Pierre Leroux, who is now an exile in London, is about to deliver a course of lectures on the History of Socialism. Pierre Leroux has not only the necessary erudition for the task, he has also the prestige of having intimately known the modern Socialists.
The works of Chamfort are collected into one octavo volume, with a preliminary essay by Arsene Houssaye. These writings abound in anecdotes, and sharp sentences, picturesque, ear-catching, brief, and suggestive phrases.
George Sand has made another unsuccessful dramatic experiment, Pandolphe en vacances, which distresses the admirers of her genius, who desire to see her renounce a stage to which that genius is clearly not adapted, in spite of Le Champi and Claudie.
In the Revue des Deux Mondes is commenced a skillful translation of Mrs. Norton's beautiful novel, Stuart of Dunleath, by Emile Forgues; and an intimation is given of this vein being actively worked.
No small sensation has been caused in Paris by the discovery of the extraordinary forgeries of the Shelley letters. The fact is, that the system of forging letters and manuscripts of distinguished personages is carried on to a large extent in that city: indeed it is as much a regular branch of business as the manufacture of pictures by the great masters is in Italy. In Germany similar frauds are practiced with great success. Only a little while ago a gentleman purchased several letters purporting to be written by Luther, every one of which it now appears is a forgery. In Italy the same system is carried on.