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Almanacs for popular use, offer a means much used in France for the
propagation of political, social and religious doctrines. Every sect and
party issues its Almanac, and some issue several, crammed to the brim
with the peculiar notions whose dissemination is wished for. One of the
most successful for the year 1851, is the _Almanach des Opprimes_ (The
Almanac of the Oppressed). In fact, it is aimed wholly at the Society of
Jesuits, whose history it exposes in the blackest colors. It begins with
the early life of Loyola, depicts his debaucheries, his ambition, the
religious mechanism invented by his enthusiastic and fanatical genius,
the flexibility of his morality, and goes on to give an account of the
intrigues and crimes of his successors in various countries and times,
with an analysis of their books, their missions and their miracles.
Another of these publications is called the _Almanach du Peuple_,
containing a very great variety of articles of substantial value. Among
the contributors are, F. Arago, Quinet, Charras, Carnot, Girardin,
George Sand, Pierre Leroux, Dumil Aeur, E. Lithe, Mazzini, and other
republicans distinguished in the political, literary and scientific
world. This Almanac had the honor last year of being seized by the
Government, but on trial before a jury it was acquitted of the charge
against it, of being dangerous to society, and provoking citizens to
hate the republic and despise the authorities.

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A critic in the _Allegemeine Zeitung_, in noticing "Ottomar, a Romance
from the Present Time," the last novel from the pen of Madame Von
Zoellner, takes occasion to give some hard hits at women's novels in
general. "It always must and always will be a failure," he says, "when a
woman attempts to form a just conception of masculine character, and to
put her conception into language. Female writers always comb out
smoothly the flaxen hair of their heroes, and dress them up in the
frockcoat of innocence. They go into raptures over a sort of green
enthusiasm, and a romantic fantasticality of virtue, such as we godless
fellows are not guilty of possessing; and in this way they turn out
automatons which resemble nothing in earth, heaven, or elsewhere." The
critic however admits that Madame Zoellner, who is undoubtedly one of the
best living German novel writers, possesses remarkable and peculiar
merits. No other woman occupies