New-York tribune., 1873-02-22
REcEYT TRENCH LITERATURE.
CATALOGUE OF ALMANACs-THE LIBRARE


IFRCH TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
PARIS, Jan. 31.-FOr the last few months the
French press has not been fore 1f original works OF
marzed genius earning. Such publishers Hachette,
Lemeus, J1naust, never more than now have found
their p-rauiary profits encouraging their own
generous tastes, which they crafty by critically edited
and oXqu,sitely printed repubications. admirable
paper, with ana without finely executed illustrative en-
cravings OF the older classical and not classical authors.
TIC race blhoples and blb.iomaniacs seems 20 be
oae ever growing in numbers and IN riches. The men
aI activity OF most and readers to-day Is rather
taken up with the questions OF the day, political and
other Meantime last October the book press has
been delivered OF one great dsmcmbcred "Dody Of
literature which is for quantity considerably greater
than all poetry OF Hugo and all the history Of Guizot
put together. and for quality II IL be regarded in the
twoi0ld view OF It's influence and expression Of the
thoughts and DESIRES opinions and aspirations OF num-
ucle,s readers the thoughtful who should consult
this body OF popular literature might gather from II
eobler and significant indications OF what the ac-
tual situation" Of France is and Of what future
French destiny may De, than by aborous perusaI Of
most eminent authors.
In o booksellers window, the other day, counted
from the Joael dc a photographic, % amauacs OF the
year 1873 have since made ont a list OF l6. cata-
ogue rQisonHt of them would make Interesting vol
Ine. Il would DE ourously comprehensive index ept
ONE OF the life of France in all It's variety Of social
classes political parties audactoHs, religious sects, phl
losoUncal schools Of It's occupations In every depart
ment OF physical and mental labor, its amusements,
tastes morals aabits and customs. There many al
manacs OF songs patriotic. festive, face0us
there is one rich in CdaHsoHs ne N0ces especially apt
wedding dinners and after dinners there many
others OF e7s and anecdotes and rddes useful aids 20
persons OF sieudcrs parts in conversation. Specimens
OF another kind u great vogue such The AiWaHdch
de POrae des dunes d dcuoSeilcs, private counsel
OF giving answers o a questions on The events OF life,
followed with rccrcai0us ia CqrondHcic Almanac OF
Dreams for the year 1873 the Grand AtrClogcr0 Lege
the Grand National AstT0logcri the Grand Neustrlan
Astrologcr Tie extent 20 which these circulated
and the seriousness with which they are consulted re-
minds one WI what Mark Twain says Of the reverence OF
the converted Sandwich Islanders when in real earnest
for their traditional old Shark God There are several
4Iaanaetg DroOHsfigues and three different ones OF
Le JutJ ETuk u my imperfect list. Between these
and the political almanacs rank numbers Of more and
less religious ones those that less making mp the
lack with large mixture OF superstition or politics,
both. Here are three with the general common title,
Dcu S0t beu another or the friends OF the persc-
cuted Church" one du Roster de Marie another entitled
the Royalist and ornamented with q photograph OF
Henri "" Tie Republican Almanac OF the South
counts GaIbad, EsQuIros. and other Red men Of mark
among its contributors and contains In full along with
the ordinary Gregoran Calendar, the ingenious
devised and imposed the old days aDd seasons by the
Convention.
As means OF party propaganda, OF dihusing knowl
edge. OF meeting want long felt hy author or pub
Usher French amanacs partly serve the purpose Of the
American paper other periodical, lecture cheap
book. The prices vary from franc TO three sous com
paratvey few are higher than ten sous. They dis
played in the windows Of market-town shops such OF
them as obtain the coportage stamp carried by book
pedders in their rounds to thousands OF sequestered
villages They reach hundreds Of thousands OF families
where newspaper rarely or never penetrates, where
books are rare and where they become sort OF secu
lar Bble-the only book. In many OF them themes Of
high importance are the subject Of their pages. and
are treated OF there with eminent ability BY the side
OF almanacs catering to the military tastes, TO the
Chauyuism and love OF glory OF the high and low vulgar
some OF them in respect OF Ia ReraHehe 70 be had out
OF the Germans illustrating in quite striking degree
how much mighter the pen IL than the sword was-is
the Almanac de Ia PAIR published by the Society OF the
Friends Of Peace and counting, among other worthy
contributors Ed. Laboulaye, Jean Mace and Frederic
Passy and next 10 II is the Almanac or Young Mothers
and Nurses, full OF wise, practical counsels ad
dressed 20 those persons m the best performance OF
their functions toward young France, by notable med
cal and other competent adysers-he advice mademore
intelhgble and acceptable by rather elegant ustra
tive engravings, making very mousse treasure ana
mothers rade raeeln for IS sous
Though l have barely touched on theinfnite variety
Of this many-membered body of literature which Gus
tom cannot stale-the whole number Of these ANIMALS
being rather greater this year than ever and their col
lective sale something enormous-I VIII cite but one
more example The AinaHaeh Pour Tols ia a common
title for dozen or so Of these periodicals. This, by the
way suggests parenthetical word on an important
Of this subject Paris ia not nearly solely the
head OF intellectual origin nor OF material publ
cation. Something like one half OF all, pehaps more
than half OF the most widely circulated popular altman
aes published at Nancy. Lille, Roubax, and other
provincial towns. Many of them are devoted TO the
local historical and interests OF this or that de-
parment A curious few OF them are printed In patois
or In the German or Celtic Bas Breton
The Alrnanaeh Pour Tous. lying on the table here
the press OF the Lbrairs Frankln the fro
Of a publishing house here In Paris This is large
Ismo. OF ITO pages, which apart rom the Calendar