DOVALLE (Charles): Le Sylphe, Poésies de feu Ch. Dovalle, précédées D'une Notice par M. Louvet, et d'une préface, par Victor Hugo, Paris: Ladvocat, 1830. - In-8, marbled half calf à la Bradel, double cold fillet, smooth spine decorated, untrimmed (20th century binding). Posthumous first edition. Born in 1807 in the Mayne-et-Loire region of France, Charles Dovalle was attracted to poetry from an early age, so much so that he gave up the legal career his parents had planned for him. A journalist with the "Écho des Salons" and the "Figaro", he was soon feared for his verve and critical spirit. He was killed in a duel in his prime for having pushed a certain Mira, son of the comedian Brunet, to the limit. A poem he had written a few minutes earlier for his parents was found on Dovalle, pierced by the bullet that killed him. Victor Hugo, at the request of the author's friends, wrote a moving letter-preface especially for this edition. A good copy in modern imitation binding. A handwritten note on the flyleaf opposite the false title states that Victor Hugo's "letter-preface" was read on Saturday, July 2, 1927 by Léon Bernard at the Comédie-Française for the celebration of the centenary of Romanticism, and that Gerbaut recited several of Dovalle's poems for the occasion. Some wear, trace of adhesive on the first cover. The last few leaves are lightly browned. Tear not missing from top of one leaf (pp. 219-220). Provenance: F. Cresson, with bookplate. Enclosed: - NERVAL (Gérard de). La Bohème galante. Paris: Michel Lévy frères, 1855. - In-18, half-brown basane, smooth spine decorated (period binding). Partly original edition. Second printing with "Imp. Simon Raçon et comp." on verso of false title, first printing with "Typ. A good copy in contemporary binding. One corner broken. Minor foxing.