Details
PROUST, Marcel. Autograph letter signed to Lucien Daudet, n.p. [Paris], n.d. [16 November 1914 or shortly afterwards], replying to his correspondent's letter, 'quel repos déjà de lire ces pages ou il n'y a ni "Boche" ni "leur Kulture", ni "pleurer comme un gosse" ni "soeurette" ni tout le reste'; one puts up with all this, thinking of the martyrdom of the officers and soldiers, but were the press, and particularly Le Figaro, of a higher quality victory would be more splendid; continuing to deplore the banning of German music and literature, 'Si au lieu d'avoir la guerre avec l'Allemagne nous l'avions eu avec la Russie, qu'aurait-on dit de Tolstoï et de Dostoïewskï?', and later in the letter complaining strongly about the use of the word 'Boche' even by educated people. 'Quand les Academiciens disent "Boche" avec un faux entrain pour s'adresser au peuple commes les grandes personnes qui zézayent quand elles parlent aux enfants ... c'est crispant'. He refers also to Léon Daudet's car accident, to his own expectation of appearing before the military review board, to his brother whose hospital has been bombarded, and to various acquaintances and their attitude to the war, to the casualties, and sends news of Reynaldo [Hahn] who is to go to the trenches, 20 pages, 8vo.
On the outbreak of war in August, Proust had gone to Cabourg, returning to Paris in mid-October. The publication of the second volume of his novel was now postponed until the ending of hostilities, although it was almost ready in proof. Despite the willingness he indicates here, his health was far too poor to allow him to be accepted for military service, but his exemption had to be confirmed by army doctors. As this long and detailed letter shows, he followed the terrible events on the battle front closely, often reading as many as seven newspapers assiduously. The following months were to bring news of the deaths of many of his acquaintances and that of Bertrand de Fénélon, his friend who was to a considerable extent the model for the character of Saint-Loup, affected him greatly only a few weeks later.
Proust deplored the prevailing jingoistic attitude towards German music, and particularly Wagner of whose music he was an enthusiastic admirer, arguing here that France should not disadvantage herself by denying her musicians and writers 'la prodigieuse fécondation que c'est d'entendre Tristan et la Tetralogie'. His younger brother, Dr. Robert Proust, was in charge of a hospital at Étain, and he writes of his torment of anxiety about him after the bombardment. He tells Lucien about a meeting with Clement de Maugny who spoke admiringly of Lucien's novel, Le Chemin Mort [reviewed by Proust under the pseudonym 'Marc Eodonte' for L'Instransigeant], and of whom his maid [Céleste Albaret] commented approvingly '"Quelle simplicité pour un vicomte!"'. He quotes with abhorrence the snobbish remarks attributed to a certain writer on the unbearableness of learning that someone of good breeding has been killed '("Ce que je ne peux pas supporter c'est quand j'apprends la mort de quelqu'un de bien, c'est à dire de chic")', and reflects that the deaths of such people cannot cause him more pain than those of others, 'Et le hasard de mes amitiés fait qu'elle m'en a causé jusqu'ici beaucoup moins'.
Most of the names in the letter were suppressed by Lucien Daudet for publication. Kolb, XIII, 333; Cahiers, V (X).
On the outbreak of war in August, Proust had gone to Cabourg, returning to Paris in mid-October. The publication of the second volume of his novel was now postponed until the ending of hostilities, although it was almost ready in proof. Despite the willingness he indicates here, his health was far too poor to allow him to be accepted for military service, but his exemption had to be confirmed by army doctors. As this long and detailed letter shows, he followed the terrible events on the battle front closely, often reading as many as seven newspapers assiduously. The following months were to bring news of the deaths of many of his acquaintances and that of Bertrand de Fénélon, his friend who was to a considerable extent the model for the character of Saint-Loup, affected him greatly only a few weeks later.
Proust deplored the prevailing jingoistic attitude towards German music, and particularly Wagner of whose music he was an enthusiastic admirer, arguing here that France should not disadvantage herself by denying her musicians and writers 'la prodigieuse fécondation que c'est d'entendre Tristan et la Tetralogie'. His younger brother, Dr. Robert Proust, was in charge of a hospital at Étain, and he writes of his torment of anxiety about him after the bombardment. He tells Lucien about a meeting with Clement de Maugny who spoke admiringly of Lucien's novel, Le Chemin Mort [reviewed by Proust under the pseudonym 'Marc Eodonte' for L'Instransigeant], and of whom his maid [Céleste Albaret] commented approvingly '"Quelle simplicité pour un vicomte!"'. He quotes with abhorrence the snobbish remarks attributed to a certain writer on the unbearableness of learning that someone of good breeding has been killed '("Ce que je ne peux pas supporter c'est quand j'apprends la mort de quelqu'un de bien, c'est à dire de chic")', and reflects that the deaths of such people cannot cause him more pain than those of others, 'Et le hasard de mes amitiés fait qu'elle m'en a causé jusqu'ici beaucoup moins'.
Most of the names in the letter were suppressed by Lucien Daudet for publication. Kolb, XIII, 333; Cahiers, V (X).