French novelist and literary critic (1869-1925). 3 autograph letters signed. N. p. [Paris]. 8vo. Altogether 7½ pp. on bifolia. With 1 autograph envelope.
$ 222 / 200 €
(44993/BN31065)
Interesting correspondence concerning Beaunier's research on Égide de Lespinasse, Chevalier de Langeac. - In the earliest letter with a poststamp from 20 January 1912, Beaunier asks a journalist at "Le Petit Marseillais" named Thomas to go to the archive of the Académie de Marseille and find out "the date of a competition whose subject must have been a eulogy of Cook, the navigator". Should there be any records of such a competition, Beaunier wants to know if the competition was won by the Chevalier de Langeac or if he was at least among the competitors and if there is a copy of the winning text in the archive.
- On 8 February [1912], Beaunier thanks Thomas and asks him to thank the art critic and academy member Charles Vincens (1833-1916) on his behalf, as he had agreed to do the research on Langeac in the archive. He announces to come to Marseille for a conference entitled "Greece and us", on which occasion he would like to meet Vincens to discuss potential archival finds. - Almost a year later, on 15 January 1913, Beaunier writes to a different recipient, most likely Vincens himself, to thank him and inform him that the aforementioned conference in Marseille "has been turned into a brochure of the 'Ligue pour la culture française'" that he attached to the letter. - The rather obscure Chevalier de Langeac (1752-1839) featured in Beaunier's 1919 biography of Joseph Joubert. - The letter from 20 January 1912 on stationery of "Le Figaro". The late later letters on stationery with embossed monogram and address. - Well preserved..
writer and critic (1869-1925). Autograph manuscript signed. No place or date. 8vo. 2½ pp. on 3 ff. With autograph pagination and mounted lithographed title label "Sergots".
$ 200 / 180 €
(87270/BN57721)
A satirical character study describing the type of a city sergeant or gendarme (as reflected in the colloquial term "Sergot" used before the War): "Régulier et assidu à travers les rues, les avenues, les boulevards, il erre comme une âme en peine. A quoi rêve-t-il? Ah! qui le sait? [...] Il faut plaindre infiniment le sergot, car il s'ennuie. Son ennui peut aller jusqu'à la plus intense exaspération. Et s'il n'avait pour apaiser ses nerfs souffrants quelques contribuables, de temps en temps, à passer à tabac, il mourrait.
Il mourrait en maudissant les circonstances fortuites par lesquelles il s'est vu séparer, un beau jour, de cette humanité normale qui vit humblement, crie: 'Mort aux vaches!' et se fait arrêter [...]" ("Regular and assiduous throughout the streets, avenues, boulevards, he wanders, a troubled soul. Of what is he dreaming? Ah! who knows? [...] The sergot is to be pitied infinitely, for he is bored. His boredom can even take the form of the most intense exasperation. And had he not a few taxpayers to beat up, to ease his ailing nerves from time to time, he would die. He would die cursing the arbitrary circumstances by which he saw himself separated, one fine day, from normal humankind which lives humbly, cries: 'Death to Pigs', and gets arrested [...]"). - Some marginal defects and slight browning..