Victor SEGALEN offers "Steles" to his friend Maybon.

Victor Segalen (1878.1919)

Autographed letter signed to Charles Albert Maybon.

Three quarto pages on brown paper. Beijing. June 26 [19]17.

Unpublished letter to the Segalen Correspondence, published by Fayard.

"I searched in vain among my belongings here for some decent copy of one of my books that could be offered to you, – and to my great regret found only this printing of Steles."

Beautiful letter from Segalen, during his third stay in China in 1917, thanking his friend Maybon by offering him a non-commercial print of Stèles .

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"Dear Mr. Maybon, I was waiting for a moment of less uncertainty to write to you. The wait continues, always on the verge of making a decision. Resolved to break off the relationship, I don't want to give up and I myself hope to have a definitive answer in about a week… finally. This means that I don't know today when or for how long I will be staying or passing through Shanghai again . I remember that you didn't intend to leave this summer, and I firmly hope to see you again before reaching my destination, Yunnan—or France . This is, moreover, the only interest I have in this metropolis of Godown, where only you, Mrs. Maybon, and the few people you introduced me to, have made living possible. I remain faithfully grateful to you." I searched in vain among my belongings here for a decent copy of one of my books that I could offer you, and to my great regret found only this printing of "Steles ," on paper that is too European, but belonging to the first edition not for sale. I beg you to accept it in lieu of the one I would have so liked to dedicate to you on rare paper. Please convey to Madame Maybon my most respectful regards and believe in my sincere sympathy. Victor Segalen .

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Tasked with recruiting workers to replace those fighting on the front, Segalen arrived in China in February 1917. For fifteen months, he examined up to two hundred workers a day in several cities, while continuing his archaeological research and work.

Charles Albert Maybon (1872-1926), professor, writer, and journalist—author of *La Politique Chinoise* (1908)—first ventured into China in 1905 to promote French culture. He founded and directed the French school in Shanghai for nine years. Highly regarded by Segalen, Maybon hosted him in Shanghai during his visit in the spring of 1917. He died in a car accident in France in 1926.