SAINTE-BEUVE – Set of 27 signed autograph letters.

Charles-Augustin SAINTE-BEUVE (1804.1869)

Set of 27 autograph letters signed to Jules Taschereau

November 20 [1835] – August 25, 1868 .

With a signed autograph letter addressed to the Count of Laborde, May 27, 1850 , and a note from the hand of Jules Troubat, signed, to the publisher Charpentier. July 26, 1869 .

35 pages in-8, in-12 or in-16, 4 letters with address on the back of the second sheet and 5 envelopes (3 with postal marks, only one with the preserved stamp).

Interesting correspondence between two scholars, both literary editors and exercising functions as curator or administrator, one at the Mazarine Library and the other at the Imperial Library.

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It was with an article published in Le Globe about Taschereau's work on Corneille that Sainte-Beuve began his career as a critic in 1829. Although their relationship faded somewhat during the years when Taschereau led a political career as deputy for Indre-et-Loire, she resumed very regularly when Taschereau took office at the Imperial Library, the two men providing mutual services for their research and their writings. For example, here we are talking about information on Corneille, Mazarin, the playwright Théodore Leclercq, the Abbé de Marolles, the correspondence of Grimm and Diderot (which Taschereau had edited in 1829), various publications of the Revue retrospective (collection history of memoirs and unpublished documents that Taschereau founded and directed between 1833-1837, then a few more years later in the early 1840s) or even a case concerning Catulle-Mendès, embarrassed because of a youthful publication.

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The first letters concern a study on Guy-Patin that Taschereau wishes to have published.

– November 20 [1835]. Sainte-Beuve contacted the publisher Renduel who is, for the moment, too absorbed by the publication of Notre-Dame de Paris , in the illustrated edition known as “keepsake” and in deliveries.

– Tuesday February 2 [1836]. Despite the arguments presented in favor of his friend, he is obliged to inform him that Renduel does not wish to engage in such a scholarly publication, not profitable enough and too expensive according to him.

– May 22 [1836]. Sainte-Beuve sends the reference to a letter from Guy Patin in Lettreschoses " where is the passage so light on the Tourangeaux ", about a Father Cordelier " who was not quite Rabelais ". [This letter addressed to Charles Spon, dated June 27, 1659, in which Patin mocks the demon of the monks, can be consulted in the online edition of the Complete Correspondence and other writings of Guy Patin .

Correspondence did not resume until 1848.

– April 5, 1848 . Sainte-Beuve is worried to learn that his name [under the initials “S.-B”] would be compromised in a document emanating from the secret funds of the Ministry of the Interior, a piece that La Revue Rétrospective is preparing to publish. He has already protested this fact in the newspapers and calls for an investigation which would clear him of all suspicion, but he is reluctant, despite the advice of certain friends, to address Mr. de Lamartine " whom I knew and admired as a poet , which I left aside when I saw him become political and ambitious […] I do not want to have the slightest personal obligation to him .”

– Monday evening [1848?]. He would like to obtain a number of the Revue retrospective that his neighbor [Antoine Rochebillière, librarian attached to the National Library and then to the Sainte-Geneviève Library] could take care of bringing him.

– Monday March 24 [1851]. “ This time I’m definitely doing Théodore Leclercq .” Sainte-Beuve must speak with Louis Véron [director of the Constitutionnel ] on this subject and he needs Taschereau's help to gather documents on the playwright, researching Le Château de Duncan , of which the Mazarine Library does not have a copy. 'copy [this novel, published under its author's initial alone in 1800, is still missing today from Parisian libraries].

– January 11, 1853 . About a compromised meeting due to his necessary presence at the funeral of Ms. Armand Bertin [the wife of the director of the Journal des Débats , born Marie-Anne-Cécile Dollfuss, died the previous January 6].

– January 23, 1854 . It is in the second volume of Port-Royal, p. 463 of the 1842 edition, that Taschereau will be able to read an anecdote supposedly "discovered" by Victor Cousin in 1843, about Corneille and the poet Jacqueline Pascal, nun and sister of the philosopher [who had been congratulated by Corneille for stanzas on the Immaculate Conception]. “ He [Cousin] prefers not to read and forget and then shout that he found the first one and sometimes make a mistake .”

– January 12 , Friday [1855]. He read and found very good the report submitted to him by Taschereau [on the Catalog of the Imperial Library] while attaching some comments and formal proposals. For his part, he worked on his first lesson [for the Collège de France which he gave on March 9, 1855; letter filed on March 12, 1858 in the Correspondance général , with a note evoking another inaugural lesson, that given at the École Normale on April 12, 1858].

– October 14, 1857 . Interested in Michel de Marolles " the type of the amateur, the collector ", from Touraine like Taschereau, Sainte-Beuve asks his friend what he has on this abbot [archivist and erudite historian who is known today mainly for its imposing collection of prints, a large part of which was acquired by Colbert for Louis XIV and which made it possible to constitute the first collection of the current Cabinet of Prints of the BnF]. And by two other letters, dated the following October 23 and December 28, he thanks him for the precious volumes lent, “ Marollian treasures ”. Thanks to these “borrowings”, Sainte-Beuve published an article in Le Moniteur on December 21 and 28, 1857.

– November 27, 1857 . Taschereau having asked him for information about a Eulogy of Vauvenargues by Adolphe Thiers, Sainte-Beuve thinks that it was never printed, only partially cited. “ I do not believe that by speaking with Mr. Thiers you will obtain more precise information; he himself previously could not tell me anything. Perhaps by asking Mr. Mignet we would have a better solution? ". This is a text presented by Adolphe Thiers in 1820 at the academy of Aix-en-Provence, and whose adventures are detailed in the notes of the Correspondence .

– March 19, 1858 . He would like his friend to lend him the main pamphlets which have appeared “ for or against ” on Le Cid : “ I have to give a lesson on this and your Life of Corneille whets my appetite and I say: give me some more ” .

– February 11, 1859 . Recommendation in favor of Alfred Poupel, “ born collector and bibliographer ”, a former bookseller who is looking for a job “ where his love of books was not out of place ”, perhaps in the Catalog of Printed Papers of the Imperial Library? Poupel was also recommended by his former teacher, the historian Adolphe Chéruel.

– September 21, 1861 . He explains why and how he decided to leave the Normal School: “ I was contacted, for two months, to the heart of the Normal School in the name of the Minister of the Interior to come to the rescue of the of the Constitutional. […] I stopped at this: to leave, in fact, the School, although I am happy there and I only have everyone to praise me, because deep down I am more of a writer than a teacher ; enter the Constitutional , in return for treaty and compensation ”.

– May 4 [1865]. Thanks for the unwavering friendly support of Taschereau, in particular " from the somewhat painful beginnings of the affair now so happily crowned " [his election as senator, April 28, 1865].

– March 13, 1866 . He asks him to receive Adolphe Pichon du Gravier who needs to consult medieval manuscripts for work in progress on weapons of war in France. Sainte-Beuve specifies that Mr. Gravier's father is the author of the portrait adorning the edition of the Letters of Mademoiselle Aïssé , established by Ravenel and himself in 1846.

– April 7, 1867 . He asked him to welcome the young Jules Dietz whose brother [Herman Dietz, former student of the Normal School, accredited in German and then stationed in Berlin] had found “ the beginnings (manuscripts) of [the] Correspondence literary which join the first published part of Grimm. You could perhaps help him to clarify and answer [the] question with the papers of Abbé Raynal, who is believed to be the author .”

– October 26, 1867 . New recommendation, this time for Jules Zeller “ wise and firm historian ” who wishes to borrow certain works. [Jules-Sylvain Zeller taught notably at the Sorbonne and at the École Polytechnique].

– November 28 – 30, 1867 . Three letters concerning Catulle-Mendès, son-in-law of Théophile Gautier, who is seeking a position in the Fine Arts administration. Sainte-Beuve, who supports the young man, protests against a denunciation which reminded the minister [marshal Jean-Baptiste Philibert Vaillant] that Mendès had been sentenced to a month in prison and a fine after the publication of his novel of one night , six years ago. He suspects Taschereau of being behind it with the aim of favoring a nephew: “ Honest man, you used a poisoned blade. […] Let an honest boy who is only guilty of a press offense for some too free ode made at the age of 20, obtain a very meager job which allows him to support his family .” Taschereau having vigorously protested against this accusation and having transmitted to him the letters which he addressed to the minister and to Princess Mathilde on this subject, Sainte-Beuve congratulated him on the following November 30 for his tone and his firmness, but questioned always on the identity of the slanderer. “ Allow me to not yet be certain of the conclusion, I hope that some explanation will be given to me which will confirm to me the odiousness of the thing .” Attached are two autograph drafts of Taschereau addressing his friend, transmitting to him the letter from Alphonse Gautier [general secretary of the Ministry of the Household of the Emperor and Fine Arts], a letter which suggests that it is the Count of Nieuwerkerke [then director of Museums] who is said to have slandered Catulle Mendès: “ I reserve the right to return this… night vase on his head one of these mornings at the marshal’s .”

– March 4, 1868 . He affirms that he will take into account, when reprinting, the reservation expressed by Taschereau on the spelling to be adopted for the “s” and “f”, according to Corneille. “ It is enough that the great man had the initiative of excellent ideas .” [This is an article by Sainte-Beuve, published in Le Moniteur on Firmin-Didot's book, Observations on French orthography, and which will be reprinted in Les Nouveaux Lundis ].

– August 25, 1868 . Note relating to a passage from volume XXV of the Correspondence of Napoleon [published by order of Emperor Napoleon III] of which he received the proofs: “ It is no longer prince doing it, it is is king : but would he have deigned to do so? Would this Roman soul have weakened? ".

Two letters, undated, concern the French Academy [where Sainte-Beuve was elected in 1844]:

– This 6th Thursday . He had to decline an invitation, being taken by his service at the Mazarine Library [Sainte-Beuve has been curator there since 1840] and by a commission from the Academy.

– May 22 . He fears not being able to obtain the place requested by his friend: “ Since the ministry charges 60 center tickets, Mr. Villemain [perpetual secretary of the Academy] has the right to be very miserly and it is only by extreme – extreme favor – that we get a good ticket in addition .”

With :

– May 27 [1850]. Signed autograph letter [addressed to Count Léon de Laborde]. “ My dear sir, the management of Le Constitutionnel has approved the subject of Mazarin treated by you .” It was in the July 1, 1850 issue ^of Le Constitutionnel that a long article by Sainte-Beuve appeared devoted to Laborde's work on Cardinal Mazarin and his palace, rue de Richelieu (where they were transferred from the beginning of the 18th century) ^. century the collections of the Royal Library): The Palais Mazarin and the large town and country dwellings in the 17th century (1 p. in-8).

– July 26, 1869 . Note in the handwriting of Jules Troubat, signed in pencil by Sainte-Beuve with autograph apostille “ thousand friendships ”, addressed to the publisher Charpentier to inform him of his health, the newspapers having announced that he was unwell. “ Mr Sainte-Beuve […] is still ill. But in no way in danger as has been said, and will soon resume, after a period of rest, his bi-weekly work ” (1 p. in-16). Sainte-Beuve died at his home three months later, on October 13.

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Jules-Antoine Taschereau (1801-1874) was appointed assistant administrator at the Imperial Library in 1852. General administrator from 1858, he continued the publication of the Catalog of printed materials, supervised the expansion of the library by the architect Henri Labrouste , looked after the collections during the war of 1870 before leaving Paris during the Commune. On his return, he resumed his duties at the Library, which had once again become national, until his retirement in September 1874.

Provenance: Archives of Mme Taschereau-Comte

References: General correspondence , Stock, 1935-1983 and Letters found, Champion 2006.