A new literary supplement; a new journalistic style

When Eça de Queirós began publishing the Brazilian Suplemento Literário da Gazeta de Notícias on 18 January 1892, his name had already been connected to the Rio de Janeiro-based newspaper for some time. His collaboration with the Gazeta de Notícias had begun on 24 July 1880 with his article ‘Cartas de Paris e Londres’ and his contributions included a variety of literary genres: the so-called ‘Cartas de Inglaterra’ and ‘Crónicas de Londres’, A Relíquia, the final chapter of Os Maias, some of Fradique Mendes' letters and his ‘Notas e Recordações ‘(‘Remembrances and notes’).

As the Gazeta says, when it announces Eça's first contribution: ‘We take great satisfaction in publishing today the first letter by the eminent writer Eça de Queiroz, who has accepted our invitation to be our correspondent in London. It would be pointless to extol the merits of our collaborator who has already made his name with works of great literary value.’ And it continues: ‘So say As Farpas, O Crime do Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro), O Primo Basílio and other masterly written texts. For the time being, Senhor Eça de Queiroz will occupy himself with events in Paris and London; but very shortly, he will deal only with England as soon as the correspondent we have contracted for paris arrives in that capital’ (quoted by Lyra, p. 147).

The challenge was indeed flattering.