Anatole FRANCE (1844-1924). Autograph manuscript, Toast given at the banquet offered to Georg Brandès, March 10, 1902; 3 small leaves in-4. Draft, with erasures and corrections, of a beautiful tribute to the Danish critic Georg Brandès (1842-1927). "Ajax, in the tragedy of Sophocles says, with all the Hellenic finesse, that he had believed for a long time that men were led by acting, but that he realized that they were led by speaking. [...] The word leads the world. That is why, Georg Brandès, curious to know and to expose the great movements of men and societies in this century, you studied the works of the writers in preference to the life of the men of action, knowing that the thoughts explain the acts, which do not have significance by themselves "... He praises his critical, historical and philosophical work, and honors especially the character of Brandès, equal to his talent: "I drink to George Brandès who, living in an age of democracy, has never flattered the people".