New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-17
LITERATURE IN FRANCE.
From Our Own Correspondent


PARIS, Feb. %, 1o60.
1t is high time to turn from politics and pam
| phlets to books, of which j have not said word
these two months. OF new books in high literature
during this period, the French press has not been
very fertile; the sudden fast growing crop of
pamphlets having taken their place largely there,
and in booksellers windows and in public attention,
and with reason. Beside their political significance,
these publications are worthy of note in other re-
spects on the purely literary side, for instance,
being remarkable and, on the whole, creditabe
proef of the activity of French intellect. But to
review this already vOluminous and daily augment
ing "body of literature" would be too formidable
task for mere book noticer; it would be like re-
viewing the Of able articles" in the quarter
lies and monthlies and dailies, of great country
where the press is free, during q period when
citing public questions were in agitation. For this
development of French pamphleteering is mainly
the breaking out of suppressed journalism. 1t is
also the imperfect substitute for the suppressed
parliamentary tribune. And here it is curious to OBJ
serve an mperfection in NapoleOns system even for
his own uses; his Ministers being reduced to the
grade of chief clerks of departments and Government
journalists being reduced to contemplate, sycophan
tic echoes he must from time to time have recourse
to the exceptional, and, in sort, underhand means
Of an authorized anonymous pamphlet to do the Office
OF ministerial speech, and respectable ministerial
newspaper leader. i cannot leave this subject, on
which / have but touched, without pointing out
the striking fact that the pamphleteers upon the
Italian question, who maintain the rights of the
Pope and the late Dukes indulge in violence of
tone and often in grossness of diction, not to be
found in the writings Of their opponents, and that
such violence and grOssness seem accurately pro-
portioDed to their zeal for the Papa temporalities
and Duca divine rights. That is the general rule
of which Monseigneur Dupanloup's famous letters
especially his last which is creating great scandal
are unbappily br liant proofs. Monsieur Vile
mains elegant, but selfcondemnatory, defense of
the Popes territorial rights is proof by exception
None of the numerous writings on the great pO-
litiea questions of the day. has a greater merit of
aciVaHt6 than Louis Figuier's Historic du Merroi-
ltur dams les Temps Dfodernes History of the
Marvellous in Modern Times.) The subject could
not have fallen into better hands. NJ. Flguer is a
thoroughly educated physician and chemist who
began early as IS47 those contributions to scien-
tlfc literature, which give him his present we'll
earned reputation az man OF science, and espe-
cally as a p0pulari-er of science. And, lest |
forget TO mention il in its proper place let me note
here the publication of the fourth volume and year
OF his L'ARnee Scient,fqHe ct hdustrieUe All that
has been said in this correspondence of its prede-
cessors, applies to this excellent popular expose Of
the scientific labors Inventions and important appli-
cations of science to arts and manufactures that
have attracted public attention in France and
broad during the past year.
To return to the History Of the Marvellous. The
composition of the work, of which the present vol
umes form but the half was originally undertaken
m ls5i, ut the time of the American invasion of
France by sprit-rappers and turning tables and
was prematurely announced by the booksellers
under the title of "Genealogy Of the Turning Ia
bles." AT that time turning tables and talking
tables and cognate phenomena had wonderful
success here; they were the vogue and made
.furore Tor season or two. Thoughtful, sensible
people were startled by the sudden outbreak of this
passion for the marvellous in the midst of the
philosophic. scientific nineteenth century. better
knowledge of the history of the past, saws Fignier.
would have prevented, or at least greatly dimin.
shcd, their establishment. For it would really be
great error to imagine that the causes which in
our day have brought forth the belief in spirit
rnlPers and talking-tables are of modern origin
This love OF the marvellous belongs 10 all periods
aud peoples, for it lies in the very nature of the
human mind by AN instructive but unjust disrnst
oi his own strength maa is led TO inscut invisible