 He made his debut as a critic in small newspapers such as the "Courrier de Paris" and the "Journal de Francfort".He became secretary of the editorial board of "Le Temps", wrote the drama chronicle in "l’Esprit public", was one of the cofounders of "l’Esprit français", published short stories in "L'Univers", "Le Monde illustré", "l’Estafette", le "Nord", while working in collaboration for theaters of the suburbs and the boulevards.The brilliant success of his comedy, "Les Inutiles", which reached 200 consecutive performances in 1868, established his reputation as a playwright.