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a letter written in black ink on a piece of papera handwritten letter written in black ink on a white papera handwritten letter written in black ink on a piece of papera handwritten letter written in black ink on a white papera close up of a piece of paper with writing on ita handwritten letter written in black ink on a white papera close up of a piece of paper with writing on ita close up of a piece of paper with writing on it
Maître Jean-Paul RENOUD-GRAPPIN

94 - George SAND (1804–1876). Autograph letter, La Châtre, 20 Sep…
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Estimate €500 - €700
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Description
George SAND (1804–1876). Autograph letter, La Châtre, 20 September 1844, to François DURMONT, ‘registered at the Commercial Court’; 3 pages, in-8, addressed. Concerning her dispute with Dr Véron over *Le Meunier d’Angibault*. [Véron, editor of *Le Constitutionnel*, alarmed by the novel’s socialist ideas, refused to publish it.] Sand had previously dealt with Durmont, who had defended her in a dispute she had had with a publisher, and wished to rely on him once again. She is ‘in discussions with Mr Véron, who seems to wish to evade fulfilling his agreements with me, under various pretexts which strike me as neither serious nor tenable. […] In these discussions, Mr Véron has failed to display the courtesy for which he is known by not doing me the honour of replying to me directly. I shall always, in spite of myself, be somewhat wary of the intentions of a man who mistrusts his own handwriting. Since Mr Véron has forced my hand by retreating into worthless objections, to cut a long story short, I have taken the necessary steps and have just sent him a summons’… She is counting on Durmont to act as her counsel and defender, and instructs him to enquire of Véron ‘whether he is determined to renege on the commitments he has made to me, and to invoke a so-called oral clause which I swear on my honour is entirely fanciful, and which is contradicted by the tone of the novel *Jeanne* published by him. Mr Véron also invokes a phrase from the contract that makes no sense, and at which he himself laughed whilst writing it, namely that I shall provide him with a novel of manners. I do not know whether there can be a novel that is not a depiction of manners, and I fear that the novel whose themes and ideas Mr Véron claims he wants me to correct is a far too faithful depiction of manners. Moreover, even if that phrase were open to an interpretation in his favour, you will kindly note, on reading our contracts, that it is applied neither to the novel *Jeanne* which he has published, nor to the one he now refuses to publish. These two novels are not mentioned in any way in our treaties, and the notorious phrase applies only to a novel in three or five volumes which I am due to deliver to him on 25 March. Thus this objection falls flat.” She hopes that Durmont will be able to prevent Véron ‘from forcing me into a lawsuit, which I shall not initiate without reluctance but which I shall contest with courage. And should this lawsuit take place, please do not abandon your grateful client’…
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About the sale AUTOGRAPHS & MANUSCRIPTS – PENNED BY HISTORY’S GREAT FIGURES
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Auction time 09/18/2026 at 2:00 PM
Ref. : 226183 - 4
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