Paterne BERRICHON, his claims and Stéphane MALLARMÉ

Paterne BERRICHON (1855.1922).

Autograph letter signed to the poet Francis Vielé-Griffin.

Three pages in-8°. Slnd. Slight marginal browning.

Moving letter from the poet calling for help Vielé-Griffin, met at Stéphane Mallarmé's house.

“Sir and dear Poet, Just to have met you one evening at Stéphane Mallarmé's, I am perhaps daring in this approach , but I am so encouraged to do so, in praise of your solidarity! Head on, therefore, and clearly: Would you help me, if you can, to get out of a horrible embarrassment, such as: my companion, an elite soul, a musician and writer herself, is on the street, chased away, following me, from the attic which sheltered us. Without present resources, what will we become? Me, pass. But she is too worthy to follow the ordinary incitements of vice witnessing such feminine miseries, too sickly to bear the privations of vagrancy! Arrest on a bench, prison, she is resigned to it. But can I consent to this? And what to do? This cry of appeal to you, my dear colleague, I utter in desperation , excited, I repeat, advised by some of your admirers, your friends who have not authorized me to name them. Twenty-five francs to collect our retained belongings, fifty francs for a rent payment in advance, a few small debts from the laundress who won't give us laundry without money; About a hundred francs in total is what we would need to just get by. But would you advance them? I can imagine that you find this money a bit adventurous, or rather, no! placed in a simple good deed – but, on Poetry, our mother, I swear to keep you the most enthusiastic of gratitude and to reward you, if necessary, for this forever blessed service. With anguish, your Paterne Berrichon. Oh, rereading this letter, how this question of money repelled me, and how painful it is to nevertheless be forced to go through it! I bring you this letter, painful in self-remorse, whatever the very life of my dear friend is at stake. If I don't meet you, will you respond to me quickly at 28 rue des Lyonnais. The concierge still keeps my correspondence there. 28 rue des Lyonnais, I said. Thanks thanks. PB »

Francis Vielé-Griffin (1864.1937) was a French symbolist poet. A close friend of Stéphane Mallarmé with whom he maintained quasi-filial relations, he was a founding member and President of the Académie Mallarmé.