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The Spirit of the Nain Jaune. Its Attitude Towards Chateaubriand and Romanticism
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 February 2021
Extract
In recent years, the value of the newspaper in the study A of literary movements in France is being recognized more than ever before. In such a study the Nain Jaune has its place, voicing as it does the literary and political views of an influential group of writers in the critical period of the early Restoration, an epoch when literary criticism and political expediency went hand in hand. A study of the literary history of such writers as Chateaubriand and Mme de Staël would not be complete without the political and social background furnished by such publications.
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- Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1928
References
page 844 note 1 The Nain Jaunt was founded Dec. 15, 1814, was suppressed July 15, 1815 and re-appeared in Brussels, Belgium as le Nain Jaunt Rleuge March-November 1816. In November 1816 it was attached to a Belgian daily paper, le MerrcureSurveillant and appeared under the name of le Liberal, “journal philosoiriique, politique et htteraire,” until March 1, 1817, when the two papers separated, the Liberal continuing independently as le Vrai Liberal. The following is the nestling of the first number of the Nain Jaunt: LE NAIN JATJNE OU JOURNAL DES ARTS, DES SCIENCES ET DE LA LITTERATURE.—Vtxat Centura. .... Cent, No. I- In small print above the title is found the line: “No. 337 (CinquiemeAnnee). 15 decembre 1814.” This serial number refers to the original Journal dtt Art, da Scienca it tela LitUrtlnr, of which the Nain Jaunt is the successor. There were usually six numbers, in-8', a month. The first number in Belgium bears the title LE NAIN JAUNE REFUGIE.—Par une Sodete d'Anti-Eteignoirs. Motto: Le petit Komme MI encore. The collection of the Nain Jaunt is available in book form under the following titles: le Nain Jaunt public 1 Paris de lTmprlmerie de Fain, rue de Racine, pres de l'Odeon, 1815 (43 numbers), Vol. I (Dec 15,1814-Apr. 5,1815)-VoL n (Apr. 10,1815-July 15,1815); le Nain Jaunt Rtfugit publié à Bruxelles, 1816 (42 numbers), VoL I (March 1816-May 1816)—VoL n (June 1816-December 1816). Eugène Hatin in his Bibliographic it la Pratt Francoitc, Paris,J866 (p. 323) states that “Les collections complètes du Nain Jaunt soot très rares.”
Edmond Eiré in Victor Hugo atant 1830, Paris, 1903, p. 300, corrects a mistaken statement of Victor Hugo: “M. V. Hugo a ecrit dans les Miterabla: ‘En 1817, le Nain Jaunt se transforms en Mir air (Les Miterabla, 1” partie, livre III, chap. I)‘ —Deux erreurs en une seule ligne. Le Miroir destine a refleter I'opinion libérale, et dont les prindpaux rtdacteurs etaient MM. Jouy, Arnault, Emmanuel Dupaty, Gosae et Cauchois-Lemaire, n'a point été créé en 1817, pas plus que le Sain Jaunt n'a terminé son existence à cette époque. Le dernier numero du Nain Jaunt, le 379, est du IS jufflet 1815; le i- numéro du Miroir est du 15 février 1821.“
page 845 note 2 E. Hatin, op. cit., p. 320, names as editors of the Nainjaune Cauchois-Lemaire, Etienne (C. G.), Merle 0- T.), and Jouy (E.); as main collaborators with CauchoisLemaire for the A'oiii Jaune Refugié, Arnault (A. V.), and GuyoL Etienne in a letter to the Nain Jaune, Feb. 9, 1815, answering an accusation in the Gazette de France, denies editorship at that time of any “feuille publique.” F. A. Hard, similarly accused also denies editorship. A study of the career of the members of the following group would make it reasonable to assume that they might be occasional contributors if not editors: A. Jay, E. Dupaty, Léon Thiesé, E. Dumoulin, A. J. Aignan, Lac re telle aine, Etienne Gosse, and P. F. Tissot. The name of Cauchois-Lemaire, the acknowledged “proprictaire” of the A'OMI Jaune (see No. 18, Mch. 10, 1815) is found later on the staffs of the following papers, usually in collaboration with some members of the group mentioned above: le Miroir 1821-23, la Pandore (successor to le Miroir), 1823-28, le Mercurt du 19- tiede, 1823, and les Tableau universella, 1820-24.
page 845 note 3 For the purposes of this article the soman numerals I, H, in, IV, designate the four volumes of the collection; I and II indicate the Nain Jaune, and III and TV, the Sain Jaune Refugie.
page 846 note 4 Hatin, op. cit., p. 322, discusses the aims of the Nain Jaunt and the collators uon of the King as follows: “M. Merle, qui dirigeait alors le Nain Jaune, en compagnk de M. CauchoU-Umaire, nous a révélé le secret de cette collaboration de Louis XVIII dans l'un des trop rare* fragments qu'il a publics de set Trent* ant de souvenir, kistoriques, lititraires at politique,; 1* pensée du Nain Jaunt, écrit-il, fut de nous moquer des ridicules de tout let partis, de flétrir routes les lachés et toutes let defections, de relever la gkire de la France en prétence des balonnettes étrangéres, et de rire aux dépens des pretentions eiagerees.....Dansces attaquea, nous avions pour auxiliaire Louis XVHI, qui fut un de not premiers abonnes, qui lisait avec empressement tous nos numeros, qui en riait de bon coeur, et qui nous envoys plusieurs fees des articles tret bien toumes, fort spirituels et passablement malins écrits de sa inain royale.....”
page 848 note 5 A general idea of the nature of the organization may be obtained from a few of the statutes: Article 7.—L'ordre ayant pour but l'eitinction de* lumieres, nut ne pourra y etre admis una avoir fait preuve de quatre generations d'ignoraace paternelle et maternelle; Art. P.—Les Chevaliers de l'Ordre font voeu d'ignorance, d'impudence et de mauvaise fed; Art. 12.—lis preteront entre no* main* sermcnt de heine it la pkUosophU, am idles libc-alcs, à la ckarte conititutionnellc.
page 849 note 6 Two other long satirical articles are le Iirrr de Lamuei (III, 134,182, 203, 279, 373, (IV) 147, 386), and le Voyage en Enfer (IV, 141, 175, 221,266). The first is supposedly a fragment of a Hebrew manuscript composed of passages from the Old Testament and the Apocraphy describing in figurative terms the desolation of the land, with prophecies of relief. The second, which will be discussed later, describe* Chateaubriand's trip to Hsdes.
page 849 note 7 The place given to Voltaire in the world of drama is still an exalted one. The presentation of Crébillon's Rkadamiste inspires the following judgment: Crébillon, malgre ses admire ten ra, n'eut qu'une partie des qualites qui constituent le génie dramatique, et aucune d'elles ne manonait d Voltaire (I, xxxv). Beaumarchais' Manage it Figaro receives mixed praise and blame in a good description of its presentation in the Theatre Francais in May, 1815, with Moo rote as Figaro (II,249).
page 851 note 8 The idea of the Demure Croisade was to gather together all the undesirables in the country under the guise of a religious crusade and to lead them to destruction in Africa. The classification of the recruits, the organization, equipment and regulations of the army is worked out in detail.
page 851 note 9 Voyage est Enfer. “Poeme en quatre chapitres et en prose sublime par F. A. de Chateaubriant de l'academie francaise et chevalier du St-Sepulchie, traduit en langue vulgaire par A. F. Bicoqueterne, de l'académie de Beaune et chevalier de l'ordre de l'éteignoir (IV, 141, 175,221,266).”
page 852 note 10 Chateaubriand's name is frequently spelled in the Nain Jaunt with a final (instead of d. Victor Hugo in Les Miserable* (1“ partie, Uvre HI, chap. I) refer.” to this orthography as being used later in la Mintrtt;‘ ‘La if inerve appelai t Chateaubriand Chaleaubrianl. Ct I faisait beaucoup rire let bourgeois aux depens du grand écrivain“
page 853 note 11 Atala.
page 854 note 12 Alata.
page 854 note 13 Corinne.
page 854 note 14 Atale.
page 855 note 15 Genie du Ckristiaxume. Deuxieme Partie, Livre IV, Chap. XIV.
page 856 note 16 “Le parti romantique vient de se fortifier par l'attaque que lui livre sujourd'hiui rex-littérateur Duviquet Au nom de Racine et du gout, doot vous avex sans doute entendu parler, nous von* suppHons, M. Duvkquet, de passer dan* k camp ennemi (I, 141).”
page 857 note 17 Les Scnpules litttrairti de madam, la haronnt it Städ, ou Reflexions, sur qutlqut, ckapitra du Livrt de l'Allemaint. Un vol. in-12. Chez Delaunay, au Palais-Royal, galerie de Bob (I, 124). The Nain Jaunt doe* not name the author (A Soumet) but refers to him limply a* “monsieur S ......”
page 858 note 198 Voltaire's point of view in regard to Dante is still the prevalent one; a review of an article by Nodier on Ballanche's A ntigone in the Journal de l'Emfirt blame* him because “il place le monstrueuz Dante s cote du divin Homere, et les Martyrs i coté du Télémaque (II, 20).”
page 858 note 19 In an article criticizing adversely two actresses of the Theatre Francais, the critic says: “je concois qu'apres une representation de Phedre par mesdemoisellei George* on Petit MM. Schleget et Sismo'ndi devouent impitoyablement an mépris le* beautés classiques du phis pur de no* ecrivains. Ces deux demoiselles ne sont pa* noins coupsbles que madame de StaS, des progres de la litterature romantique (I. 34).
page 859 note 20 “Les romontioues ont essuye c'e soir un tehee au Théatre Francais. Les A mom géinirtux. drame imite de Leasing ont ete sifflés (I, 18).”