Deux journaux viennois de langue française du XVIIIe siècle dans les collections de la Bibliothèque de Kórnik
Two 18th-century Viennese Newspapers Printed in the French Language in the Collections of the Kórnik Library

Summary/Abstract: The present article focuses on two French language newspapers published in Vienna towards the end of 1787 and during the first months of 1788: Correspondance secrète, politique, civile et littéraire and the Correspondance universelle, ou Compilation générale et complète de tous les papiers publics les plus estimés. The only known (incomplete) collections of these titles are kept in the Polish Academy of Sciences Kórnik Library. Their analysis enables us to complement the rather fragmentary information on these newspapers contained in the modest relevant literature. It also shows that even though the overwhelming majority of the news they published was of second- and sometimes even third-hand origin, and although they also contained factual and linguistic errors, which seems to result from their authors’ careless attitude, the Correspondance secrète and the Correspondance universelle do possess a certain value as source materials for scholars researching 18th-century history. Finally, the analysis of the Correspondance secrète and the Correspondance universelle also brings precious information on Charles de Grandmenil, the editor of these and several other titles; indeed, an analysis of his working methods shows that he seemed to perceive the goal of his work chiefly from the perspective of profit and competition.

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