André GIDE – Literary correspondence of 8 letters to his friend.

Andre Gide (1869.1951).

Correspondence to his friend René Berthelot.

Set of six signed autograph letters and two signed letters.

Five pages in-4° and four pages in-8°. Envelopes.

Paris, Luxor, Nice between January 1929 and April 1942.

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Letter I. Paris. January 5, 1929. “My dear friend, It has been so long since I last saw you that I no longer know whether I was not first familiar with you. I have just received this message from you which gives me great pleasure. I had already read, and with very keen interest, your study on Shakespearean Wisdom, but only knew about Goethe's Wisdom through the great praise that Marcel Drouin had said to me about it. I am taking you with me to Algiers (I am leaving in a few days), delighted to have you as a traveling companion and to talk with you about Goethe, with whom we are never finished. I am also taking, of course, your translation of Shelley ; happy to see that you have translated the Epipsychidion, for which I maintain a particular predilection, and which I will reread once again with you. Thank you with all my heart. And affectionately yours, André Gide. P S.- Attached are two letters that you had forgotten in one of the booklets.

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Letter II. Paris. December 16, 1929. “My dear friend, I found your letter when I returned to Paris this very morning . I would be so happy to see your essays on Shakespeare and Goethe published in the Nouvelle Revue Française , that I immediately went to talk to the director and two of the main “readers” about it. If you have a copy of your manuscript on hand, would you send it to Mr. André Malraux, in care of the NRF. I have such a great desire that this will succeed, that I already dare to call it hope. Kind regards, André Gide »

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Letter III. [Luxor. February 1939] “Dear friend, Your friends point out to me that... but it would be better for you to come and chat with us for a moment longer. Something quite important to tell you. André Gide » 

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Letter IV. Luxor, March 1 ^[ 1939]. “My dear friend, Your excellent letter fortunately reassures us. I was waiting for it with great impatience, because you had left us, the Solennichafs and me, and a few others, quite worried. To the unfeigned anxiety with which I was asked “Have you received any news?” » you could have gauged the sympathies you both left behind in Luxor. This “we” includes Chevrier, Robichon and Varille. I send you everyone's best wishes. May now the speedy convalescence of Madame René Berthelot allow you to return to France without further delay! But your example definitely does not encourage me to go up the Nile further south. I will be content, this time, with Luxor, where I plan to stay for another ten days; then I will head straight to Alexandria – where I dare not hope to find you… but I will find out all the same. You will have understood, without needing to be told again, the great pleasure I had in meeting you and getting to know Madame René Berthelot – to whom you will be kind enough to convey my best wishes and my affectionate tributes. Very attentively yours, André Gide »

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Letter V. Paris. June 13 [1939]. “Dear friend, Yes, it will be very gladly. I remain a little confused at not having notified your call, as I intended to do upon my return from Greece, and I am grateful to you for not holding it against me. I will have great pleasure in seeing you again and in finding, I hope, Madame René Berthelot completely recovered. Since you let me choose, I will come and ring your doorbell tomorrow Wednesday, at half past twelve. Kind regards, André Gide »

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Letter VI. [Nice]. January 28 [19]42. “Dear friend, dear friends, I was somewhat jealous of Roger Martin du Gard who told me of his pleasure in meeting you in Évian. But your post makes me happy. I will gladly wait for you next Saturday afternoon at the Adriatic Hotel – happy to see you both again. Kind regards, your André Gide »

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Letter VII. Adriatic Hotel. Nice. March 6 [1942]. “Dear friend – dear friends, The news about you that Roger Martin du Gard gives me this evening, although imprecise and uncertain, worries me a lot and I feel how lively and deep is my old friendship, which is now based on you two. An evil would disappear from me if I could do you the slightest service. And how many wishes I make for this word to reassure me. Believe me, both of you are very devoted friends. André Gide »

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Letter VIII. [Nice]. April 27 [19]42. “Dear friend, Thank you for your letter. I am happy to receive, before my imminent departure (I am embarking for Tunis on May 2), reassuring news from Madame Berthelot. Please tell him again my attentive affection. Completely agree with you about the Aragon poems. I was thinking of offering you this small volume and am still a little confused about the reimbursement. Roger M. du G. told me yesterday of the terrible grief that is affecting your friends Parodi. I don't know them well enough to write to them, but my heart remains gripped by this abominable tragedy. Kind regards, your André Gide »