ROYALISM IN FRANCE
[To the Editor of Tim SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The timely note on " Royalism -in France " in The Spectator of June 29th, does less than justice to M. Maurras's achievement in resuscitating royalism. L'Action Francaise was, like its parent, the Ligue de la Patrie Francaise, originally neutral in politics and the- first victory of M. Maurras was the conversion to royalism of the founder of the Action, Henri Vaugeois. Vaugeois, in reply to Maurras's dialectic retorted, " You are the only royalist in France." " Join me and we shall be two " was the answer. Vaugeois did join—and soon the royalists were more than two. This took place long before 1908 which is the date of the launching of the daily newspaper, L'Action Francaisc, but not of the founding of the movement. Since the death of
Vaugeois, Maurras has been the sole chief of the movement, Daudet and Bainville lieutenants, brilliant lieutenants, but
no more. Members of the Action who permitted themselves illusions on this point (e.g. Louis Dimier) had to get out.—I
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