging the notes, and correcting storm of fierce, reckless, unblushing the proofs of M. Thierry's publications, calumny which has ever since been pour- particularly the History of the Conquest ing upon M. Thiers, and under which, of England by the Normans; and the had he been other than a man of first-rate time thus occupied was subsequently talents and unflinching resolution, he turned to good account. At the end of must have sunk, is principally attributa- six months, à bookseller having applied ble to the jealousy with which his former to M. Thierry to write a summary of the equals and rivals saw him raised so im- history of Scotland, he excused himself measurably above their heads; and an on the ground of prior engagements, and edifying spectacle, well calculated to in- recommended his assistant for the work. spire general confidence and advance It was undertaken by Carrel, and comtheir own interests, it has been-to see pleted accordingly; and, with the aid of almost the whole press of Paris making an introduction by M. Thierry, succeedcause against an individual because he had ed sufficiently to embolden the author to risen from their ranks. The worst is yet aim at independence. A small sum of to come their ambition sunk as their money being collected for his family, he hopes fell, and they soon began to regu- set up a circulating library in partnerlate their objects by their means. To ship with a friend; and in the back room revert to our former illustration-the of this establishment, with his favourite first Spanish invaders of Mexico, and the Newfoundland dog at his feet, he comfirst English proprietors of Bengal, sack- posed his Histoire de la Contre-Revolution ed royal treasuries and extorted ransoms en Angleterre, a work principally interfrom kings: the second flight were esting from the illustration it affords of obliged to content themselves with his own political opinions at the time; squeezing revenue-collectors and nobles: the third were petty larceny depredators, who dealt in peculation and took bribes. Just so the most eminent or most active of the French journalists got places in the ministry; the next best were made prefects, masters of requests, librarians, or councillors of boards: the last comers were obliged to rest satisfied with dou

ceurs.

for it is obvious that the Stuarts and the Bourbons are identified throughout. The book was thought sound and well judging, but rather heavy; and it possessed few attractions for readers accustomed to the antithetical sententiousness of a Mignet, the comprehensive speculations of a Guizot, or the living, moving, dioramic pages of a Thiers.

The first productions of Carrel which Dating from this period, far the most gave promise of his future excellence, remarkable of the regular writers was were two articles in the Revue Française Armand Carrel, henceforth the main sup- on the Spanish war of 1823, in which he port and animating spirit of the National. had taken part against his countrymen. Indeed, parodying the mot of Louis XIV., These appeared in 1828, and probably led he might have exclaimed, Le National, to his engagement in the National, in c'est moi. So long as he lived, it was which he played only a subordinate part hardly possible, and would have been ex- at starting; and an opinion, sanctioned by tremely dangerous, to speak disparagingly M. Thiers, had got abroad that he requirof journalism. When he died, its best ed time to meditate his articles, and was title to consideration died with him. His consequently unequal to the daily deerrors were those of temperament, of mands of a newspaper. The truth is, he undue confidence, of limited cultivation, was one of those men who only grow of political shortsightedness: there was great with circumstances, and cannot put no taint of meanness in his disposition or forth their full strength until they feel the motives, and not a breath of suspicion entire responsibility resting upon them; ever rested upon his character. for no sooner did Carrel find himself ediCarrel was educated at the college of tor-in-chief, than the slow, painful, laboRouen and the military school of Saint rious, steril writer became ready, rapid, Cyr. He entered the army, but left it and abundant. Even those who knew him after obtaining the rank of sub-lieutenant, best stood astonished at the combined

Il eut, en dehors de tous les partis, un

freedom and purity of his style, the logi- cette doctrine. Il traita la question avec sa rigueur cal closeness of his reasoning, the occaet sa netteté accoutumées. Il opposa aux exemples, sional richness of his illustrations, his sin-périssants tous par l'arbitraire, le modèle d'un gou. si nombreux depuis cinquante ans, de gouvernments gular power of painting or conveying vernement offrant à tous les partis des garanties conimages by words, and the command of tre son légitime et nécessaire besoin de conversalanguage which enabled him to disclose tion. Il n'invoquait que des raisons exclusivement or keep back just so much of his meaning forme impassionée, pour ne pas exposer sa belle pratiques, se refusant le secours innocent de toute or eventual intentions as he thought fit. théorie à l'ironique qualification d'utopie. C'est It was then too remarked amongst his cette politique qui fit tant d'amis à Carrel sur tous friends, that, as his capacity for acting les points de la France, et partout où pénétrait le National. the part of leader came to be appreciated, parti composé de tous les hommes, soit placés hors his temper perceptibly improved, and des voies de l'activité publique, soit trop éclairés pour much of his morbid susceptibility to fan- s'y jeter à la suite de quelque chef ne se recommancied slights, evidently originating in the dant que par des succès de plume ou de tribune. fear or consciousness of being underva- Que de gens, lassés des querelles sur la forme du gouvernement, incrédules même aux admirables apo. lued, disappeared. He might be almost logics de la forme américaine, quittant l'ombre pour said to have loved danger for its own la chose, se rangèrent sous cette bannière du droit sake, such was his chivalrous eagerness commun, que Carrel avait levée sur toutes les fautes to press forward at the sound of a menace ories républicaines! Il lui en venait de toutes parts et sur toutes les ruines, même sur celles de ses thé or the semblance of a risk. When four des témoignages d'adhésion qui parurent un moment successive gerants of the National had lui suffire, et je le vis se résignant à être, pour un been imprisoned for articles notoriously temps déterminé, le premier écrivain spéculatif de of his writing, he could endure this sort of vicarious punishment no longer: he designedly composed another of such a character as to compel the government to proceed against himself, and his impri-borées, et dans un accès d'inquiétude plutôt qu'après sonment in Ste. Pélagie was the result. When it became the fashion to summon editors to the field, he accepted cartel after cartel till he fell

About the time when MM. Thiers and

Mignet were provided for, a prefecture of the third class was conferred on Carrel without consulting him: but he thought the appointment inferior to his just claims, and there were weighty personal considerations which attached him to the capital. He adhered to the journal, but was rather the supporter than the opponent of the government till the end of the ministry of Dupont de l'Eure and Lafitte. The accession of Casimir Perier to power was the signal for the commencement of the dogged uncompromising hostility with which he assailed Louis Philippe, for he saw or thought he saw in that event the first decided step in a retrograde direction, the first outward and visible sign of the citizen king's predilection for the substance as well as the trappings of monarchy.

The nature of Carrel's views, and the secret of the influence which he long exercised, are thus described in a short essay on his life and opinions by M. Nisard.

La révolution de Juillet, si extraordinaire entre toutes les révolutions, par le spectacle d'un peuple laissant au vaincu la liberté de se plaindre et de se railler de la victoire, avait permis d'espérer un retour éclatant et définitif au droit commun. Carrel se fit l'organe de ces espérances et le théoricien de

son pays.

Mais des fautes où tout le monde eût sa part l'eurent bientôt refroidi. Ce fut un rude coup. Carrel avait foi dans la politique du droit commun: il y avait cru plus fortement peut-être qu'à ses théories républicaines précipitamment ar

un sûr et paisible regard jeté sur les choses. Après celles-ci, où l'honneur le soutenait contre les doutes croisants, il fallait donc encore douter de celle-là! Carrel cût les deux douleurs à la fois.'

Carrel's notion of the droit commun seems to have been a system of government in which the rights of all members in other words, a good constitution, such of the community should be respected; in other words, a good constitution, such His error consisted in as England's was. supposing such a system practicable in France, where, since 1830, the only princal insurrection, has been fear-the fear ciple of order, the only check on periodinaturally entertained by the proprietary and this only, keeps the present king upon class and the bourgeoisie of mobs. This, the throne.

Carrel was killed in a duel with M. Emile de Girardin in 1837, being then about thirty-seven years of age. The heir-presumptive, the present Duke of Orleans, has been much commended for his generosity in exclaiming, C'est une perte pour tout le monde ;' and the event But it may be made a great sensation. doubted whether Carrel did not quit the stage most opportunely for his fame. Disappointment had soured his temper, and the ill-success of his attacks on Louis Philippe had begun to hurry him into a violence both of conduct and expression which it is impossible to excuse. He had, moreover, undergone the usual fate of pular leaders who seek to establish prin

po

ciples, or place any curb on the excesses of France, and M. Bertin l'aîné, who might of their followers. The ultra-section of easily obtain the same distinction if he his own party repudiated him as a dis- chose. He is nominally the director of guised aristocrat, a would-be élégant, and the paper, but the duties are discharged pointed to his dress and equipage as in- by his son. Though both are men of fallible proofs of a falling off from the true sense and talent, they never write; nor, doctrines of equality.* This fact is im- to the best of our information, does any pliedly confirmed by one of M. Nisard's member of the family, but they do not deanecdotes:serve less praise or enjoy less consideration on that account. When an attempt was made to depreciate Queen Elizabeth on the ground that all the great actions and wise policy of her reign were attributable to her ministers, it was answered (and it is to be hoped that some time or other the same defence may be made for Queen Victoria) that the selection of good ministers was the best possible proof of her superiority. Tried by this criterion, the Bertins will rank very high, for the writers to whom the conduct of their paper has been intrusted have amply justified their confidence and done honour to their discernment. The principal political contributors are M. Saint-Marc Girardin, M. de Sacy, and M. Michel Chevalier.

Un soir, il revenait des bureaux du National, fort tard, dans ce cabriolet qui lui a été tant reproché, soit par des hommes qui auraient vendu la tombe de leur père pour en avoir un, soit par des amis de l'égalité, qui la veulent dans les fortunes, pour se consoler de l'inégalité des talens. Il passe devant un pauvre homme, préposé à la garde des travaux de voirie, et qui grelottait de froid. Carrel arrête sa voiture, en tire la housse d'hiver de son cheval, la jette sur les épaules du gardien, lui met quelque argent dans la main, et disparaît avant les remercî

ments.'

M. Girardin is councillor of the University, professor of literature at the Sorbonne, and was for some years a member of the Chamber. He is the author of a good work on Germany (Notices sur l'Allemagne), and writes in a pleasing, light, lively style, with uniform good temper and good sense.

We make no apology for dwelling so long on the character of this man. Bare justice to the periodical press of Paris required it, for during many years he was the only regular member of their body to whom the praise of first-rate talent and unimpeached integrity could be awarded without exciting a general murmur of dissent. This account of him, moreover, in cludes that of one of the most remarkable of the French journals, the National; for its importance ceased upon his death, and it has ever since been conducted by writers of little talent, literary reputation or authority-with the exception of M. Emile Souvestre, the author of Riche et Pauvre, one of the best of the modern novels. Its principles are republican. In this line it had to compete with La Tribune under Armand Marrast and Cavaignac. Marrast, though far inferior to Carrel, was a writer M. Chevalier is the author of an excelof spirit and ability, but republicanism lent work on America, well worthy to be had only a very short run in Paris, and placed alongside of M. de Tocqueville's, La Tribune is no more. The leading ul- though nothing can well differ more. tra-democratic journal at present is Le widely than their plans. When the Bon Sens, but it is in bad odour, and has Globe was bought up by the Saint-Simoa limited circulation.

Their connection with the preceding topic has led us to mention the republican papers in this place. So far as precedence depends upon influence and general respectability, the Journal des Débats is undoubtedly entitled to stand first. The proprietors are still the same who tore it from the clutches of Napoleon-M. Bertin de Vaux, long time deputy, and now peer

It may not be generally known that there are politicians and newspapers who bring the same charge against Mr. Coroner Wakley and Mr. Joseph Hume.

M. de Sacy is the son of the celebrated orientalist of that name. He is a quiet, steady, unpretending writer; less varied and vivacious, but more discreet, connected, and consistent, than M. Girardin.

nians he was its editor; and he is still tainted with some of the least blamable of their doctrines.

Other well-known contributors are or have been: M. Villemain, peer and man of letters; M. de Bourqueney, secretary to the London embassy; the Abbé Feletz; M. Le Clerc, dean of the faculty of letters; M. Loeve-Veimar ; and M. ČuvilierFleury, the tutor of one of Louis Philippe's sons. It is also understood that ready-made articles sometimes arrive from the Tuileries, and are inserted without alteration. The proprietors were originally pure royalists; nothing short

of a regular, legitimate, right-divine sort | bien que ce bouquet ne serait regardé ni par celui of monarch would satisfy them. Their qui le donnait ni par celle qui le devait porter! Elle avait des bouquets pour tous les âges, pour toutes opinions have been undergoing changes les positions de la vie; elle voyait d'un coup d'œil ever since the restoration, and they are quelle était la fleur qu'il fallait employer pour sauver now, to all appearance, quite satisfied un pauvre cœur qui allait se perdre, pour ranimer with a king by the blessing of the barri- un amour qui faiblissait. Elle était indulgente pour les uns, sévère pour les autres, impitoyable cades. pour le séducteur, bienveillante pour l'amant timide. Elle disait qu'elle n'était jamais si heureuse que lorsqu'elle tressait une couronne virginale. Que de jeunes femmes elle a sauvées qui ne se sont pas arrêtés dans leur triomphe qui en sont encore à se doutées de la main qui les sauvait! que de Lovelaces demander: Comment donc celle-là m'a-t-elle échappée!

The literary department has always been well supported; and at present we are by no means certain that the paper is not indebted for the better half of its celebrity to its good fortune in securing the services of M. Jules Janin, the most popular of living feuilletonistes, a host, an Un jour que j'étais seul dans l'arrière-boutique, epoch, a dynasty, a puissance, in himself. je trouvai sous ma main un petit livre à couverture verte, qui avait l'air d'un livre de comptes. J'ouvris Is there a breakfast-table at Paris which machinalement ce livre; et quel fut mon effroi does not hail with eagerness the Monday quand je me vis tombé tout en plein au beau milieu number of the Journal, in which alone de l'histoire la plus cachée du monde parisien! Terhis weekly criticism is to be found? Is rible histoire ! touchante histoire! trahisons, mensonges, perfidies; mais aussi dévouement, passion, there an actor, dancer, singer, or play- fidélité. Dans ce livre Mme. Prevost écrivait ellewright, who does not tremble at his nod? même, jour par jour, comme on fait dans un livre de Is there a cultivated man in Europe who commerce, les noms de tous ceux qui achetaient cannot read with pleasure, long after the des fleurs chez elle en lui disant :-Faites les porter chez Mme. ***, rue ***.-Tel était ce livre. Ici occasion has gone by, this reckless, le nom d'un homme; plus loin, et tout en face du thoughtless, wild, wandering, discursive, nom de cet homme, était écrit le nom d'une femme gay, good-humoured, fertile, fanciful, and et sa demeure. Et pourtant savez-vous? jamais un sensible contributor-this enfant gâté d'un monde qu'il gâte? It is not fair to judge him by his romances. He cannot write a book he wants continuity; he wants the power of adhering doggedly to an idea, a system, a doctrine, or a plot. Like a child who quits the path to pick flowers or chase a butterfly, he is eternally wandering off into fresh trains of associations, but comes back loaded with so many pretty things, that we lose all inclination to find fault. Take, for example, a few passages from his necrological notice of a flower-seller :

Vous avez laissé mourir, moi absent, une des plus aimables femmes dont le commerce parisien pouvait à bon droit s'enorgueillir, Mme. Prevost, la marchande de fleurs du Palais-Royal.

beaux jours de M. de Balzac, quand il coupait avec tant de verve et de bonheur le regain de son esprit, n'a présenté un intérêt pareil à celui de tous ces noms en présence! Oui, un homme qui envoie d'abord un simple bouquet de violettes à cette fem. me qui l'accepte; plus tard la violette devint une rose; chaque jour ajoute d'abord une fleur à cet envoi de l'amour; puis bientôt chaque jour arrache une fleur, jusqu'à ce qu'enfin le nom de cet homme ne soit plus accouplé au nom de cette femme.

roman de M. de Balzac lui-même, même dans les

Et

si vous saviez combien peu elles durcnt, ces grandes passions éternelles comme la rose!

Et quel livre, ce compte des amours parisiennes ainsi tenu en partie double! Lisons encore, lisons toujours. Aujourd'hui ce même homme a cessé d'envoyer un souvenir à cette même femme; mais regardez plus haut, à l'autre page: au moment où le bouquet de cet homme allait en s'amoin. drissant, un autre bouquet s'avançait sur l'horizon vers cette même femme; et ainsi vous pouvez suivre l'amour parisien dans ces sentiers ténébreux et fleuris. E: chose étrange! que de noms, qui se tiennent par un lien de fleurs, dont vous n'auriez pas cru que la rencontre fût même possible! que de chaînes tour à tour brisées, renouées, rompues! que de bouquets renvoyés et rendus! quel pêle-mèle bizarre, étrange, incroyable! que d'histoires galantes qui se croisent! que de dates funestes!-Voilà donc le bouquet que portait cette femme le jour où son amant fut tué en duel! et ce bouquet n'était pas même celui de cet amant!--Voilà donc d'où venait la fleur que vous portiez dans vos cheveux, Coralie! et vous disiez que vous l'aviez cueillie dans la serre de votre père !-Louise, pauvre enfant! Je comprends à cette heure pourquoi cette fleur desséchée au chevet de son lit, au pied du Christ.-Ah! juste ciel en voici une qui a reçu d'abord une rose, puis une fleur d'oranger pour aller à l'autel. Heureuse celle-la! heureuse entre toutes !

'Cette femme avait été très-belle, et, rien qu'à la voir cachée dans ses dentelles, on devinait sans peine que l'amour avait passé par là. Son regard était fin, mais voilé; son sourire était doux et calme, mais elle souriait rarement. Toute sa vie elle avait eu une grande passion pour les fleurs; non seulement elle les cultivait avec un succès sans égal, mais encore pas une main mortelle ne savait en nuancer les couleurs avec plus d'art et plus de goût. Elle faisait un bouquet avec autant de pas. sion que Cardaillac le bijoutier quand il montait un de ses chefs-d'œuvre; puis, son bouquet fait, elle le mettait en réserve, attendant une femme assez belle pour le porter; et, si cette femme n'arrivait pas le même jour, Mme. Prevost gardait son bouquet pour elle-même, et elle était heureuse. Aux femmes qui passaient et qui achetaient un bouquet par has ard, elle donnait des bouquets faits au hasard; au ... O l'horreur! maintenant c'est une couronne mari qui achetait un bouquet pour sa femme, com- d'immortelles que le jeune époux vient de jeter sur me il eût acheté une poupée pour sa fille, Mme. la tombe de sa femme !-Tel était ce livre terrible.' Prevost donnait un bouquet tel quel elle savait si│—Les Catacombes, tom. pp. 267–282.