Louis JOUVET. 5 L.A.S., 1907-1908, to Mlle Aline Bordas; 14pages in-8, 3 envelopes and 2 addresses. Beautiful love letters from his youth, about his early theater career. [Since 1905, when he was still in philosophy class, Jouvet had established an intimate correspondence with a young girl from Saint-Étienne, Mlle Aline Bordas, whom he would call his "cousin"; the correspondence would continue when Jouvet left for Paris to study and train as a pharmacist, and when his theatrical vocation was awakened]. [Levallois-Perret August 25, 1907]. He soon completes his internship. "On September 20, I'll be a real bohemian - wide hat [...] even longer hair, old-fashioned shoes, a pipe in the corner of my lip and books under my arm!" He belongs to the "Cornéliens", a group of young actors "whose aim is to perform works by Corneille, Molière and others, even modern ones. - Monthly public performances", and tours around Paris. He came there above all to approach its director [the actor Castellat], "an old friend of Mayer's who is now at the French [...] It was he who trained Gémier at the Théâtre Antoine - and he explained Gémier's talent to me with rare knowledge, showing me that Gémier was a great composer of types, a true actor, but not a talker. [...] I recited Cyrano's tirade des nez to him, and he reproached me for my pronunciation - a matter of hard work - telling me that I was quite original and that I had substance"... He was not looking for glory, but he needed "Linette's" letters, her recommendations, her advice, her prayers, her kisses... [December 28, 1907]. He sends his best wishes to "Mon petit Linon". He is left with "one franc forty-five, three cigarettes and four ten-cent stamps. [...] I have cried, I have suffered, I am ill. [...] I'm not worth your loving - you're not cut out to be a Mimi and I'm just a miserable Rodolphe". He does, however, send her a small gift, a letter opener, "not meant to cut our friendship"... He asks her to return the Murger book he lent her... "Pray for me my Linon, don't love me, you would be wrong, [...] but believe that I love you all the more because I feel unworthy of the love you lavish on me unjustly. [...] Farewell, my brunette, I still place sweet kisses at the bottom of this letter to which pieces of my soul are attached". And he signs it "Rodolphe". [August 14 1908]. Jouvet has a vague feeling that his "dear Aline" is no longer interested in him, and yet he is determined to continue writing to her, but to take the time she has to reply. He works a lot. "I went to the provinces for Œdipe roi - the role of Coryphée. - I created a role in an act by G.H. Mai [Georges-Hector Mai, Les Maîtres de la vie] - I worked on the first act of Le Misanthrope - played the role of Horace - did a lot of auditions! - I'm currently working on Le Coeur a ses raisons [de Flers et Caillavet], Britannicus role of Burrhus. I'm going to create the role of Lender in an act by Han Ryner [A magistrate appears before a free man]. I worked on the role of Trielle in La Paix chez soi [Courteline]. I'm going to play Oswald in Les Revenants [Ibsen] and various other things that are taking up a lot of my time. [...] I'm also working on the first scene of Don Salluste [from Ruy Blas], which I may give without hope in front of the Conservatoire jury, who won't be bored. - I'm still working on my pharmacy, so in November I'm going back to school". He may go to Angoulême to give an evening performance of La Foire aux Chimères... - December 10]. He has just become unwell, and is admitted as an auditor to Louis Leloir's course at the Conservatoire. He will soon be staging Émile Bergerat's Le Combat de cerfs. He hopes to see Aline in Paris... - [December 22nd]. He will wait for Aline at the Gare Saint-Lazare. "I renew my description - overcoat on the shoulders, black felt flat edges, cigarette (traditional). See you Thursday and don't be afraid of me, I'm not as colossal as you seem to think - although I do pretend to play the roles marked "les pères nobles" in less special language...".