Georges Clemenceau defends his friend Octave Mirbeau.

Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929)

Autographed letter signed to Octave Mirbeau [?]

Three octavo pages on Ministry of the Interior letterhead

Paris, August 2, 1906.

"In September I will talk with whomever I feel I should engage in conversation with." 

Clemenceau acted behind the scenes in support of his friend Mirbeau to defend the "scandalous" and controversial play, Le Foyer, which was submitted to the Comédie Française.

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“ I just saw DB [?] who agrees with me that there’s a score to settle. We’ll take care of it. Calm down, no interviews, silence. You could, however, ask Calmette to point out that Mr. Claretie was authorized to speak about the fine, not about your return. Nothing more. I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. In September, I’ll talk with whomever I feel I should. Yours truly, G. Clemenceau.”

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When, on July 17, 1906, Octave Mirbeau read the first draft of his play *Le Foyer , the latter was appalled by such provocation and refused to allow the work to be performed there. After unsuccessfully appealing to his friends Aristide Briand and Georges Clemenceau—respectively Ministers of Public Instruction and the Interior in the Sarrien cabinet—Mirbeau resigned himself to giving his comedy to Lucien Guitry for the Théâtre de la Renaissance, who indefinitely postponed it. After numerous twists and turns and legal proceedings, the play finally premiered on December 7, 1908, at the Comédie-Française.