Lot n° 202
Estimation :
25000 - 30000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 39 680EUR
ROUSSEAU Jean-Jacques (1712-1778).
COLLECTION of 13 L.A.S. or L.A., most of them signed " JJ Rousseau " or " JJR ", 1766-1767, 12 of them addressed to Bernard GRANVILLE; presented in a folio volume in which they were originally mounted; about 20 pages in-4 or in-8, several addresses (some foxing, cracks or tears restored, traces of the old mounting); bound in long-grained red morocco, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, gilt title on the upper board.
Original autograph letters of Jean Jacques Rousseau, spine gilt, inner gilt border, gilt edges (Riviere & Son; (slight wear to the covers and corners).
Remarkable set of letters from Rousseau during his exile in England.
After the indexing of the Emile, in 1762, Jean-Jacques Rousseau was forced to leave France. He first stayed in Switzerland, then accepted the invitation of the Scottish philosopher David Hume and, on January 10, 1766, set sail for England. At the end of March he settled in Wootton Hall (Staffordshire) in part of Richard Davenport's house. He became friends with one of his close neighbors, Bernard GRANVILLE (1699-1775). The latter lived in Calwich Abbey, only 3 km. from Wootton, and the two men saw and wrote to each other frequently. Rousseau will stay in England from January 1766 to May 1767. - This Saturday morning" [April 26 ? 1766]. (l.a.s., 1 p. in-4, adr.). "Here, Sir, is a little piece of mountain fish which is not worth the one you sent me; so I offer it to you as a tribute and not in exchange, knowing well that all your kindnesses to me can only be fulfilled with the feelings you have inspired in me. I was looking forward to going to ask you to introduce me to Madame your sister, but time is getting in the way. I am unhappy in many ways, for I cannot say in all things, having a neighbor such as yourself.
- "Wootton this Saturday the 3rd" [May 3, 1766]. (l.a.s., 1 p. in-8, adr., small broken red wax seal). "I am sorry, Sir, that neither time nor my health allow me to go and pay you my respects and give you my thanks as soon as I would like. But at the moment, being extremely ill, I will not be able to make or even receive visits for a few days. [As soon as my feet can carry me to you, my will will lead me there.
- This Tuesday afternoon" [August 5, 1766]. (l.a.s., 1 p. in-4, adr. with small red wax seal with lyre). "Although I have been very ill, Sir, for the last two days, I would certainly not have bargained with my health for the favor you wanted to do me, and I was preparing to take advantage of it this evening; but here comes Mr. Davenport. He has the honesty to come on purpose to see me. [I regret very much the advantage of which I am deprived; but perhaps I shall gain by not showing myself; if you deign to speak of me to Her Ladyship of Portland with the same kindness of which you have given me so many marks, it will be better for me that she should see me through your eyes than through hers, and I shall be consoled by the good that she will think of me, of that which I shall have lost myself... [This is Margaret Cavendish (1715-1785), wife of William Bentinck, Duke of Portland. Rousseau will often discuss botany with her]
- "This Saturday evening" [November 22 ? 1766]. (l.a.s., half page in-4, adr., broken seal). "I am very sensitive to your honesty, Sir, and to your gifts, and I would be even more so if they came back less often. I will go as soon as time permits to reiterate my thanks and my reproaches. If I could speak with your servant, I would ask him for news of your health; but I have reason to presume that it continues to be better, so be it.
- This Sun. after midday" [November 30 ? 1766]. (l.a., 1 p. in-4, adr., small red wax seal with lyre). "I would like very much, Sir, to go and scold you again, although I see how useless it is, but time and my condition do not allow me to do so at present. I long for the moment of going for this walk to regain a little good humor; for I swear to you, Sir, in sincerity of heart that there are no sweeter moments in my life than those I spend with you...
- "At Wootton this Friday evening" [16 January 1767] (l.a., 1 1/2 p. in-4, adr. with red wax seal with the motto Vitam impendere vero).
"I was, Sir, extremely worried about your departure on Wednesday evening, but I was reassured on Thursday morning, judging it absolutely impracticable; I was very far from thinking that you would even want to try it. Please, do not make any more such attempts until the weather is well recovered and the road well beaten. If the snow that is holding you back at Calwich does not leave a gallery as far as Wootton, I will often make my own; but in the state this road is in now, I beg you
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