André FRÉNAUD (1907-1993). 10 L.A.S., 1946-1948, to Richard - Lot 92

André FRÉNAUD (1907-1993). 10 L.A.S., 1946-1948, to Richard Heyd in Neuchatel; 20pages in-8 or in-4, envelopes. Interesting correspondence with the director of Editions Ides et Calendes, mainly concerning the publication of his collection Soleil irréductible. May 5, 1946. He suggests that Soleil irréductible be published in 1,500 copies rather than 1,000, with several reviews awaiting publication "to publish studies on me in the major magazines" and many newspapers; but he would like to ask Pierre's advice on this... He is sorry that his book is "so copious", and as the price of the volume cannot exceed 8 francs, "it would be better to remove the civic poems than to remove the beautiful red lettering, which I'm very happy about [...] On the other hand, I don't agree with you at all about the change of title", which he is very happy with, and which is nothing other than a metaphorical definition of poetry itself; Éluard, Michaux and Tardieu find him very happy, etc. He then justifies "the cascade of poems that have been published". He goes on to justify the collection's "cascade of titles and false titles"... He hopes the book will be superb, and that it will do well... - June 6. 1st proofs returned, with a few comments. He met Gallimard in the metro and recounts their interesting discussion about publishers and Heyd in particular. He indicates the various special and numbered runs to be carried out... - June 20 and July 3. Feedback on the second set of proofs: "I congratulate you and am delighted. It will be a very fine book, which will give us both honor and pleasure"; several remarks and corrections to be incorporated... - September 4. He is very pleased with the copies of Soleil irréductible: "it's a beautiful book, beautifully laid out, sober and pleasant, very readable", etc. - September 12th. On the subject of off-price copies and the press service, about which he has spoken with Pierre Seghers, who will take care of it. It would be preferable to send each copy from Paris with the author's personal dedication, etc. - October 24th. Back from England, "a desolate country, what distress", he is delighted with their evening with Jean Lescure, and with the announcement of the dispatch of 40 additional copies of his collection, which will enable him to make many happy people. As Tardieu had not given him his latest book, he asked Heyd to send it to him... April 3, 1948. He is very ill, bedridden for 4 months with a long illness. But "the poetic inspiration that had abandoned me for a year has returned", and he writes again... - September 18, 1948. Jean Lescure must have told him what had happened to him: "the happiness of having met the woman I was waiting for and the misfortune of having immediately fallen seriously ill". It's been 9 months, 5 of them convalescing in Provence, and he'll have another year to live, but he's hoping to get married sooner. The only advantage of this calamity is that he now has plenty of time to "think, imagine, write, too. Poetry is always interesting, but on the whole I'm not too unhappy with what I've written. This year, poetry is still Irreducible Sun, but of course it's no longer about Malamour. I have a lot of unpublished work and several book projects"... He sends two typed and signed poems (enclosed): L'Heure de l'enfant and L'Amour réconcilié... Enclosed are 2 manuscripts: Note pour Soleil irréductible (1 page in-8), and Du même auteur (1 p. in-4), a bibliographical note on his books already published and forthcoming...