**early life and career** auguste vacquerie, a french journalist and man of letters, was born on november 19, 1819, in villequier, france. his early life was marked by a strong admiration for victor hugo, with whom he was connected through the marriage of his brother charles to léopoldine hugo, victor's daughter. **literary and journalistic contributions** vacquerie's early romantic productions include: l'enfer de l'esprit (1840), a volume of poems a translation of antigone (1844) in collaboration with paul meurice tragaldabas (1848), a melodrama these works reflect his deep involvement in t…