Paul VALÉRY (1871-1945). Autograph poem, Narcisse parle, [1891], with L.A.S. to Pierre Louÿs; 3pages in-4 (small split on last leaf), and half-page in-8. First version of the poem Narcisse parle. It appeared in the first issue of La Conque, Pierre Louÿs's magazine, on March 15, 1891. It has 53 lines. "O brothers, sad lilies, I long for beauty To be desired in your nakedness"... The poem went through several versions, with important variants, and was collected in Album de Vers anciens 1890-1900 (Adrienne Monnier, 1920). The manuscript is neatly spelled out in black ink on 3 sheets of lined paper. The 45th line has been crossed out and corrected: "La flûte [dans] sur l'azur"... Lines 47 to 50 have been crossed out: "Et toi, fantôme, laisse une lèvre pieux / Te baiser, ô toi qui te meurs avec le jour / Crépuscule de la Beauté mystérieuse / Et reçois ma caresse vaine, ô triste amour!"; they are covered by a crutch bearing a very different version of these lines: "On your gem-like lip in dead water, O pious one / Beauty like the evening, silent Beauty, / Hold this nocturnal and tenderly fatal kiss,/ Caress whose hope undulates this crystal!" The manuscript was entitled Fragment, and began with the words "Narcisse parle:". Pierre Louÿs crossed out these two lines and inscribed, in violet ink, the title: Narcisse parle, and added the epigraph: Narcissae placandis manibus, as well as the word: (Fragment) at the end of the poem. Attached is the L.A.S. sending the poem to Pierre Louÿs, [ca. February 7, 1891]: "Here is the poem in question. I adjure you to admit it - if you still counted on it - only if you sincerely approve of it. Alas! I'm afraid it's a poor way to open your glorious Conch, it's far from my dream and I've been too hasty. PV." [P. Louÿs received it on February 8 (as he wrote to Gide), and acknowledged receipt to Valéry on February 10, specifying that the poem would open the review; but Valéry had to give precedence to Leconte de Lisle]. Plus a small passport photo of P. Valéry.