FLAUBERT Gustave (1821-1880). - Lot 64

Lot n° 64
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FLAUBERT Gustave (1821-1880). - Lot 64
FLAUBERT Gustave (1821-1880). L.A.S. "G.", Sunday, January 2 [23, 1853], to Louise COLET; 4 pages in-4. Beautiful letter of literary advice to his Muse for his poem La Paysanne. "Why, dear Muse, did you immediately send me back La Paysanne without having made the last corrections? I am not complaining about all the time I spent on it, but you made me repeat the same things to you several times, which it would have been easier to remedy from the start. Anyway, your work is good. I read it to my mother and she was very touched. Only in the future do not choose this meter [decasyllabic]. It may be a particular taste, but I find it unmusical by itself. All the good things I think of it I have already told you and will tell you again: it is perfectly composed, simple & poetic at the same time, two almost contradictory qualities. There is in it a great background, a quantity of naive verses and a sustained inspiration from one end to the other. Where the strength lies is in having drawn from a common subject a touching story, and not a scoundrel. Only, for the love of God, or rather for the love of art, pay attention again, and change one of these passages; the only ones I find fault with (see my previous reviews)"; 5 numbered passages follow, with remarks and proposals for correction... "As for wanting to publish this tale as being by a man, it is impossible because in two places, speaking of women, you say we. Very good passages, very in their place and to which nothing should be changed. So publish it frankly and with your name, since it is by far your best work. As for the R. des D. Mondes, apart from the immediate advantage of being read, I don't see any other, not having, in reserve, other publications that can follow this one, immediately. Besides, it doesn't matter, publish it separately, after it will have appeared in a newspaper, and I would be very surprised if this tale didn't have a great success. We'll make illustrations of it. It will become popular, you'll see. It's good, and it will stay. That's why I beg you once again to remove the few remaining stains, so that we don't have to take anything back. At the end of next week I will be with you. My next letter, dear friend, will tell you the exact day of my arrival. B. [Bouilhet] I think will come with me. He will reread the poem with Bouilhet, and he will pass on "his last observations, if they are different from mine". He adds a few more corrections, before concluding: "There. My next letter will be longer. Farewell, poor beloved Muse, I embrace you everywhere. To you your G."... Correspondence (Pléiade), t. II, p. 239.
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