, 1879-05-03
The Story of the Figaro "a Great
Press Triumph Obtained by
Doubtful Means.
The Resurrection Of Famous conspirator--
Blanqui, tie Sotlalist--.Forty
Fears Of Prison.
Lecocq's New 0peratta--Emile zola on
Contemporary Poets-The
Spring Fashions.

processes tWltn Hnat AlnounL O1 TeaSoA MIL
not stay to inquire) to be well informed above all
other journals, was Oh Saturday involuntarily
guilty Of misinforming those OF its many readers
WHO. CHANGING to glance at the legend on the
outer page therein, learnt that II. ID. de
Villcmessant was still one OF its managing
editors. On Saturday morning, while the
printers in the Rue Drouot were setting up
the type, II. de Vilcmessant was paying his last
natural dcbt-to the Being that created him
at Monte Carlo, on the sunny coast OF the
Mediterranean. Hc died quietly, and, they
say, checrfulty, surrounded by his family, aud
consolel, as the Figure tells us with much
gravity, By, the edifying discourse OF the
priests.
Everybody who has ever had to do with
journalism aud journalists will feel passing ill.,
tcrest iu the fate Of this unscrupulous, but
generous and clever man. He has, in one way
and another, been
PROMINENT FIGURE
in the Paris world-a world embracing many
doubtful celebrities-for at least forty years;
and though that would perhaps be the most
fitting way, IL is impossible to dismiss the sub
ject OF his death in one Of those '%faits-diVers
-Anglice, paragrap}s-he himself invented.
Al. de Villemcssont, as he styled hf1nself,-foT'
I believe that was not his real nanle,-began
life at Is as the euitor Of magasjD de modes
called the SyIphtds, which he managed to make
q considerable success. Before long, however,
be threw dressmakiug over, and founded the
paper with which his name and his fame-such
Us they are-are inseparably connected. The
Figaro at the outset was very humble print
indeed,-four small pages, appearing once
W. thc11uht spSnfSprfnf
to see thousand copies OF the paper. After
going through various transformations, being
published semi~weekly and oftener, under the
name OF the Figaro and the Epe'aenlenf, In l66o
it took the form aud title which it still pos
sesses, and became
TIE DAILY FIGARO.
NJ de Villemcssant from the first had the
keenness OF Judgment, the liberality, the assur-
ance, the adroitncss, and the inventive spirit
which, make the successful journalist. He was
sngularly happy in the choice Of his stuff. AL
the leading contributors to the new venture
were Tor many years taken from the cleverest
and most brilliant writers OF the time. henr'
Rochefort, Jouyin, Albert Wolff. to meu1ion
three only are still living; the list OF the rc.
maindcr would include nearly half the littera-
teurs who shonc III .h.. corrupt Imperial society
during the decade which preceded Sedan. The
Figaro made it's mark Qor good or evil at once:
1t was started ou cnt1fcts NJ" prl!clpSs' n a,.'
with entirely new AIMS. me caleI peue.o'e RI: H.
that it should carefully aVo1a haVlilS auy. 1he
chief and almost onfs ann, a. tAe ocslnh'ts,
WIS to aMuse. AZ Tile tlu1es Eaf's aShso ~ w
nothing better than not co he ooreo. lne to'r
stitut onne, tue Iebats, anu oshef Esafpearuss ol
the press bored 1T, despite tne lmmense et,1nc a
ton they afforded, SO TIE Il f:91foshcceeoeo' "1o
soon attained
AN IMMENSE CIRCULATION.
It's nropramruc has becu slightly modified of
1otc vears' and now roes in for instructin. as
weli as amusing: nnd. in q sense, succeeds
ago;n for ! knoy few things more amtlsin.
tian ;ts ottpmnfs Mt instruction. However, we
,,avnr too. the jast move of NJ, de V1llemessant
~ ser;enY The late editor Of the ,FGut,ro ma;
h. ca;1 r., ha the father Of linht French journal
;sn, e,,s fait-fvers. the chronioue, the causerie
framat;one at musicale in its modern form
90 distjnouished from that affected by the
,ra.cIr fen;i1etnns Of the Dabuts, Te7upS, and
n.hor ear;oue h,,t o1d-fosbioned publications,
sr.re his inventions, To skim the SURFACE OF
,eeI;1,o. s ~ f;ve Tho latest rossip from tile
t,,aatros or tt. newest t,it OF scandal from the
cinhs Nthrsc were the great achievements OF bis
,a;+t,. Trro,o,1s and nnscr11nu}ors fellow
'snr,ars scein~ the triumph OF the Figaro, a
''os+ ~ nthar naners ATTEMPTED to initiate it, -
,nnst failef]: Int four remain, and at this mo-
mept do pretty we'll: the E>sne,,aent, the Paris
'Jo,sr,,at, the Foltaiae, and the 3duois they all
differ from their model, however. ID tnis lnes
all profess to have poltleal 1altl, lhe nESt y
Republican. the second orieao'ss tne sni1o 1'ao-