a good dinner, probably,
than for aught else. But in the absence of good living he took to
solitary reading, and acquired a taste for literature.

He one day chanced to meet a college-friend who was a journalist.

"I am miserable," said Janin.

"Become a journalist, then," the friend replied, "if you have not an
income"

That very night he was invited to dine with his friend, and made his
resolution to live by his pen. He commenced his articles in the
journals, writing at first criticisms upon theatrical performances. He
at once commenced his system of flattering those who paid him well
either in praise or gold, and denouncing authors and actors who were
independent of him.

His kind aunt now died, after having expended her last franc, and Janin
took up a new residence. He soon acquired such fame in his critical
writings, that he was at ease. He engaged with the _Figaro_ journal, and
contributed powerfully to its success. He was, of course, well paid for
his services. He fell in love with a young girl in humble life. An
artist did the same. The two men quarreled about her, and Janin wrote a
book in which the woman was the heroine. But he was unsuccessful--the
young woman married the painter and was happy. Janin rose to the highest
position as a fashionable critic in Paris, and still he has never
acquired beyond France the reputation of a profound critic and scholar.

In October, 1841, he was married, and instead of spending a pleasant
evening, he celebrated his marriage by going to his room and writing a
newspaper article, greatly to his prejudice amongst his friends. Of late
it has been remarked, that Jules Janin is less imperious in his
criticisms than he was formerly. He has been very severely reviewed by
Dumas and Roqueplan, and has behaved more wisely since.

We have not sketched Jules Janin as a great man, but as a man who makes
great pretensions, and who has long been acknowledged, in Paris and
France, as the prince of critics.

CHAPTER VI.

PLACES OF BLOOD--PLACE DE LA CONCORDE.

Almost every fine square in Paris has a high-sounding name, For
instance, that spot which has been the theater of so much tragedy, upon
which so much human blood has been poured, is called the _Place de la
Concorde_. It much more appropriately might be called the Place of
Blood. So there are other, many other spots in Paris, which deserve a
scarlet title, and when wandering a stranger through its streets,
whenever I