Le Crève-Coeur
Limited to 2,150 copies on châtaignier paper.
The copy enriched with 2 autograph letters signed by Louis Aragon to François Steegmuller concerning one of the poems in the collection, “Les Lilas et les Roses” (2 pp. on 2 leaves, 210 x 270 mm, in blue ink).
Aragon’s two autograph letters grant permission to publish two poems from this collection, “Les Lilas et les Roses” and “[Zone libre] – Vingt ans après,” with a few corrections supplied by Aragon: “permissions granted on condition that the text be respected. Indeed, the six lines quoted as taken from ‘Zone libre’ do not appear in that poem, but in the poem ‘Vingt ans après’ — the first poem in Le Crève-cœur.”
The second letter, signed and dated Quiberon, 26 March 1970, apologizes for the delay: “Forgive me, Madame, for only replying today to your letter of 15 December. It is a disgrace. But what can be done? […] Please find enclosed the requested authorization; if it is still relevant, kindly forward it to Mr. Steegmuller, with my apologies to him as well.”
A major collection, containing some of the poet’s finest poems, including “Le Lilas et les Roses.” This is its first appearance in book form after its publication in Le Figaro of 21 September 1940.
Wrapper slightly foxed, otherwise a good copy, uncut.