After brilliant studies at the Lycée Charlemagne, where he became friends with Edmond About, he entered the Ecole normale supérieure in 1848. He was in the same class as Taine, Assolant, About, etc. ~ A teacher in the provinces from 1851 to 1858, but in conflict with the administration, he asked for a year's leave in 1859, came to Paris and, thanks to About, joined various newspapers and magazines, in particular Le Figaro, where he wrote under the pseudonym of Suttières. He resigned his teaching post in 1860 and devoted himself to journalism. But he became famous for his theatre reviews, which made him the "oracle of the average audience" (according to the Larousse). His articles have been collected under the title Quarante Ans de théâtre (1900-1902): Autograph letter signed: ”... je ne puis malheureusement revenir sur un article déjà fait …". Included: 2 autograph letters signed.