Numquid et tu ?…

A surprising text, published shortly after the scandalous Corydon: “Monsieur André Gide is introducing strange habits into the book trade. Does he publish, or does he not publish? He has invented clandestine publicity, if these words may be coupled without impropriety. And he varies from one book to the next. He published Les Faux-monnayeurs openly, in keeping with all the usual practices of the profession. He printed only limited runs of Corydon and Si le grain ne meurt, with no review copies. Consider his latest work: Numquid et tu?… A first edition was printed in 1922 in 70 copies, not offered for sale and without the author’s name. The new edition, just issued, runs to 2,650 copies, of which 150 are on deluxe paper. Let us charitably warn at once those enthusiasts fired up by Si le grain, by Corydon or by Les Faux-monnayeurs that the series has been interrupted, and that this time, if they were counting on the same merchandise, they would be cheated. Numquid et tu?… is a small edifying tract, a sort of sermon or devotional manual, of the kind distributed by Methodist offices and the Salvation Army. No little Arab boys, no suspect schoolboys. Open your Bible and think of your soul! A few days of retreat, penance and ejaculatory prayers. Christ is risen!”

Paul Souday, Le Temps, January 1927; Naville, LXIV.