“In the case of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter there was, even at the beginning of our investigation, no doubt that murder had been committed.  The idea of suicide was excluded at once.  Here, too, we are freed, at the commencement, from all supposition of self- murder.  The body found at the Barrière du Roule, was found under such circumstances as to leave us no room for embarrassment upon this important point.  But it has been suggested that the corpse discovered, is not that of the Marie Rogêt for the conviction of whose assassin, or assassins, the reward is offered, and respecting whom, solely, our agreement has been arranged with the Prefect.  We both know this gentleman well.  It will not do to trust him too far.  If, dating our inquiries from the body found, and thence tracing a murderer, we yet discover this body to be that of some other individual than Marie; or, if starting from the living Marie, we find her, yet find her unassassinated —­ in either case we lose our labor; since it is Monsieur G——­ with whom we have to deal.  For our own purpose, therefore, if not for the purpose of justice, it is indispensable that our first step should be the determination of the identity of the corpse with the Marie Rogêt who is missing.

“With the public the arguments of L’Etoile have had weight; and that the journal itself is convinced of their importance would appear from the manner in which it commences one of its essays upon the subject — ‘Several of the morning papers of the day,’ it says, ’speak of the conclusive article in Monday’s Etoile.’  To me, this article appears conclusive of little beyond the zeal of its inditer.  We should bear in mind that, in general, it is the object of our newspapers rather to create a sensation —­ to make a point — than to further the cause of truth.  The latter end is only pursued when it seems coincident with the former.  The print which merely falls in with ordinary opinion (however well founded this opinion may be) earns for itself no credit with the mob.  The mass of the people regard as profound only him who suggests pungent contradictions of the general idea.  In ratiocination, not less than in literature, it is the epigram which is the most immediately and the most universally appreciated.  In both, it is of the lowest order of merit.

“What I mean to say is, that it is the mingled epigram and melodrame of the idea, that Marie Rogêt still lives, rather than any true plausibility in this idea, which have suggested it to L’Etoile, and secured it a favorable reception with the public.  Let us examine the heads of this journal’s argument; endeavoring to avoid the incoherence with which it is originally set forth.