Documents associated with: paper, not specified
Record 10 of 37
System Number: 03808
Date: [26 May 1891][1]
Author: JW
Place: London
Recipient: Stéphane Mallarmé[2]
Place: Seine et Marne
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler M142
Document Type: ALS[3]
21, CHEYNE WALK,
CHELSEA.
Quel beau livre - d'abord! -
Mon cher ami, quel plaisir de l'ouvrir - de passer la main dedans - de tâter, du bout des doigts, la fraicheur des pages - le relief des caractères!
Et puis l'examen du crane papier - parfait de pâte et de couleur! -
Et maintenant [p. 2] le bonheur - proche aussi au crime! - de découper lentement les feuilles - et de savourer doucement, en les tournant, quelque friand morceau, qui chante d'abord aux yeux - comme cela doit être! -
Oui quel beau livre!! - nous nous sommes écriés tous deux - la sympathique "Nurse[4]" et son convalescent - en le voyant: What a beautiful book! - "Pages[5]" - quel joli nom!
[butterfly signature]
This document is protected by copyright.
Translation:
What a beautiful book - for a start! -
My dear friend, what a pleasure to open it - to put my hand into it - to feel, at the tips sof my fingers, the freshness of the pages - the contours of the print!
And then the examination of the gallant paper - perfect in substance and in colour! -
And now the happiness - close also to crime! - to cut the pages slowly - and to savour quietly, turning them, some appeal;ing fragment, which first of all calls out to the eyes - just as it should be! -
Yes, what a beautiful book!! - we both cried out - the attentive "Nurse" and her convalescent - on seeing it: What a beautiful book! - "Pages" - what a pretty name!
Envelope:
Faire suivre[6] en cas d'absenceà
Monsieur Stéphane Mallarmé
89. Rue de Rome -
Paris.
France
[on verso:] 'A Valvins[7] / par Avon / Seine et Marne'
[stamp:] POSTAGE / TWO AND HALF PENNY
[postmark:] LONDON / SW / 8 / MY / 26 / 91
[postmark:] CALAIS A PARIS / [2?] / 26 / MAI / 91 / E
[postmark on verso:] [PARI]S / 66 / R. MEISS[ON]IER / 27 / [M]AI / [9]1
[postmark on verso:] AVON / SEINE ET MARNE / 4E / 27 [MAI] / 91
Notes:
1. [26 May 1891]
Dated from postmark.
2. Stéphane Mallarmé
Stéphane Mallarmé (1842-1898), Symbolist writer and poet [more].
3. ALS
There are two drafts of this letter, #03806 and #03807. It was published by Barbier, Carl P., ed., Correspondance Mallarmé-Whistler: Histoire de la grande amitié de leurs dernières années, Paris, 1964 [GM, A.28], no. LI, p. 85.
4. Nurse
Beatrix Whistler (1857-1896), née Beatrice Philip, artist [more].
5. Pages
Stéphane Mallarmé Pages, Paris, 1891. A copy inscribed to JW is in GUL Sp Coll Whistler 82 (see Barbier, ibid, p. 84).
6. Faire suivre
Double underlined. 'Please forward in case of absence.'
7. A Valvins
Written in another hand. This was the address of Mallarmé's house in the country.