Marcel Proust marvels at the beauty of Alfred de Musset's verses.

Marcel Proust (1871.1922)

Autographed letter signed to Baroness Aimery Harty de Pierrebourg.

Four pages in-12°. Thursday evening [June 25 or July 2, 1903]

Kolb, Volume III, pages 362-363.

"I don't feel that the violence of desire can change anything around us."

A long and beautiful letter from Proust marveling at the beauty of Musset's verses.

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“Madam, you are too kind to have taken the trouble to read this cold dissertation on the ardent life of your book. And as for the trouble of replying to it, I am embarrassed. How could you have thought that my remark about Musset concealed a reproach? Antoine Bibesco can tell you that a few days ago, having not yet read your book and having only glimpsed the epigraph, I praised to him the inimitable grace of these verses. He disagreed with me, objecting to the grammatical error of ‘entre un double chemin’ (between a double path). But for me, the grace of ‘Et’ (And) was the strongest.”

"He saw Voluptuousness etc.".

And Virtue followed.

We would all have written: “He saw Pleasure, he also saw Virtue, but followed Virtue.” This delightful shortcut: “And followed Virtue,” only Musset could have found it. I see that it wasn’t Musset. You say you misremembered, and modestly attribute the discovery not to your taste but to your memory. Let me say that we only have the memory we deserve, and even the memory of our own taste. The memory that so exquisitely enhances Musset is, even if unconsciously, a truly artistic memory. You almost say: that it’s a mistake you made. So let me say, again like Bernard’s masters, “Felix culpa!” I can certainly allow myself, as you say, this “Latin term,” since you yourself quote the Psalmist: Levavi oculos meos in montem.

As for the philosophy of choice, I believed it was based solely on the observation of a law that, in its essence, remained mysterious. On the contrary, I see from your letter that you have found a psychological foundation for it. But alas, I do not feel that the violence of desire can change anything around us , or at least not the one thing that would truly matter: the desire for another heart that we would wish to turn toward us.

"For God, who made grace with harmonies"

"He made love with a sigh that was not mutual."

I know, though, that some loves are reciprocated. But alas, I don't know their secret. I do, however, have a feeling that somehow compensates for the previous one, namely, that everything eventually happens, even what we desire, but only when we no longer desire it. Yet there are things that I'm beginning to believe will never happen. But perhaps that's because I'm being a little too persistent in desiring them. They're probably just waiting for the moment when I no longer desire them to happen, but I'm trying in vain to hasten it!

Goodbye, Madam. I hope your beautiful, precious fish are well and continue to make the delicate display case that protects them worthy of the most dazzling jewelers. I couldn't help but think of them when you compared the river's eddies to silver fish leaping to its surface. With deepest respect, Madam, Marcel Proust.

"Now I've forgotten the practical purpose, the reason for being, and the excuse for this letter. Yes, I would be delighted to come to dinner. But I don't know when Bertrand De Fénelon is free. I'll write to him tomorrow to ask him to make arrangements with you. As for me, I am of course very free when I am feeling well enough. But I am quite unwell at the moment."