André LEBEY (1877-1938). 39 L.A.S., 1894-1918, to Pierre Louÿs; 84pages in various formats, including 2 postcards, envelopes and addresses. Beautiful friendly and literary correspondence. The first letter is written from Dieppe in 1894, while Louÿs is in Algeria; Régnier told Lebey that Louÿs had "made a dangerous rapt; if I were from the eighteenth century, I would say your adventure was piquant"... - October 6, 1895, invitation from Jean de Tinan to dine at the d'Harcourt, where Louÿs could "bring all the Madeleines in the world or other babies"... 1896. - March 23, proposed meeting with Tinan. -June 16. "The tale of stellar adventures is too long to be told by letter"... - August 27 (Louÿs is in Seville). Lebey finishes his novel "cahin-caha en baillant"; he complains about women, who are boring... - August 30, he has just finished Les Premières Luttes; Tinan is in Jumièges... "Melle Stella - Pétrole de luxe pour les amateurs de lampe, pneumatique, pour les amateurs de bicyclette writes to her former lover [...] and consoles herself by having a completely different pistol shot than the one she had mentioned fired by the usual pistoletiers of the Harcourt regiment"... News from Henri Albert, Viélé-Griffin... - September 6. He "spent the night with a vague Juliette - a new one - with small tits"; scene from Stella... He leaves for Normandy to write a short novel, Les Étapes sentimentales de mon ami"... About La Femme et le Pantin: "Bravo for Conchita! Tell her I love her from afar, - and bring her to Paris this winter"... - December 3 (on Pan's letterhead): "You are both too kind and too indulgent; you always see your friend through the author. I'd be too happy if I could really believe without deluding myself too much that my book isn't all bad!"... - December 26. Lives through the night: "As Tinan says so well: we'll fall by the tail like pears!"; proofreads his book... "Works at l'Andalouse - aka Sevillanne"... 1897. - January 1 (Louÿs is in Algeria). Tinan and Lebey's Montmartre rambles: "we can't say we didn't agitate our lives, v-i-e before we used them!"... - January 9. He is pleased that Louÿs accepts the dedication of his next book; he is in the middle of proofreading. "Les Aphrodites de Calbet font merveille aux devantures"... - February 2. I beg you, don't leave the Andalouse like this; it's already being talked about in Paris and you owe it to yourself - I'm not laughing - not to come back to us with an empty briefcase"; advice on how to cure a venereal disease... - February 9. Concerns about Louÿs's health. - June 5, addressed to "Monsieur de Ronsard. I am only a simple reader, but I wanted to express my admiration for your Amours de Marie. They are very beautiful verses, my faith, although inspired by Mr. Moréas". - October 23rd. On Jean de Tinan: "His heart is the permanent pyre of a thousand Phoenixes of love, which follow one another with a rapidity that is nonetheless a little shocking [...] When does Bilitis appear? Are you working on L'Andalouse?"... December 18, 1898. He has just reread La Femme et le Pantin: "How nice and how kind of you to have dedicated it to me"... He has had an explanation with Debussy. - April 2, 1900: "You are my friend - completely. I hate Protestant morality even more than you do, because I hate both your mother: Christianity and your red sister: Christianity; and that goes back a long way"... - November 1900, asking Louÿs to recommend Toulet's novel to Borel. - April 27, 1901. He recalls the promise of a "proof package from Pausole". Amusing commentary on the Salon des Indépendants, and Douanier Rousseau's paintings: "There's an irresistible Tyrolean customs officer shooting a bear and making a naked woman appear. It's brilliant". - June 27, 1901, on L'Homme de pourpre and Pausole. - [1902?]. Brouille: "Your letter shows me that the dislocation of an eight-year friendship means little to you. [...] Although you called me a murderer with a certain incomprehensible bitterness, I for my part could not destroy piecemeal and little by little the total and deep affection I have for you"... - April 30, 1907, long letter of moral comfort and advice... Etc. 3 L.A.S. from Pierre Louÿs to André Lebey (1918), plus reproduction of a photograph of Louÿs dedicated to André Lebey (stamped H. Martinie).