Supercheries L. D. G. des E. F. de toute l’Europe qui se sont déguisés
sous des anagrammes, des astéronymes, des boustrophédons, des
criptonymes, des initialismes, des noms littéraires, des pseudonymes
facétieux et bizarres, etc., découverts ou non; des auteurs apocryphes,
etc. Précédé d’un introduction intitulée “Des Supercheries littéraire
anciennes et moderne, plus particulièrement en France.” Par &c. avec le
concours de bibliothécaires et bibliophile Français Belges, Suisses,
etc._ But death carried him off when the first part only was published.
The articles instead of 9430 would have been about 30,000.[36]
There is probably no necessity for a work on literary frauds in so
caustic a style as Quérard’s, but that there is ample scope for such a
work in English literature there cannot be the least doubt. Some of our
pseudonyms are the most grotesque, some are harmless, some absurd, and
some infamous.[37]
We trust that the second edition of the Supercheries will be taken up
by one of France’s numerous talented bibliographers. But do not let it
be an expurgated edition; if there are passages which the editor might
think would be better softened down let him not touch it. Let Quérard
speak. The editing should be confined to revision and correction. The
reflections in the second cannot be more severe than in the first
edition, and the worst complaint he had was only that of a second-rate
writer, who said that Quérard had falsely ascribed a pseudonym to him,
which was partly true. Quérard himself says:—“_L’Auteur tenait beaucoup,
et non sans raison, à publier lui-même ses matériaux si laborieusement
rassemblés, et, qui pouvaient plus tard tomber en des mains étrangères
à la science de toute sa vie qui n’hésiteraient pourtant point à les
éditer, malgré la conviction de n’y rien entendre, si nous pouvons en
juger par ce qui se passe journellement sous nos yeux._”[38]
So entirely was he absorbed by his laborious studies that our learned
bibliographer never gave his own interests present or future a passing
thought, so that from the time when he first made known his talents to
the world in 1827, up to the date of his death he was constantly in a
most precarious position. The years 1845 and 1854 were worse than any
others.
In 1845, the brothers Daguin, publishers of the _Littérature Française
contemporaine_, bought a number of French classics, expurgated in favor
of the methodist protestants, which swallowed up the capital their father
had left them two years before. One of them seeing that the bankruptcy
of the firm was imminent (it effectually disappeared the same year) put
himself in a position to continue the _Littérature contemp._, though
without the slightest knowledge or preparatory study, required for
such a work, of which in fact he was only the publisher. The agreement
Quérard had made with him in good faith, but which was only an extract
of one Messrs. Didot had imposed upon him, received a most perfidious
interpretation, as we have seen above, for the author was unjustly though
legally deprived of the result of his own labors: of the emanation of his
brain. He appealed, but only made the case worse, the judges confirmed
the award of the arbitrator, and mulcted him not only in damages and
interest, but in the costs with a stipulation that he was to be arrested
if he did not pay. M. F. Daguin desirous that every one should know the
sort of man he was, pressed Quérard with unheard of severity, and pushed
his barbarity so far as to get him condemned to five years imprisonment
at Clichy. Luckily the information had been improperly laid; there was a
flaw in the instructions, and Quérard was freed after _only_ three months
imprisonment. But he had to pay this man who had deprived him of his
means of living, 1600 francs, more than he received for editing a volume
and a half of his work. The cowardly indignities of the publisher, who
in one of his letters has the impudent hypocrisy to say that he had been
lenient with Quérard, and had not prosecuted him to the utmost rigor of
the law, did not cease there. Knowing that he had effectually deprived
our bibliographer of every means of establishing his rights, he put the
finishing stroke to his perfidy. In the preface of Vol. VI. of _La France
Littéraire_, Quérard promised a supplement to that work when finished,
to include all additions and corrections, from 1700 to 1842. To deprive
him of this resource, the publisher no sooner possessed himself of _La
Litt. Française Contemporaine_ than he altered its plan, and introduced
additions which _were totally out of place_. Then the _Supercheries_ and
the XI. Vol. of _La France Littéraire_ appeared, and as each new part
was published, so was it pillaged to ameliorate and supply the defects
of the publisher’s book. Thus nearly 1200 articles whether belonging to
the original plan or not of _La Littérature contemporaine_ were stolen
from the former to enrich the latter. The only answer to the author’s
complaints was that “_Les Supercheries_ of Quérard belonged to everybody!”
_Un Feuillet pour les Supercheries littéraires dévoilées de Quérard;
par S. P. Y. de Moscou_ [_Serge Poltoratzky_] _et J.-M. Quérard_. In
_Bibliographie de la France, XXXVII. année. Paris. Pillet aîné, 1848._
8ᵛᵒ.
(XIV.)—_Bibliographie la Mennaisienne. Notice Bibliographique des
ouvrages de M. de la Mennais, de leurs réfutations, de leurs apologies,
et des biographes de cet écrivain. Troisième édition augmenté. 1850; 2
fr. 50 c. (1st ed. 1849; 149.)_
This pamphlet was extracted from the SUPERCHERIES, with
additions.
The Biographie La Mennaisienne presents a lamentable spectacle.
We have a Priest, first orthodox, then sincere, and anon
gradually inclining towards apostacy and impiety, choked with
pride and spleen, up to the very day when the verse of Tartuffe
could be applied to him:—
“Voilà je vous l’avoue, un abominable homme.”[39]
(XV.)—_Omissions et bévues du livre intitulé “La Littérature Française
Contemporaine,” par M. M. Louandre et F. Bourquelot, ou Correctif de cet
ouvrage, avec cette épigraphe: Male parta, male dilabuntur. (Première
livraison). (Bon.-Chr.)_ 1848, 8ᵛᵒ.; _xx._ 33, 2 fr.; L. P. 4 fr. Double
columns, with two lithographs.
_Réponse aux calomnies que M. Quérard a dirigées contre moi dans son
dernier pamphlet intitulé Omissions et bévues de la L. F. C. (signed F.
Daguin.) Paris._ 1848; 8ᵛᵒ.
M. Félix Daguin, after having agreed with M. Quérard for the
continuation of his FRANCE LITTÉRAIRE broke his agreement
without any real (or rather avowable) motive and then obtained
the services of M. M. Louandre, and Bourquelot, men of talent.
M. Quérard’s absence however very soon became apparent.
Everybody had not his intrepid capacity for exploration, nor
his incessant desire for exactitude, qualities which no vices
of editorship can obscure. M. Quérard attributes the errors in
the continuation of his work to the publisher, rather than to
the gentlemen who edit it. He takes up the work where he left
it, and carries on his revision slowly but surely. The errata
of the second volume is perfectly frightful. It is evidence to
which there is no reply. To an argument of this kind there is
no opposition but silence.[40]
(XVI.)—_Encyclopédie du Bibliothécaire. Prospectus 1850._ Another under
this title:—_Encyclopédie du B. de l’homme d’études et du bibliophile
Français. Dernier Prospectus—spécimen 1851; r. 8; 24._ We then have 8
pages of the names of 382 subscribers; he had eventually 800, but had
determined not to publish under 1000.
This is a work so vast that the life of one man would have been
insufficient to execute it unaided. A long list of co-editors is given,
comprising all the bibliographical talent of France.
This prospectus suggested M. M. Denis and Pinçon the idea of their very
excellent _Nouvel Manuel de Bibliographie Universelle. Paris._ 1857; 8ᵛᵒ.
A microscopical miniature of the one Quérard dreamt of, and one day would
have published, we believe, had he lived. A comparison with the table of
Brunet’s great work will generally prove to the advantage of the former.
It was to have been in 15 royal octavo volumes, of about 800 pages each,
double columns, with engravings; six specimen portraits are given in this
prospectus; each volume 25 francs.
(XVII.)—_Notice des travaux Bibliographiques de M. J.-M. Quérard, de
Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine), (né le 25 Décembre 1797), avec les jugements
portés par les critiques._ No title-page. _Paris_, 1850; 32. Includes
Nos. II., VII., X., XII., XIII. There are thirteen pages of critiques on
this work quoted. XIV., five pages of critiques quoted, and XVI.
(XVIII.)—_Les Plagiats Reiffenbergiens dévoilés. Extrait du tome IV. des
“Supercheries Littéraires.” Paris._ 1851; 8ᵛᵒ. 39; 2 francs. Only 50
copies printed.
(XIX.)—_Notice sur les études littéraires, historiques et
bibliographiques, de M. Bajot. Paris._ 1852; 8ᵛᵒ.; 16.
(XX.)—_Notice sur M. Serge Poltoratzky bibliophile et bibliographe
russe, membre honoraire de la Bibliothèque Impériale publique de
Saint-Pétersbourg. Paris, imprimerie de W. Remquet et Cie. successeurs
de P. Renouard, rue Garancière, No. 5, Novembre 1854; 20. Signed J.-M.
Quérard._ Only 100 copies printed. An extract from Vol. XI. of L. F. L.
Not in double columns.
_Moucherat de Longpré. Problème littéraire definitivement résolu en 1854,
par M. Quérard._[41] An article upon this subject by that noble-minded
Russian, M. Serge Poltoratzky.
In 1854, the son of a man of ninety-three having disputed the right of
the author of _Les supercheries littéraires dévoilées_, to extract from
the _Moniteur_ of the time a notice of his father, delayed judgment
for two years, and prevented the completion of Quérard’s work, and
finally imposed upon him the circulation of an extra sheet containing
an historical falsehood. Not only was the printing suspended, but the
printers who were pestered by the incessant demands of the son, wanted
to be rid of so troublesome a customer as Quérard. They therefore
required an authority to receive for _three years_ the pension allowed
the bibliographer by the minister of public instruction, to cover the
expenses of printing which were then due. It was then, when deprived
of every means of support, as he had been in 1845, always of course
reckoning on the sympathy of his habitual readers, that he founded in
1855 a bibliographical Journal entitled after his own name:—
(XXI.)—_Le Quérard. Archives d’histoire littéraire de biographie et de
bibliographie française. Complément périodique de la France littéraire.
Par l’auteur de La France Littéraire, des Supercheries Littéraires
Dévoilées, etc. etc. (Mottoes:)—Arrière, camarades et ereinteurs; mais
à nous les hommes de vrai savoir et de conscience.—Ceci est un livre de
bonne foi.—Montaigne. Paris, au bureau du Journal, passage Dauphine,
escalier_ H. 1855-6; 8ᵛᵒ; 587—II. 648. The index, pages 645 to 648,
vol. II., is frequently wanting. This, unfortunately, turned out another
bad speculation for its unlucky editor. An article of several pages is
devoted to this journal, in the _Bulletin du Bib. Belge_, XI. 145; 246,
XII., 151.
As this work is almost a supplement to his others, and contains some
valuable articles not elsewhere, we give a summary:—
Les Bridel, I. 88. by Ph. Bridel.—La Bibliographie devant les
Tribunaux M. de Saint-Albin v. Quérard p. 183.—Bibliothèque
des frères Gébéodé.—Coup d’œil retrospectif sur le Zombi du
Grand-Pérou, p. 187. II: 328. Livres intéressants pour la
France dans la Bibliotheca Grenvillana, p. 189. Les Aventures
de Faublas, 388. Sur les Mélanges publiés par la Philobiblion
Society, London, 374. Remon Sebon, 447. Indiscrétions d’un
vieux bibliographe. Additions aux Supercheries Littéraires
Dévoilées, 451. Anagramme et Cryptonyme (Blocquel), 553. Du
Catalogue Fortsas, 537, & II., 11. Pourquoi une souscription
Quérard, 542. Vol. II. Sur la Famille d’Honoré Balzac, 7.
Charles Dickens, Fautes d’impressions, 12. Ouvrages de Quérard
49, 643. Etat des livres et des Bibliothèques avant l’invention
de l’imprimerie, 45. Recherches sur quelques écrivains
ridicules, 1, Pierre le Loyer—2, Ch.-Joseph de Grave, 3, Le P.
Maimbourg, 4, Les théologiens jésuites d’Ingolstadt du XVIe
siècle, 49. Technologie Bibliographique, ou vocabulaire de la
Bibliographie érudite, 154. Feuillets de l’Encyclopédie inédite
du Bibliothécaire. Marguerite d’Autriche, Gœthe, 163. France.
Academies, 317. Marie Antoinette d’Autriche, 401-479. Charlotte
Corday, 440. De Stael, 507. Montaigne. 522. Biographie,
Garneau, Historien de Canada, 172. Le Comte Falloux du Coudray,
241. Les contes de Perrault, 251. L. Curmer, 267. De Tribus
Impostoribus, 270. “Le Portrait du Loquettes,” 275. H.-L. Wolff
de Spa, 275. George de Tours, 301. Bibliothèque de Racine;
de Grolier; de Napoleon, 394. Jean Paul Marat, 489. M. Jozon
d’Erquar, 488. Les Clubs de Bibliophiles en Angleterre et les
bibliothèques particulières de Londres, 550. La Roumanie, 567.
La Famille Guizot, 601.[42]
In _Le Quérard_, he seems first to have used the anagram “d’Erquar,”
after a capital explanation of his reasons for publishing parts of
the _Encyclopédie_. He uses it again (Vol. 2. 488) to supplement the
monograph of Charlotte Corday. We fancy we trace Quérard’s style in other
articles, and it is probable that he used other signatures; thus he
quietly indulged sometimes in a little self-adulation, which did no harm,
and was probably a source of considerable amusement and satisfaction to
him.
Unfortunately from the first year it had not the success Quérard required
to clear him of his embarrassments. This last reverse induced him to make
another attempt with the minister of public instruction. M. H. Fortoul,
who was fond of, and sympathised with the industrious, received the timid
petitioner, who lived only in his study, and who was much disconcerted by
his visit to the Minister, with great kindness. M. Fortoul spontaneously
suggested to him that his right place was in one of the libraries of
Paris, and promised to give it his serious consideration on the first
vacancy. But M. H. Fortoul died:[43] there was nobody to keep the promise
he had made. Our unfortunate bibliographer had still to wait and still to
suffer! And he did. He waited and suffered to the last.[44]
M. Beriat-Saint-Prix had compassion on the unfortunate and precarious
position of our bibliographer, and one of the most worthy publishers of
Paris, whose father of old had put fortune in Quérard’s way by sending
him to Austria as an agent, M. Hector Bossange, took the initiative at
the beginning of 1855 of a subscription in favor of him, who for upwards
of thirty years rendered a service by his estimable labors, not only to
literature, but to the literary establishments of every country, and
who was yet left without reward. M. Bossange was fortunate enough to
make Messrs. Didot brothers and J.-B Baillière join in his sympathy,
and the announcement of the subscription was sent forth. M. Bossange,
who from the year 1825 always gave Quérard proofs of his esteem and
friendship, put his whole soul and prodigious activity to endeavor to
make it a success. Truly never was bibliographer the subject of so
flattering an ovation. In this subscription which was only got up with
the view of asking the aid of French publishers, librarians joined
with bibliophiles and foreign librarians; and in the list of those who
gave Quérard evidence of their regard, we read the names of Germans,
Americans, Spaniards, English, Belgians, Danes, Italians and Russians.
The absence of several names is remarkable. For instance the library of
the _Bibliothèque Impériale_ of Paris is not represented by a single man,
whilst in this list we read the names of three Librarians of the British
Museum,[45] one of the Astor Library of New York, one of Moscow, and
several others; this was unpatriotic, and in flagrant bad taste, to a man
whose works had frequently assisted their learning when at fault. The
name of the author of the “_Manuel du Libraire_” is conspicuous by its
absence.
Quérard now thought he was rid of his embarrassments, but he had
not reckoned upon that fatality which seemed to attach to him. The
subscription was not yet closed when another misfortune struck him. Under
the insignificant pretext of a confusion of names, which neither affected
his influence nor his interests, a pious writer who wished to occupy the
public mind with himself, summoned our bibliographer before the court
for this error, which offended his vanity. This devout man consecrated
a fraud, of which he had been guilty, and obtained against our poor
bibliographer a decree and costs which amounted to 2000 francs! to be
deducted from the subscription already reduced one-half by the debts of
the journal _Le Quérard_.
Have we now sufficiently justified the title, as applied to the national
bibliograph of France, of “A Martyr to Bibliography?”
(XXII.)—_M. le Baron Modeste de Korff, directeur en Chef de la
Bibliothèque Impériale publique de Saint Petersbourg._ 1856; 8ᵛᵒ; 8.
He sometimes spells Korff—Korf.
(XXIII.)—_La Famille Guizot. Monographie bibliographique. Paris.
L’auteur, rue Mazarine 27._ 1857; 8ᵛᵒ; 32.
Notices extracted from _Le Quérard_, and signed by Quérard.
(XXIV.)—_Un Martyr de la Bibliographie. Notice sur la vie et les travaux
de J.-M. Quérard, auteur de la F. L., Supercheries L. D. etc., etc.,
suivie de la liste générale des personnes qui, en Europe et en Amérique,
ont pris part à la souscription Quérard en 1855. (Extrait du tome XI. de
la France Littéraire) Paris, l’éditeur, rue Mazarine, 27._ 1857; 8ᵛᵒ; 15
+ 8.
The “notice” begins on page 5, and ends at 15, and is subscribed:—_Un
compatriote et ami du Bibliographe Mar Jozon d’Erquar_ [anagram of
Quérard]; then follows:—_Pièces dans la souscription-Quérard lettre des
Promoteurs_.
It is signed _Ambroise-Firmin Didot, J.-B. Baillière, Hector Bossange
et fils. Dated, Paris, 15 Nov., 1855._ From the _Feuilleton de la
Bibliographie, de la France, 23 Nov., 1855_. Then follows:—_Pourquoi
une souscription Quérard?_ signed by the latter and extracted from
_Le Quérard_ of Dec. 1855. We then have:—_Liste générale de M. M. les
libraires, bibliophiles littérateurs et bibliothécaires de l’Europe et
de l’Amérique qui ont pris part à la souscription proposée par M. M. F.
Didot, J.-B. Baillière, et H. Bossange et fils, en faveur du Bibliographe
Français J.-M. Q. pp. 8_.
It is headed by the Emperor of the French 500 francs. The last name is
“Watts (Thomas).” It amounts to nearly 4,500 francs.
(XXV.)—_Une question d’histoire littéraire résolue. Réfutation du
paradoxe bibliographique de M. R. Chantelauze: le comte Joseph de Maistre
auteur de “L’antidote au congrès de Rastadt.” Par l’auteur des S. L. D.
Paris, l’auteur, rue Mazarine, 27. Lyon: Marius Conchon, libraire, rue
Impériale, 15. 16 Juillet._ 1859; 42. Not in double columns.
Notice on _La vie et ouvrages du P. N. Grose. Par le P. A. A. Cadrès._
_Paris_, 1862, in the _Bulletin du Bouquiniste_ of Aubry. Paris, 8ᵛᵒ. p.
202.
He continued the _Feuillets de l’Encyclopédie (inédite) du
Bibliothécaire_ (_E. H. A. Gaullieur_) in the _Bulletin du Bouquiniste_
of Aubrey. Paris, 1863, p. 371, et seq.
(XXVI.)—_Retouches au nouveau Dictionnaire des Ouvrages Anonymes et
Pseudonymes de M. E. De Manne par l’auteur Des Supercheries Littéraires
dévoilées. Paris, chez l’auteur, Quai Saint-Michel, 21. Juillet, 1862_;
8ᵛᵒ; VIII. 46 double columns, 4 francs. De Manne’s came out in May.
We advise any one who wishes to get an idea of these corrections to go
through the six pages of errata at the end. Well may Quérard call De
Manne an amateur bibliograph, when he allows such errors and defects to
appear.
Dr. Petzholdt praises these “Retouches” very highly.[46]
“As for the Dictionary of M. de Manne, the “Retouches”
comprises a table of authors, and a considerable errata of
great ability, which will be precious for those who possess the
work. This shows that M. Quérard does not consider the work of
De Manne beneath his notice, as he takes the trouble to make it
complete.”[47]
(XXVII.)—_Monographie Bibliographique._ (Half-title). _Les Robespierre.
Monographie Bibliographique. Par J.-M. Q. Paris: L’Éditeur, Quai
Saint-Michel, No. 21. Mars, 1863. 8ᵛᵒ; 44; 4 francs._ Double columns. It
has no index.
Extracted from Vol. XII. of _La France Littéraire_. 100 copies printed.
Comprises 320 articles.
“A little masterpiece, the perusal of which will greatly
interest amateurs of historical researches. M. Quérard does not
limit himself to the titles of books, he considers it necessary
to know the contents. Thus arise certain prejudices against
him. If he had written in more measured terms of authors his
superior merit as a bibliographer would, we doubt not, be
generally appreciated; for to him we owe several works which
are among the best published in France.”[48]
(XXVIII.)—_De la Bibliographie Générale au dix-neuvième siècle et plus
particulièrement du Manuel du Libraire et de l’amateur de livres. Lettre
à M. Jacques-Charles Brunet, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, par J-M.
Quérard, auteur de la France Littéraire, des Supercheries Dévoilées, du
Quérard, etc., correspondant de la Société littéraire de Lyon. Paris:
L’Éditeur, Quai Saint-Michel, 21. Avril, 1863; r. 8ᵛᵒ; 24._
Every one must regret the cause, and the unfortunate feelings, which
prompted this bitterly written pamphlet, but which we, as biographers,
must relate. At the same time no one can regret that the information
contained in it was published. In 1844, Quérard inserted in his paper
(see VIII.) a most severe, though just, criticism, by Joseph-Marie
Guichard, on the 3rd edition of Brunet’s Manuel.[49]
According to Quérard, the whole of Brunet’s ill-feeling arose from this
article; and, indeed, no one can be surprised, for the criticism is most
damaging, and all the more effective for being written by a bibliographer
thoroughly cognizant of his subject. Quérard begins with a few
observations, in which he tells Brunet that he was at a loss to account
for his animosity until the fourth volume of his _Manuel_ appeared. He
then (2) gives a short life of Brunet, and a masterly summary of the
different important bibliographical works published during the nineteenth
century. (3) He reprints the learned criticism of Guichard, entitled _Du
Manuel du Libraire et de l’Amateur de Livres, par M. J.-C. Brunet, IVᵉ
édition. Tomes I.-III., et de La Littérature Française Contemporaine par
M. J.-M. Q. Tomes I. et II. Extrait du Moniteur de la Librairie numéros
des 10 et 20 février, 1844._ We then have (4) _Notices des Travaux
Bibliographiques de J.-M. Q. Par M. J.-C. Brunet Remaniée au point de vue
de la vérité altérée_, and Quérard’s observations upon Brunet’s notices
in his _Manuel_. We are bound to say that Brunet scarcely gives even the
titles of Quérard’s works correctly, whether on purpose or by accident we
know not. Then (5) _Calomnies de M. Brunet_.
In his _Manuel_, Brunet remarks the disparity between the letters A to K,
in his _Écrivains Pseudonymes_ (see p. 13), which are unproportionately
short. Quérard explains that this volume (XI.) was, originally, only
the commencement of the index for the _Supercheries_. But the editing
of the _Littérature Contemporaine_ was so loose, so full of errors and
omissions, that he felt sorry his name should be attached to it. He,
however, enlarged his plan, so that he included in his book most of the
omissions in the other. But as the work proceeded, he found that a great
part of his matter was adopted by the editors of the last-mentioned work,
and he then stopped his publication till the other was finished. He
always intended to publish a second edition of this volume which would
have then formed two or three, making it uniform with Vol XII., by which
he wished his merits as a bio-bibliographer to be judged.[50]