BLOY Léon (1846-1917). AUTOGRAPHIC MANUSCRIPT,... Lot 13

BLOY Léon (1846-1917). AUTOGRAPHIC MANUSCRIPT, La Méduse -Astruc, August-September 1875; with important autograph annotations by BARBEY D'AUREVILLY in the margin; 12 pages in-8 (21 x 13.5 cm). Precious manuscript of Léon Bloy's first work, abundantly annotated and commented by Barbey d'Aurevilly. [An admirer of Barbey d'Aurevilly, Bloy asked him in 1867 to meet him in order to be able to "contemplate" him. Barbey d'Aurevilly sensed Bloy's gifts and agreed to become his mentor, advising him on his reading, on his style, and instilling in him his own intransigence of character. For his part, Bloy served as his secretary for a time and worked to build a group of followers around him. In spite of some disagreements, Bloy remained faithful to Barbey d'Aurevilly and attended his last moments. It was the bust of Barbey d'Aurevilly by the sculptor Zacharie ASTRUC (1833-1907) that inspired Léon Bloy to write this "sort of crazy poem", his first literary attempt. This prose poem is all vibrant with Bloy's admiration for the Constable of Letters. Bloy made a calligraphic copy of his text and Barbey d'Aurevilly's comments, which he published in a very rare polygraphic booklet with a print run of a dozen copies]. Léon Bloy's manuscript is neatly tidied up in black ink, with some marginal corrections in green pencil; paginated in blue pencil from [1] to 12, it is divided into fifteen parts (I-XV), and dated at the end "August-September 1875". Bloy has provided a margin on the left for the "Observations of M. d'Aurevilly". BARBEY D'AUREVILLY has written in the margin, in red ink, about fifteen annotations or comments, and 34 arrows pointing out remarkable passages; he has also underlined words or sentences in the text, and sometimes proposed corrections. Bloy says he admires this "Medusan bust" and "the even more astonishing man of whom it is the image. [...] Oh, how proud, imposing and formidable, in its quiet omnipotence, this astonishing physiognomy appears to us! [...] He is the knight of God, in a world without God and without chivalry, in a world expiring of old age, in the midst of the crowd of mocking worlds, harmoniously balanced in the spaces of heaven. He is this magician of doctrinal and literary orthodoxy, whose beneficent philtres restore life to the hearts of discouraged poets and rejuvenate the intellectual impressions of the past in all minds organized to vibrate to greatness. He is the poet and the critic with a sharp wit and the inexhaustible sagittarius of the vengeful stroke. Catholic in the midst of unbelievers, monarchist after monarchies, a leaguer without a league, a gentleman without a king and a king himself without gentlemen and without popularity, faithful to sublimities that did not triumph, - he is the standard-bearer and thunderbolt-bearer of Truth and Beauty nevertheless. The destiny of a hero and the predestination of Genius! Double supreme greatness, if greatness could count for something today and if heroism and genius could blow away less cruelly the delicious, proud, intoxicating equality of modern times! Certainly! I knew her well, this great audacious figure! I had lived, dreamed, suffered and cried enough before her! This educator of my intelligence had passed enough over my destiny, through my heart, so that, when one day he fell and disappeared behind the horizon of my life, I would never forget him again! [...] But it took the Medusa-Astruc with the thunder and the superhuman thrill of her beauty, it took this thrust of genius to tear off the blindfold of habit and force me to look, for the first time, - in the transfiguring light of this masterpiece, - at her face of immortality!"... Etc. BARBEY D'AUREVILLY's observations are remarkable: "This is a style that Buffon would have called for the way it moves and walks: the joints of Lion. It's limber & powerful of gait. Loaded, yes, but not heavy." (p. 1). "All this is very grand, of a beautiful poetic turn, - and Byronic. You know what it is for me. - My word, I find it beautiful as if it were not about me [this sentence has been omitted from the autographed booklet]. - It is not what I am, - but it is what I would like to be. Gentleman without a king, for example, that is what I am." (p. 3). "Style is the turn of phrase, given by the organization." (p. 4). "You can feel the lyrical breath that really is everywhere, and that doesn't puff out your cheeks to blow!" (p. 8).... Etc. And at the end (p. 12), "Great future writer.... brew, brew, brew!!! since you have that bicep."