We have compiled a list of 83 objects classified as Narrow-Line Seyfert 1
galaxies (NLS1s) or known to have a broad Balmer component narrower than 2000
km/s. Out of these, 19 turned out to have been spectroscopically misidentified
in previous studies; only 64 of the selected objects are genuine NLS1s. We have
spectroscopically observed 59 of them and tried to characterize their Narrow
and Broad-Line Regions (NLR and BLR) by fitting the emission-lines with
Gaussian and/or Lorentzian profiles. In most cases, the broad Balmer components
are well fitted by a single Lorentzian profile. This has consequences
concerning their FWHMs and line ratios: when the broad Balmer components are
fitted with a Lorentzian, most narrow line regions have line ratios typical of
Seyfert 2s while, when a Gaussian profile isused for fitting the broad Balmer
components, the line ratios are widely scattered in the usual diagnostic
diagrams (Veilleux & Osterbrock 1987). We find that, in general, the [O III]
lines have a relatively narrow Gaussian profile (~ 200-500 km/s FWHM) with
often, in addition, a second broad (~ 500-1800 km/s FWHM), blueshifted Gaussian
component. We do not confirm that the [O III] lines are weak in NLS1s. As
previously suggested, there is a continuous transition of all properties
between NLS1s and classical Broad-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies (BLS1s) and the limit
of 2000 km/s used to separate the two species is arbitrary; R_4570, the ratio
of the Fe II to the H_beta fluxes, could be a physically more meaningful
parameter to distinguish them. (abridged abstract)Comment: LaTeX file, 24 pages, 15 figures, uses the new A&A macro (enclosed:
aa5.cls). Figs. 1-5 and 7 are bitmapped; non-bitmapped, high quality figures
are included in the .ps and .pdf versions of the paper, available at
http://www.obs-hp.fr/www/preprints.html. Accepted for publication in
Astronomy & Astrophysic
