ROMAINS (Jules). Two poems. Paris : Mercure de France, 1910. - In-8, 195 x 145 : 63 pp. printed cover. Gilt paper, smooth spine, gilt head, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved (modern binding). First edition gathering two poems by Jules Romains, respectively entitled Poème du Métropolitain and À la Foule qui est ici. The first one was written in October 1904 and appeared for the first time in the Revue littéraire de Paris et de Champagne. The second was composed in March 1909 and spoken on June 2 of the same year by the actor Édouard de Max to "the crowd at the Théâtre de l'Odéon". GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE'S ISSUE, on publisher's paper, including this autograph dispatch from the author on the false title : to Guillaume Apollinaire // his friend // Jules RomainsApollinaire and Romains were among the major writers of the early 20th century. They met at the beginning of 1900 and maintained a very interesting literary correspondence. Apollinaire devoted a short article to Jules Romains in the April 1, 1911 issue of the Mercure de France, an article he signed with the pseudonym Montade: "Since my first meeting with Jules Romains, and while the literary reasons that could have kept us apart were accumulating, sympathy was born that brought us together. It comes, I was told, from the fact that we are of the same date. It is the most romantic day of the year [...] Jules Romains has no eyes and his eyelids hardly open on two ice caves. In any case, his face is animated and a goatee hides the will that marks the chin. The appearance and the attitude are those of a socialist union secretary. As literature is made with electricity, do not doubt it, Romains would be the Pataud of these electricians [...] Jules Romains is, of the men I know, the one who pales the most easily. One day, while he was reading an article in which reservations were made about the Vie Unanime, I saw him turn pale. He likes brutality and also certain puerile forms of singularity. [...] The author of The Army in the City likes to tear groups from their torpor, he wants to violate the public, but his inspiration suffers similar assaults. The copy was later acquired by Paul Éluard and was enriched by a visiting card of Apollinaire, mounted on a mitre on the false title, bearing on both sides this autograph missive addressed to Gustave Kahn: "My dear master. Here are some verses and my address. My best memories and my respectful homage at the feet of Madame and Mademoiselle Kahn. I must give you some very old verses because according to an observation of my friend Jules Romains those that I compose now would displease the readers of Gil Blas (nevertheless these verses are unpublished) ". A fine copy despite missing title-piece and browned first and last leaf. Provenance: Guillaume Apollinaire, with autograph dispatch from the author. - Paul Éluard, with ex-libris. - Bookplate M.D.