1 / 12
a handwritten letter on a piece of paper with writing on itan old letter written in black ink on a piece of paperan old piece of paper with writing on it sitting on top of a tablean old black and white photo of a person holding a tennis racqueta letter written in black ink on a piece of papera handwritten letter written in black ink on a white papera letter written in black ink on a piece of papera letter written in black ink on a white paperan old piece of paper with writing and stamps on ita picture of a piece of paper with a drawing on ita piece of paper with writing on it sitting on top of a tablean old document with a handwritten letter on it and a picture of a bird on it
Maître Jean-Paul RENOUD-GRAPPIN

90 - Claude-Joseph ROUGET DE LISLE (1760–1836).
See original version (French)

Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
Sale commission
Description
Claude-Joseph ROUGET DE LISLE (1760–1836). Autograph letter signed ‘R.L’, Choisy-le-Roi, 22 April 1828, to Pierre-Jean BÉRANGER; 3 pages in-4, addressed. A very fine and moving letter from the author of *La Marseillaise* to the songwriter. He regrets having to trouble Béranger once again with his ‘miserable self and his hideous infirmities’. He has accepted the warm hospitality of General B. [BLEIN] and ‘his excellent wife’, but fears he may be ‘a burden to them’. Penniless and overwhelmed by grief, his existence is becoming unbearable... ‘In my dreadful situation, my dear friend, since there is no honourable way to change it or alter it—or if there is one, even if it were known to me, I lack the time and all the means to wait for it to come to pass—what course of action remains for me to take? A shot from a pistol? I cannot afford the consequences; the river? that is despicable; or, to speak seriously, both of these, and anything of the sort, are repugnant to the principles that have constantly sustained me against the repeated temptations to resort to them, and which, if I can, will sustain me to the very end.”... He sees no other solution than ‘to return to my former plan of walking across the fields, straight ahead, until death follows. Exhaustion, hunger and despair may also become means of survival. I firmly believe that a true man of honour must not take his own life; but he is permitted to let himself die when he can no longer live’… Etc. Rouget de Lisle is firmly resolved to let this plan run its course. He informs Béranger of this so that the latter may cease the efforts he is making on his behalf, for they would now be pointless. He asks him only to bear witness, from time to time, to the steadfastness and even stoicism with which he has endured the cruellest tribulations… He will leave Choisy without revealing his intentions to the general… Enclosed is a letter from BÉRANGER to Mr Montandon, 26 April [1828] (1 p. in-4, addressed). Béranger wishes to draw the attention of the financier Laffitte to the plight of Rouget de Lisle, whose letter he forwards: ‘I have just written to that unfortunate Rouget de Lisle and to Colonel Blein, with whom he is staying, to prevent him, if there is still time, from carrying out his disastrous plan. Several people have come together to organise a collection on his behalf that might rescue him from his deplorable situation, but I very much fear that help may be too long in coming”…
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale AUTOGRAPHS & MANUSCRIPTS – PENNED BY HISTORY’S GREAT FIGURES
Auction location
Auction time 09/18/2026 at 2:00 PM
Ref. : 226165 - 42
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like