VALÉRY Paul (1871-1945) [AF 1925, 38e f]. - Lot 227

Lot n° 227
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400 - 500 EUR
VALÉRY Paul (1871-1945) [AF 1925, 38e f]. - Lot 227
VALÉRY Paul (1871-1945) [AF 1925, 38e f]. L.A.S. "Paul Valéry", December 1924, to Gabriel HANOTAUX; 4 pages in-8 on yellow paper (traces of sticky paper). About his book project on Descartes and his candidacy for the Academy. He had the intention to bring him his wishes in person, with a small booklet that Champion has just reprinted [B. 1910], but "I am between the fire and the bed, very badly arranged by the winter [], and I am reduced to a dreary dialogue between the Spirit and the Body, where it is only a question of the Vanity of all things. However, this dejected man was not insensitive to the quotation you made of his name in the Revue des Deux Mondes "... He expresses all his gratitude, then speaks about his work and his projects: "I was obliged by adverse circumstances to abandon for I don't know what time my Descartes, three times undertaken, three times reversed this autumn. I had spoken about it to some philosophers - Bergson and Brunschwicg - because I felt bold to take up again in my own way a subject so well known and so turned over. They kindly encouraged me; - but all the physical, and even moral, conditions of my elaboration became deplorable, and I sent Descartes back to better days. [] I will not speak to you about the Academy. It is a subject in which I feel ingenuous, lost, - perhaps absurd. You cannot imagine how annoyed I am to upset your feelings in this unfortunate matter. The friendship that you have shown me, the pleasure that I have found in your welcome so benevolent, the great benefit of your conversation so full and erudite are goods so precious to me that I cannot suffer to feel them crossed by a question of candidacy ". A L.A.S. to Maurice DONNAY (2 p.in-8), "small report" on his academic candidacy is attached: "The new candidate tears me off more than one bulletin. Everything is leaning towards him. The females want a male. As for the Duke?. Where on earth will his strength go? Curel, I am told, believes in a ballotage. Cambon, whom I saw this morning, is not too optimistic"; but "if Prévost, if Barthou wished it solidly, the matter would still be manageable. Will they wish it? Hanotaux, Régnier, Boylesve are in the field. Bergson is out of the fight and lost for this cause " Plus a L.A.S., March 31, 1921, about sending a poem for the Feuillets d'art.
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