THOMAS Antoine-Léonard (1732-1785) poète et critique [AF 176 - Lot 218

Lot n° 218
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THOMAS Antoine-Léonard (1732-1785) poète et critique [AF 176 - Lot 218
THOMAS Antoine-Léonard (1732-1785) poète et critique [AF 1766, 30e f]. 6 L.A.S. "Thomas", 2 L.A. and 1 L.S., Paris 1770-1779, to President Antoine Bonnier d'ALCO, in Montpellier; 10 pages in-4, addresses with wax seals (broken). Beautiful literary correspondence to the young president of the Court of Aides of Montpellier. January 27, 1770. "I have seen your first talents blossom; and I remember with pleasure the moments when you were willing to consult me on essays that announced a sensitive soul and a strong imagination"; but these promising literary beginnings were perhaps sacrificed to "austere duties. If you join them together, you will do like the L'Hopital and the Montesquieu" September 1, 1774. "You could sing Mahomet second and the Turks at your ease, without fearing to shock the Roman purple. The muses, as you know, are daughters of Heaven; and the beautiful verses are of all religions. The cardinal ambassador [BERNIS] who joined the barb to Horace's myrtle, knows that it is necessary to live in peace with all the powers " [1774]. He is not surprised by the approval that the cardinal of Bernis gave to his verses: poetry "made his reputation in a time when he only aspired to reputation. Since then he has had better things to do, and instead of reconciling rhymes and arranging hemistiches, he has occupied himself with reconciling and arranging states" April 24, 1775. "The patriarch of Ferney [VOLTAIRE] speaks at his ease about envy; it is Apollo who speaks on the body of the serpent Pithon struck down at his feet. But the teeth of the monster are terrible, and not everyone has the arrows of the god. I wish you [] one of the arrows from his quiver. It is up to you to irritate the monster and to defeat him" July 7, 1775. He is astonished to see one of his private letters inserted in the Mercure: they are "not very suitable for the public eye. Mr de Voltaire alone can have this right; all that escapes from his pen, can interest, and his praises become titles" January 20, 1777, on the progress of his "poem of Peter the Great" July 14, 1778. He deplores the circumstances of VOLTAIRE's funeral, and the prohibition of publicity and theatrical representation which followed his death February 6, 1779. "The eulogy of M. de Voltaire proposed to the academy must awaken all the talents. In celebrating him, one must speak his language, and verses worthy of him are the most beautiful homage" Etc. An interesting l.a.s. from a homonym, Valon June 14, 1678, commenting on the Psalms in French verse by Valentin CONRART is attached.
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