One cannot quite profit from vows we declare,
Yet don’t give up ground to a world in disrepair.
Seek the Ancients’ counsel, heed them shrewdly,
And from La Confession Coupée, pull the slips up slowly.
Should you find that your sins are mortal and deep,
Forget hollow temptations that dazzle and creep.
But do not consign all your whims to disgrace -
Choose the sin that best suits your appetite’s taste,
And enter the New Year with pleasures embraced...
Autograph letter signed in black ink, addressed to his mother and dated “Sunday morning the 14th.” A few underlinings, deletions and corrections by the author.
Formerly in the collection of Armand Godoy, n°188.
A fading Baudelaire: “The state of disgust in which I find myself makes everything seem even worse.”
Drawn by the promise of epic fame, Baudelaire went to Belgium in April 1864 for a few conferences and in the hope of a fruitful meeting with the publishers of Les Misérables, Lacroix and Verboeckhoven. The meeting didn't...
First edition, of which there were no large paper copies.
Near contemporary red half morocco over marbled paper boards by P. Ruban, spine in six compartments, raised bands bounded by black fillets, date gilt at foot of spine, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, covers preserved, top edge gilt.
Attractive ex libris engraved by Provost-Blondel on pastedown, representing a helmet with a feather, medallion and a strip with the motto “Tojours en face.” The ex libris belonged to Victor Coué, a 2nd Lieutenant killed in the First World War.
This copy has two frontispieces: one lithograph heightened by Félicien Rops showing a caricature of Barbey d'Aurevilly...
Second edition, revised and expanded after the sole edition of 1714 by Pierre Auguste Miger. This second edition was never reprinted. With a frontispiece by Leroy. Rare.
Later binding in half polished green sheep, circa 1820. Smooth spine decorated with 5 restoration tools. Boards rubbed. A good copy.
First edition, one of 75 numbered copies on pure laid paper, the only deluxe-paper copies offered for sale (5 copies on Japan paper and 10 on Dutch handmade paper were also printed hors commerce; cf. Pierrette & Georges Dupont, Bibliographie des écrits d'Henri Béraud).
A rare and attractive copy with full margins of the author's masterpiece.
