LAMARTINE Alphonse de Méditations poétiques.

[And in a uniform binding]

LAMARTINE, Alphonse de. Nouvelles Méditations poétiques. Paris, Urbain Canel, 1823. 8vo (213 x 132 mm) of 2 unn.l. (half-title and title), II pp., 179 pp., 4 pp. (catalogue).Jansenist blue morocco, inner gilt filets, gilt edges, covers preserved, untrimmed (Chambolle-Duru).

Clouzot, 176 ; Vicaire IV, 949-952 & 955.

First editions, first issue for Méditations poétiques.

The last four verses of the Meditations on page 10 are repeated on page 11, which is no longer the case in the second printing, where a cancel leaf corrects the error. There is no table leaf. All these elements indicate the first issue.

With two autograph letters, the first bound at the head of the first volume.

Volume I contains a letter from Lamartine to his childhood friend Nicolas Prosper Guichard de Bienassis (1789-1857) dated 2 September 1809. Lamartine seems to be recounting a disappointment in love, making him gloomy, and his letter is written in verse :

" […] Vous lirez incessamment
mon épitaphe badine
et mon très court testament :
léger compagnon des ombres
demain je vais lestement
descendre dans les lieux sombres
dont on revient rarement :
si Caron me fait attendre;
sur son navire élégant
s'il refuse de me prendre,
je dirai : nocher des morts va :
Permettre que je m'embarque
je chargerai peu ta barque
ne portant à l'autre bord
Honte, regret, ni remord. […]

The second letter, in the second volume, is also addressed to Nicolas Prosper Guichard de Bienassis and dates from 1808. He reproaches his friend for not having written to him for a long time. As for Lamartine, he is in a château "fort retiré et pittoresque" for the past 6 weeks, where he has led "une vie de vrai gentilhomme".

Fine copies, well established by Chambolle-Duru.