From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: This is Dumas' most important and most pretentious journal.
It was devoted to romance, travel, memoirs, criticism of art, music and especially the theatre, to poetry, and supplied many of his charming "causeries."
It was a daily sheet, 480 by 340 mm. in size. The first (specimen) number appeared on November 12th, 1853. Actual publication commenced on the 21st, of the same month, and thereafter continued regularly until February 7th, 1857.
It was supported, at least in its early numbers, by almost all Dumas' numerous literary friends, and received communications from most of the first writers of the day.
For some time, while it was still a new effort, he contributed regularly to its pages and in large and generous measure, but as time went on he found he could obtain a speedier return for his work by placing it elsewhere, and "Le Mousquetaire" was left for other pens to fill. Complaints were invariably followed by expressions of regret, promises of amendment, and again, after all too brief a period, relapse into the old condition of affairs. As the magic signature of its editor-in-chief failed to appear attached to its articles and romances subscriptions declined. Finally it was left entirely to others, and the only possible result, extinction, followed.
Among other matters Dumas contributed the following hitherto unpublished works: "El Salteador," "Histoire de Mes Bêtes" (part), "La Jeunesse de Pierrot," "Marie Dorval," "Mes Mémoires" (part), "Les Mohicans de Paris" (part), "L'Orestie," "Romulus," "Une Vie d'Artiste," many "Causeries" and dramatic and other more or less critical articles, and a considerable amount of very witty adaptations from Saphir, the Austrian humorist. Not a little of this material has not been reprinted.
In collating the issues, the following errors may be noted as leading to confusion :—
On June 8th, 1854, and the preceding day are two issues both bearing that date, and both numbered 195. The first should be June 7th, No. 195 ; the second : June 8th, No. 196.
Moreover on the second of these dates commences Vol. II. of "Les Mohicans de Paris," and in some copies its first chapter is wrongly indicated as the "XIer," though in others it has been corrected to "1er."
On July 9th of the same year the number should be 227. By error, date and number are mixed and given as "July 7th, No. 229."
In December, 1854, there is a run of misnumbering : 391, 394, 395, 396, 395/6, 397.
On July 29th, 1855, No. 210 is given as 200.
In 1856, No. 250 is wrongly dated September 5th instead of September 6th.
From November 6th to 10th, 1856, there is another run of errors : 311, 311, 312, 313, 315.
The number for January 13th, 1857, is dated in error January 18th.
References :— Audebrand: "Alex. Dumas à la Maison d'Or." Lecomte: "Alex. Dumas," pp. 60-62, 175-76. Glinel: "Alexandre Dumas et Son Œuvre," page 432.
"Eclectic Magazine," No. 1.
"Hogg's Instructor," No. 13.
