Marcel PROUST describes the charms of Brittany to Georges de Lauris.

Marcel Proust (1871.1922)

Autograph letter signed to Georges de Lauris.

Four pages in-12°. Autograph envelope.

Kolb, Volume III, pp 408 to 410.

Written on a two-sheet torn in the margin that Proust's writing bypasses.

Thursday [August 20, 1903].

“I hope that Brittany will vibrate in you the noble, charming strings which are united in your intelligence by a miracle that nature rarely does to the serious and austere strings. »

Proust describes the charms of Brittany to his friend Lauris, while recounting the Humbert Affair (pleaded by Labori) and its friendly unpleasantness.

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" THURSDAY. Dear friend, I requested in vain and then lost the attached information on Brittany. I am attaching the following information from what little I know. Beg-Meil is an enclosure of apple trees tumbling down to the bay of Concarneau which is the most noble, sweet and delicious thing I know. And I think that the bay of Morbihan must be very beautiful. You can't not go to Pointe du Raz, you know what it is, historically and geographically literally Finisterre (the extreme tip of the earth) the giant granite cliff around which the sea is always wild dominating the Baie des Trépassés, opposite the island of Sein. These are funereal places and an illustrious curse that must be known. But I admit that I infinitely prefer Penn'march which you cannot avoid, a sort of mixture of Holland and India and Florida (Harrison dixit) ^* from which a storm is the most sublime thing that can be seen .

You have been a dear friend to me by not telling the truth (never!) to Picard at Bertrand's, the cause of many troubles. I did not dare, looking for a way to prove to him my good faith and my good feelings, to miss the opportunity which presented itself at the moment when he asked me to be his witness. And that confuses me with the Straus, the Le Bargy and a thousand other counter-coups ^*** . I won't give you any news about Bertrand because I think you have more than me and also the favorite Henraux. He (Bertrand) left Paris, it seems to me that it was last Saturday 8 days ago (there will be 15 days after tomorrow). I had dinner that evening with Antoine and him and we put him on the train, quite perky. Antoine left Paris angry with me. He is apparently in England. I would like to see you dear friend. Kind regards to Henraux. I do not dare ask you to present my respectful homage to your parents, which is unfair (that I do not know them) given that I admire and spread the “words” of your Father.

How sad to see Labori making the Humbert Affair a parody of the Dreyfus affair where he himself plays the role of the General Staff with his always promised absurd secrets ^** . I only have one regret about being a Dreyfusard, which is that it saddens the noble and loyal Albu. He asked me to explain the matter to him to share my conviction but I don't have the courage.

I hope that Brittany will vibrate in you the noble, charming strings which are united in your intelligence by a miracle that nature rarely does to the serious and austere strings. If you told me: I will be in Paimpol, or on Bréhat Island, etc. on such and such a day. I would take the train and come running (if I am still in Paris at that time). Again my regards to Henraux. I am not charging you with any commission for Paris, because all things considered, his conduct towards me has been most unsatisfactory. What's more, I can't even remember him anymore and if I sometimes see him in my imagination it's only ever handing out party favors, although I've never seen him at the ball! all yours. Marcel Proust.

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^* The painter Thomas-Alexander Harrison (1853.1930)

^** Proust feared being at odds with the Emile Strauses because Mme Straus's son had fought a duel with Picard in March 1903. Proust had agreed to be Picard's witness in the altercation that the latter had just had. with Auguste Le Bargy, member of the Comédie Française. (Kolb, Volume III, note 5, page 410)

^*** Labori, defender of Zola, Picquart and Dreyfus, was lawyer for the Humbert couple.