aris dealer, for L3400, and he published them in
June 1864. Napoleon III. and the Empress Eugenie, whose policy it was
to conciliate legitimists whom the Italian Revolution offended,
exhibited a cultivated interest in the memory of the unhappy queen;
and it happened that a high official of their Court, M. Feuillet de
Conches, was zealous in the same cause. He began his purchases as
early as 1830, and had obtained much from the Thermidorean, Courtois,
who had had Robespierre's papers in his hands. Wachsmuth, who went to
Paris in 1840 to prepare his historical work, reported in German
reviews on the value of Feuillet's collection; and in 1843 he was
described as the first of French autographophiles--the term is not of
my coining. It was known that he meditated a publication on the royal
family. He travelled all over Europe, and was admitted to make
transcripts and facsimiles in many places that were jealously guarded
against intruders. His first volume appeared two months later than
Hunolstein's, and his second in September. During that summer and
autumn royalism was the fashion, and enjoyed a season of triumph.
Twenty-four letters were common to both collections; and as they did
not literally agree, troublesome people began to ask questions.

The one man able to answer them was Arneth, then deputy keeper of the
archives at Vienna, who was employed laying down the great history of
Maria Theresa that has made him famous. For the letters written by
Marie Antoinette to her mother and her family had been religiously
preserved, and were in his custody. Before the end of the year Arneth
produced the very words of the letters, as the Empress received them;
and then it was discovered that they were quite different from those
which had been printed at Paris.

An angry controversy ensued, and in the end it became certain that
most of Hunolstein's edition, and part of Feuillet's, was fabricated
by an impostor. It was whispered that the supposed originals sold by
Charavay, the dealer, to Hunolstein came to him from Feuillet de
Conches. Sainte Beuve, who had been taken in at first, and had
applauded, thereupon indignantly broke off his acquaintance, and
published the letter in which he did it. Feuillet became more wary.
His four later volumes are filled with matter of the utmost value; and
his large collection of the illegible autographs of Napoleon were sold
for L1250 and are now at The Durdans.

It is in this way that the roguery