Victor HUGO and the baptism of little Georges.

Victor HUGO (1802.1885)

Autograph letter signed and autograph dedication signed to Julie Chenay.

One page in-12°. [Brussels] July 26 [1867]

On the back of a long vertical press article, revealing the letter of support from young contemporary poets to Victor Hugo following the revival of Hernani, and Hugo's published response to the poets.

“Hauteville-House and work are less cheerful; but that is the duty. »

Beautiful letter from the great man who came to Brussels to celebrate the baptism of his grandson Georges.

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“Dear Julie, Everything is good here. Yesterday we baptized Georges. In the evening we had dinner. In the morning the priest declared him a Christian, in the evening I crowned him a citizen. The bad weather prevents me from leaving, but I don't complain about it being so tenderly surrounded. I am spoiled a lot. Hauteville-House and work are less cheerful; but that is the duty. I'll come back to it soon. This interval of rest was, moreover, very necessary to me. So see you soon. Those of Brussels send all their cordialities to those of Guernsey. V.”

On the front is the long article testifying to the exchange between contemporary poets and Hugo (see the verbatim transcription below). At the very end of the Hugo response, Hugo adds a handwritten dedication: “To my dear little sister Julie. V.”

Julie Chenay (1822.1905) is the sister of Adèle Foucher, wife of Victor Hugo.

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Dear and illustrious master,

We have just greeted with the most enthusiastic applause the reappearance at the theater of your Hernani. The new triumph of the greatest French poet was an immense joy for all young poetry ; The evening of June 20 will be an epoch in our existence. There was, however, a sadness to this celebration. Your absence was painful to your companions of glory of 1830, who could not press the hand of their master and friend; but it was even more painful for the young people, to whom it had never been given to touch this hand which wrote the Legend of the centuries.

At least, dear and illustrious master, they wish to send you the tribute of their respectful attachment and their boundless admiration.

SULLY PRUDHOMME, ARMAND SILVESTRE, FRANÇOIS COPPÉE, GEORGES LAFENESTRE, LÉON VALADE, LÉON DIERX, JEAN AICARD, PAUL VERLAINE, ALBERT MÉHAT, ANDRÉ THEURIET, ARMAND RENAUD, LOUIS-XAVIER DE RICARD, H. CAZALIS, ERNEST D'HERVILLY.

Victor Hugo replied: Brussels, July 22, 1867.

Dear poets,

The literary revolution of 1830, corollary and consequence of the revolution of 1789, is a fact specific to our century. I am the humble soldier of this progress. I fight for the revolution in all its forms, in the literary form as well as in the social form. I have freedom as a principle, progress as a law, the ideal as a type .

I am nothing, but the revolution is everything. Nineteenth century poetry is founded. 1830 was right, and 1867 proves it. Your young fames are supporting evidence. Our era has a profound logic, unnoticed by superficial minds, and against which no reaction is possible. Great art is part of this great century. He is the soul.

Thanks to you, young and beautiful talents, noble spirits, the light will shine more and more. We old people had the fight; you, the young, will have triumph. The spirit of the nineteenth century combines the democratic search for Truth with the eternal law of Beauty. The irresistible current of our time directs everything towards this sovereign goal, Freedom in intelligence, the Ideal in art. Leaving aside everything that is personal to me, as of today, we can affirm it and we have just seen it, the alliance is made between all writers, between all talents, between all consciences, to achieve this magnificent result. The generous youth, including you, wants, with imposing enthusiasm, the entire revolution, in poetry as in the state. Literature must be both democratic and ideal; democratic for civilization, ideal for the soul.

The Drama is the People. Poetry is Man. This is the trend of 1830, continued by you, understood by all the great critics of our days. No reactionary effort, I insist, can prevail against this evidence. High criticism agrees with high poetry. To the extent that I am little, I thank and congratulate this superior critic who speaks with such authority in the political press and in the literary press, who has such a profound sense of the philosophy of art, and who unanimously acclaims 1830 as 1789.

Please also receive, my young colleagues, my thanks. At this point in life where I have arrived, we see the end up close, that is to say infinity. When it is so close, the exit from the earth leaves little room in our minds except for severe concerns. However, before this melancholy departure for which I am making preparations, in my solitude, it is precious to me to receive your eloquent letter, which makes me dream of a return among you and gives me the illusion of it, a sweet resemblance of the sunset with the 'dawn. You welcome me, who was preparing for the big farewell. THANKS. I am absent from duty, and my resolution is unshakeable*, but my heart is with you. I am proud to see my name surrounded by yours. Your names are a crown of stars. VICTOR HUGO.

* And if there is only one left, I will be the one. “To my dear little sister Julie. V.”