CP 04012/en: Difference between revisions
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<small>(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the ''Corr-Proust'' digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)</small> | <small>(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the ''Corr-Proust'' digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)</small> | ||
15 December 1919 | |||
22 rue Oudinot | 22 rue Oudinot | ||
Dear Sir, | |||
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Please find here the assurance, dear sir. | |||
Jacques Boulenger | Jacques Boulenger | ||
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<references> | <references> | ||
<ref name="n1"> | <ref name="n1"> In his letter of [December 20, 1919] (CP 03998; Kolb, XVIII, nº 318), Proust expresses his gratitude to Boulenger for the "admirable" article, although "here and there unjust and false", published in L'Opinion the same day (12th year, n° 51, p. 610-612). This article was reprinted under the title "Marcel Proust — I" in the collection ...But Art is difficult! (Paris, Plon, 1st series, 1921-1922, p. 86-97). [PK, ChC, FP] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n2"> | <ref name="n2"> Also in his letter to Boulenger of [December 20, 1919] (see note 1 above), Proust responds to the criticisms of the critic by asserting that he composed his work with “an inflexible although veiled rigor”. [PK, ChC] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n3"> | <ref name="n3"> The Goncourt Academy had awarded Proust its prize for In the Shadow of Young Girls in Bloom on December 10, 1919 by six votes out of ten, against the four received by Les Croix de bois by Roland Dorgelès (CP 03973; Kolb, XVIII, no. 293). [ChC] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n4"> | <ref name="n4"> The “maneuver” of which Boulenger speaks, and also mentioned by Proust in his letter of [December 20, 1919] (CP 03998; Kolb, XVIII, nº 318), consists of the distribution of misleading advertisements in the press, reproducing the headline: “ Les Croix de bois: Prix Goncourt” in large print, followed by “4 votes out of 10” in small print (see for example Le Figaro of December 18, 1919, section “Bookstore”, p. 3). This commercial action by Albin Michel will cost the editor of Les Croix de Bois a fine of 2,000 francs in damages. [PK, ChC] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n5"> | <ref name="n5"> Pierrefeu's article, “Le Cas de M. Proust”, will appear in Le Journal desdébats of January 2 and 3, 1920, p. 3. [FP] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n6"> | <ref name="n6"> Boulenger's response, "On M. Marcel Proust", will appear in L'Opinion of January 10, 1920, p. 43-45: it was reprinted under the title “Marcel Proust — II” in ...But Art is difficult!, p. 97-106. [FP] </ref> | ||
<ref name="n7"> Translation notes: </ref> | <ref name="n7"> Translation notes: Raw translation for placement </ref> | ||
<ref name="n8"> Contributors: </ref> | <ref name="n8"> Contributors: Marcelitaswann </ref> | ||
</references> | </references> | ||
Revision as of 14:40, 2 November 2022
Jacques Boulenger à Marcel Proust, le 29 décembre 1919
(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the Corr-Proust digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)
15 December 1919
22 rue Oudinot
Dear Sir,
je suis très content de l'occasion[1] qui m'a été offerte de dire (très mal : je me le reproche) un peu du bien que je pense de votre beau livre. J'en ai rarement lu qui m'ait excité davantage. Si j'eusse disposé d'un peu plus de place, j'aurais mieux expliqué pourquoi. Mais, après tout, à quoi bon expliquer, ou vouloir « expliquer pourquoi » ? Je serais bien ennuyé, en tout cas, si vous ne preniez pas cette objection que je fais à votre « composition » comme je l'entends moi-même[2]. Sans doute, votre livre est composé à merveille selon les lois de votre propre sensibilité. Mais il me semble qu'il ne l'est pas selon celles qui ont présidé à la composition de la plupart des œuvres de « chez nous ». Si vous ne trouvez pas cette distinction très claire, ne m'en veuillez pas, je vous prie, car j'ai beaucoup boxé avant le dîner et je suis mort de fatigue.
Je serais heureux d'apprendre que vous vous portez mieux et que votre prix[3], si justement mérité, vous a été officiellement notifié, tellement officiellement que vous ne doutez plus de l'avoir eu, malgré la manœuvre inouïe de l'éditeur de M. Dorgelès[4]. Tout le monde se rappelle si bien qu'il vous a été accordé que Jean de Pierrefeu m'annonçait, il y a quelques jours, qu'il a l'intention de discuter « le cas Marcel Proust » dans les Débats[5]. Je lui répondrai dans l'Opinion[6], s'il réalise son projet. Me voilà votre champion, malgré que vous en ayez. Je m'en félicite parce que À la recherche du temps perdu est certainement le livre le plus « original » qui ait paru, à mon goût, depuis X temps. Et je l'aime de tout mon cœur. C'est d'ailleurs un de ces livres qu'on ne saurait aimer sans éprouver une vive sympathie pour leurs auteurs.
Please find here the assurance, dear sir.
Jacques Boulenger
Notes
- ↑ In his letter of [December 20, 1919] (CP 03998; Kolb, XVIII, nº 318), Proust expresses his gratitude to Boulenger for the "admirable" article, although "here and there unjust and false", published in L'Opinion the same day (12th year, n° 51, p. 610-612). This article was reprinted under the title "Marcel Proust — I" in the collection ...But Art is difficult! (Paris, Plon, 1st series, 1921-1922, p. 86-97). [PK, ChC, FP]
- ↑ Also in his letter to Boulenger of [December 20, 1919] (see note 1 above), Proust responds to the criticisms of the critic by asserting that he composed his work with “an inflexible although veiled rigor”. [PK, ChC]
- ↑ The Goncourt Academy had awarded Proust its prize for In the Shadow of Young Girls in Bloom on December 10, 1919 by six votes out of ten, against the four received by Les Croix de bois by Roland Dorgelès (CP 03973; Kolb, XVIII, no. 293). [ChC]
- ↑ The “maneuver” of which Boulenger speaks, and also mentioned by Proust in his letter of [December 20, 1919] (CP 03998; Kolb, XVIII, nº 318), consists of the distribution of misleading advertisements in the press, reproducing the headline: “ Les Croix de bois: Prix Goncourt” in large print, followed by “4 votes out of 10” in small print (see for example Le Figaro of December 18, 1919, section “Bookstore”, p. 3). This commercial action by Albin Michel will cost the editor of Les Croix de Bois a fine of 2,000 francs in damages. [PK, ChC]
- ↑ Pierrefeu's article, “Le Cas de M. Proust”, will appear in Le Journal desdébats of January 2 and 3, 1920, p. 3. [FP]
- ↑ Boulenger's response, "On M. Marcel Proust", will appear in L'Opinion of January 10, 1920, p. 43-45: it was reprinted under the title “Marcel Proust — II” in ...But Art is difficult!, p. 97-106. [FP]
- ↑ Translation notes: Raw translation for placement
- ↑ Contributors: Marcelitaswann