Whenhewasabouttwenty-two,Zolabeganhis literarycareerasapublicistatHachette's. 1He laterwrotereportsonliterature,art,and politicsforseveraljournals,butuntilhis publishedreviewsappearedhepresentedhisviews onliterarysubjectsinletterstofriends.These criticalcommentslettersweremadetoareceptive audiencebyayoungmanwhohadnoother imaginativeoutlet.Whenhebegantopublish frequently,hislettersbecamemorebusinesslike withfewerrevelationsofliteraryintentions.2 Intheearlystagesofhiscareer,however,his letterswereaforumforhisliterarycriticism, hisdevelopingcriticaltheory,andsketchesof hisworksinprogress.Whathewaslatertowrite ofBalzac("ToutBalzacetaitdejadansces lettresdejeunesse"/"AllBalzacwasalreadyin thelettersofhisyouth"),3wecanapplytoZola aswell.