Louis Veuillot

Journalist and writer, b. at Boynes, Loiret, 11 Oct., 1813; d. in Paris, 7 April, 1883. He was the son of a poor cooper and at the age of thirteen was obliged to leave the primary schools and earn his living, obtaining a modest position with a Paris attorney, the brother of the then famous poet Casimir Delavigne. The poet's friends frequented the lawyer's studio, even the clerics among them being more or less engaged in literary pursuits, and in these surroundings the youthful Veuillot became conscious of his vocation as a writer. He was encouraged by some well-intentioned friends, some of whom gave him advice and lessons. He devoted every free moment, especially at night, to the study of literature and history. At seventeen he was the editor of a newspaper at Rouen, and shortly after of another at Perigueuz. Attention was soon drawn to his talent as manifested in his style and wit and he was called to enter Parisian journalism, where his successes followed one another rapidly. But he was troubled to know what political party he should adopt definitively. Political questions under discussion at that time (reign of Louis-Philippe) did not seem interesting to the young writer, imbued with eagerness and strength. He did not despise religion, but he lacked almost any conception of it, and he complained that he did not know what use to make of his life and his devotion. A friend who had just turned to the practice of religion took him to Rome and there he discovered the splendours of faith. When he returned to Paris he had sworn to devote himself completely to the cause of Catholicism.

In France at that time this cause had very few resolute and active partisans. The Government declared itself favourable to religion, but it also feared to displease the public, still more or less animated by the prejudices and hatreds diffused by Voltaire and the Revolution. Veuillot wrote several works entirely devoted to depicting the beauty of Christian doctrine and life and then he found the journal of which he stood in need, the "Univers", which had been established some years previously and was still unknown and almost without financial resources. At this juncture friends of Veuillot's in official positions offered him an enviable post. He had as yet acquired no fortune, being content to gain a livelihood and to assist his family, but he refused all the advantages offered him and became a Catholic journalist, resolved never to be anything else. The chief question then being discussed (1843-50) was liberty of teaching, which was claimed by the Catholics headed by Montalembert. Transformed by the ardour and talent of Veuillot, the "Univers" became the organ of the party and contributed greatly to its ultimate success. But this struggle was long and impassioned. The unbelieving Press and, in general, even that which claimed or imagined itself to be favourable to religion, passionately opposed the Catholic journalist. The widespread prejudices would not suffer Catholics to display daring, talent, or wit. These three qualities Veuillot possessed abundantly, and the use he made of them won him not only much renown and admiration but also inflexible hatred. In 1844 he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment for having in the "Univers" undertaken the defence of the Abbé Combalot, a preacher whom the Government had just condemned in connection with the controversy concerning the university. Even among Catholics there was a party which always remained hostile to him. After the partial triumph of liberty of instruction (1850), Veuillot found himself in conflict with his former friend Montalembert, with bishops (especially Mgr Dupanloup), and other persons who reproached him with carrying doctrinal intransigentism too far and with defending religion with too great violence, though all he asked for the Church was mere liberty.

Under the Second Empire this double conflict continued. Veuillot combated free-thinking, which assumed a philosophical charact