s, or the clemency of the
tyrant who sits upon the French throne, that he may soon return to the
land he loves so well.

JULES JANIN

[Illustration: JULES JANIN.]

"Oh! what a year in which to be born!" exclaims Janin of the year
1804--the year in which Napoleon, conqueror at the Pyramids and Marengo,
placed upon his head the imperial crown--and the year which gave birth
to the prince of French critics--Jules Janin. His parents were poor and
humble, but honest and intelligent, and resided in Saint Etienne, near
Lyons. At Lyons he entered school and became distinguished. At fifteen
he imagined himself well versed in Greek and Latin, and in short, was a
young egotist. His family fostered this self love. An uncle said, "Let
me send the prodigy to college in Paris!" An aunt paid the expenses of
the first year--for he entered the college of Louis-le-Grand. This aunt
loved the boy dearly, and for a week before he left, could not see him,
such was her tenderness.

The whole family expected great things of him, and thought that his
talents would be immediately recognized. But they were doomed to
disappointment. He gained no prize in college, and no honors. His aunt
had expected that after one year, such were his talents, that the
college would gladly give him the rest of his education, but she was
obliged to support him for two years more.

He made himself unpopular with his teachers in college from fighting the
Jesuits. When he left college he would not return to Saint Etienne,
where his companions would mock him. He resolved to stay in Paris, even
if he starved. He wrote to his kind old aunt, who at once came to Paris
and made a quiet home for him. But this would not do--the rent of the
house was half her income. He first took a class of pupils and taught
them Latin, Greek, and history. This was a slight addition to their
income. Summer came and his pupils left. He now was forced to engage
with a professor of a boarding-school, at the rate of ten dollars a
month, to teach. The professor was unfortunate and his furniture was
attached, he, at the time, owing Jules for three months' work. He was an
honest and good man, and Jules offered to give him the sum due, though
he had not money enough left to get him a dinner. But he contrived a
plan by which he cheated the law officers of a part of their goods, and
got his pay. He was noted at this time more for his appetite than
anything else, and would sacrifice more for