Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-11-15
PARTISAN GOSSIP.
Translated from Tie 'Etats Unis' and other French
Papers.
Ely n. p. WILLIS.

LITERARY MEN-Authors and editors are great
people In France-in politics and society," as well
as in paragraphs and notoriey There are two
candidates at present for the representation in the
National Assembly from Yorne; Alexander Dumas
and our successful and brilliant ey-contemporarv
Frederic Gaiardet, who has lived out one of the
many lives of a man of genius, here, in New York
Dumas and Gaillardet have been antagonists be-
fore-in duel juaiciare. The former Gin A pre-
vous atempt) consulted a cairvoyant as to his
prospects of success, and was told that he would
not be appointed this time, but would be on the re-
signatlon OF his opponent, Louis Bonaparie So
Monsieur Gaillardet has prophecy TO encounter
as well az the active spirit of the popular and fe-
cund mulatto novelist.
DUMAs-Dumas is man of imperturbable rood
humor. The scandals, plots and misrepresentation
with which envy besets the successful in literature
and which so fret most men, do bu: make him
laugh. Indeed he makes fun of real misE,rtunes
ne narrated TO friend as very good joke, that
his villains OF servants had during his Journey TO
Spain, robbed him, by drinking and otherwise. Of
lou bottles OF Bordeaux wine. IL is easy to under
stand how brain that makes up FOR such losses
must be hard worked The truth is, Dumas does
work incredibly hard. His manuscripts, notwith
standing his rapdity, have never an erasure They
are, on the contrary, beautiful specimens of mem
manShip; neat, clear and legible
"My friend!" he said TO his son. who is inst
commencing authorship, "more manuscripts of au-
thors are rejected, by editors and managers on ac-
count of their bad penmanship, than for anything
else Napoleon wrote remarkably good hand
when an officer of artillery"
JULES JANIN.-Ths freshest pquantest and
most readable of newspaper writers does his hest
WORK in Cottage night cap and dressing gown
just before going to bed is his brightest hour. The
good nature of his criticisms, however is said TO
depend upon the attractions of his bed and the
ioregone history Of the day which this same
white nlght-cap puts an eXtinguisher. Janin writes
hand, legible only to those who have studied it
well. Ills contributions to the .JOrn0i des Deb1fs
are so difficult TO dccipher, that the compusitors in
their printing office paid one third more for his
manuscripts than for others.
Like all successful writer's he is GOOD deal be-
seged by letters of introduction presenting To his
acquaintance young candidates for the blissful dioi
10 monstrdt. One Of these young authors very
highly recommended, came lately to Paris He
forwarded his card and letter TO .Iann That same
evening he received scrawl, which, being utterly
undecipheraDle, he stuck into his mirror sunposnu
1t to be the joke OF some of his young acpuaintapces
Some weeks elapsed and neither that riddle was
explained, nor had he any intelligence of any de
sign on the part of Monsieur Jann TO notice the let
ter. a person CHANGING to call on him who knew
the handwriting, thus read the hierOrlvpics
"Cone and breakfast with me to morrow morn
ing, and we will chat over your projects
JULES JANIH."
THEIRs.-I'heirs dictates, seldom writes. Seat
ed In his study, with his elbows upon table Co
vered with papers and portfolios, ne delivers him
sell as If he were speaking from the tribune. and
his secretary is obliged TO record with the alacrtv
OF Stenographer. Fit chances that the poor sec
rotary does not keep pace with the speed of his de-
livery and begs him to repeat a phrase the ex-
president of the Council stamps with his foot. rrets.
and takes four or five minutes to regain the lost
thread
The devil take it. ~ he exclaimed one day
to his scribe. can author is not schoomaser he
cannot turn back page of inspiration at pleasure
like the leaf of book
The celebrated author. Hoffman. (apropos of the
ha6tudes Of authors.) always intoxicated himself
with drink before taking his pen. He used 10 say
that Bacchus and Apollo were cousins. And this
reminds us OF the reply Of wit to celebrated au-
thor who was describing the fine effects Of coffee on
his mode of composition.
"Ah." said the wit, card since reading yUur
last book have had sovereign contempt for your
grocer: he mikes chicoree with your coffee ~