Benjamin-Constant, Jean-Joseph, French painter and etcher (1845-1902). Autograph lettercard signed ("Benj. Constant")."59, Rue Ampère" Paris, n. d.

Interesting letter to the academic painter and art critic Charles-Olivier Merson, asserting that he as "nothing to exhibit" and that he doesn't want to participate in exhibitions in the province anymore: "Je n'a rien a exposer et ne veux plus exposer en province".

Merson was the curator for paintings at the Exposition de Bordeaux.

On mourning paper with printed letterhead. Well preserved.

Geffken, Walter, Maler (1872-1950). Eigenh. Postkarte m. U.Bad Reiboldsgrün, 31 Dec 1911.

"Die herzlichsten Grüße und Glückwünsche zum neuen Jahr senden der ganzen Famlie Liebenwein / die Geffckens".

Geffcken. erlernte 1889 die Malerei in München und siedelte 1891 nach Paris über. Dort studierte er an der Académie Julian unter Benjamin Constant und Laurens und vervollkommnete seine Fertigkeiten in der Malerei. Anschließend ging er nach Italien und malte Stillleben. Später in München ansässig, zeigte er seine Bilder alljährlich im Glaspalast. Seine Werke geben realistische Bauernbilder, Themen aus der Zeit des Rokoko, Kircheninterieurs und Atelierszenen wieder.

Constant, Benjamin, Swiss-French political theorist, author, and statesman (1767-1830). Autograph letter signed.Paris, 8 Dec 1826.

To Augustine Émilie Victorine Destutt de Tracy, Madame de Laubespin, the youngest daughter of Antoine Destutt de Tracy and sister-in-law of Georges Washington de La Fayette, asking her about the specifics of the "sad ceremony that I desire to attend" and whether he will there meet La Fayette or where he might otherwise find him: "Oserais-je vous prier, Madame, de me faire savoir si la triste cérémonie à laquelle je désire assister aura lieu demain & à quelle heures, & si je trouverai Monsieur Georges La Fayette, où dans quel lieu je pourrais le rencontrer".

A classical liberal of the early 19th century, Constant defined the concept of liberty as a condition of existence that allowed the individual to turn away interference from the state or society. His ideas influenced the Trienio Liberal movement in Spain, the Liberal Revolution of 1820 in Portugal, the Greek War of Independence, the November uprising in Poland, the Belgian Revolution, and liberalism in Brazil and Mexico.

Traces of folds. Some browning. With a tear to the address leaf.

Constant, Benjamin, Swiss-French political theorist, author, and statesman (1767-1830). Autograph letter signed.Paris, Maison de Salm, "30 Thermidor An 7" 17 July 1799.

To a lawyer named Malandain, urging him to take action in an affair concerning a widow named Jullien, as it impedes Constant's payment by a C. Arnault, whom he accuses of "misrepresenting his fortune" in order to "frustrate his creditors". Constant sees his interests at risk: "Je comptais avec certitude sur une réponse à ma dernière lettre. Vous me mandiez dans votre précédente que vous déviez revoir la veuve Jullien le 14, & nous sommes au 30. Je vous prie instamment de presser l'issue de cette affaire. Je vous répète ce que je vous ai mandé précédemment. Cette affaire seule m'empêche d'être payé de C. Arnault, que j’ai raison de croire occupé à dénaturer sa fortune, pour frustrer ses créanciers. Vous voiez combien de plus longs retards seroient préjudiciables à mes intérêts".

The second part of the letter concerns another ongoing affair concerning compensation payments by a Mr. Coquereaumont. Constant suspects that his adversary has moved without indicating his new address: "J'ai écrit de nouveau à mon ci-devant homme d'affaires mais son silence me fait croire qu'il a changé domicile. Je vous ai expliqué, Citoyen, ce qu'il m'avait mandé relativement aux réparations de Coquereaumont. Il se trouvait qu'il m'ait transmis des détails erronés, et qu'il eut consenti des réparations, ce qui doit pouvoir le constater par un acte signé de lui, [...]".

The great thinker and politician Constant was notoriously short of cash throughout his life. In 1816 he fell out with his long-term partner Madame de Staël, not least due to his gambling debts; towards the end of his life King Louis Philip I provided him with a large sum to settle his debts.

With recipient's note in ink and tears from breaking the seal. Some foxing and browning.

[Napoleonica]. Le Manuscrit venu de Sainte-Hélène apprécié à sa juste valeur.Paris, 1817.

First edition; rare. The first refutation of the famous "Manuscrit venu de Sainte-Hélène, d'une manière inconnue", which was published anonymously in London earlier that same year. This mysterious "manuscript", an apology of Napoleon Bonaparte's actions and intentions, was supposedly written by Napoleon himself or by a close friend. While soon exposed as a fraud, the work was long variously attributed to Madame de Staël, Charles Tristan Comte de Montholon, Benjamin Constant and E. J. Sieyes before Frédéric Lullin de Châteauvieux (1772-1841) from Geneva, a friend of Madame de Staël, was established as the author. Napoleon himself composed a refutation which was later published. The present anonymous publication is sometimes attributed to the publisher Michaud himself. "La première réfutation qui ait été faite de ce fameux libelle" (Hoefer). A perfect, wide-margined specimen bound in sumptuous red full morocco by Hatchards of London.

Staël-Holstein, Anne, French author and philosopher (1766-1817). Autograph letter.Frankfurt, 26 Nov 1803.

In French, to an unnamed friend: "It's been two weeks, my dear friend, since I last got a line from you, although I need your friendship more than I ever did before. My daughter has had a fever for a week, and here I am, among strangers, surrounded by German doctors in an inn, and well, I feel quite miserable. Thank God, she hasn't been in danger so far; if she were, I couldn't survive it. I wrote to you from Metz when I left, and from here too, to offer you my [apartment]. How is it that I didn't get at least a note from you? You know quite well that all I know about life, I have learned from you and it's all the more true now that I live abroad. Have you seen Villers? Tell him that one must be mad to live anywhere else than in France when one is French. The Germans are quite kind to me, though, and I already have a chest full of poems and notes. I have been writing down some of my reflections about all that, which might be of interest if ever see my friends again, since nothing will ever make me publish one line for any other public than the French. Please do write to me; consider that if you spent five minutes at it every night, the result would be a week of relief for me. But I have never been able to give you an idea of how much your letters please me; you would not be so sparing with them if you knew. Kindly remember me to all those who care for me".

Madame de Staël wrote this letter at the beginning of her exile. Her duel with Napoleon, stemming from her recalcitrance to his influence, had led to his orders that she was not to reside within forty leagues of Paris. This occurred in the fall of 1803. After considerable delay she decided to go to Germany. She travelled in the company of Benjamin Constant, by Metz and Frankfurt to Weimar, arriving there in December. She stayed in Weimar during the winter, and then went on to Berlin.

Colet, Louise, French poet and writer (1810-1876). 4 autograph letters signed.Paris and n. p., ca. 1844-1862.

Rare and interesting collection of letters written over two decades. Probably the earliest of the undated letters is addressed to a literary critic at the "Journal des Débats" in connection with Colet's 1844 translation of Tommaso Campanella's Selected Works. Colet reminds the recipient of his promise to publish an article on her publication, which had been awarded a translation prize: "L'autre jour et aujourd'hui encore j'ai pris la liberté de passer chez vous pour rappeler à votre souvenir mon Campanella sur lequel vous m'aviez fait espérer que vous voudriez bien faire un article. Je voulais vous dire Monsieur, de quelle importance il serait pour moi que cet article parût. Dans le courant de la semaine prochaine, mon Campanella est réservé pour un prix de traduction ; l'académie le prononcera dans huit jours, et un article de vous Monsieur, dans le journal des débats me serait d'un puissant appui. Pardonnez-moi mon importunité Monsieur, mais j'en compte sur votre bonté en cette circonstance [...]".

The most intriguing of the present letters can be dated with some certainty to 1845-49, as Colet addresses an intimate friend or family member of Juliette Récamier (1777-1849), following her own visit to the ailing salonnière. Apparently, Colet had intended to recite to Récamier a poem written in memory of a recently deceased mutual friend, but ultimately refrained, considering her ill health. Therefore, she expresses her hope that the recipient will find the right moment to read the poem to Récamier. It is conceivable that the deceased friend was none other than François-René de Chateaubriand, Juliette Récamier's closest friend and an early patron of Colet's literary career. Before her death in 1849, Récamier entrusted Louise Colet with the publication of her correspondence with Benjamin Constant, which she saw through the press in 1863.

Two letters that can be dated to 1857 and 1862, respectively, were addressed to the "director of the feuilleton" at "La Presse", both concerning potential publications. In 1857, Colet offered to the journal an essay on the Isle of Wight, hoping that it would be published in the feuilleton or variété sections. The text was ultimately published in "Le monde illustré" on 23 May 1857. Colet was equally unlucky with "La Presse" when she offered her novel "Les petites passions dans les grands paysages" to the editor in 1862. In this case, "Le Constitutionnel" stepped in and published Colet's work between 3 and 11 October 1862. In this letter, Colet mentions Victor Hugo's friend Auguste Vacquerie.

Well preserved