Marcel Proust ALS Mentioning French Newspaper "Le Figaro"

Marcel Proust autograph letter signed, written in the summer of 1910 to Max Daireaux, whom he had met two years earlier in Cabourg, France; Cabourg was the inspiration for the resort town of Balbec in Proust's novel "In Search of Lost Time". Four page letter is written in black ink on card-style bifolium stationery measuring 8.75" x 6.75" unfolded. Letter has been documented in Kolb's archive of Proust letters, Vol. X, number 63, with the date identified as 10 July 1910. Horizontal fold and slight smudging to a few words. Overall very good plus condition. With full translation.

In this four page letter, Proust gives Daireaux feedback on his writing, mentioning "Figaro" and its editor Gaston Calmette. Letter reads in full, "Dear friend / I read, loved, these pages even more packed with wit. I fear that if I send them, they will appear too crude, their coarseness giving a pretext for a refusal, always the formalists' preference. So I intend to do as follows, unless ordered otherwise: keep them, and the first day I can, bring them myself, read them aloud, and 'defend them' (take up their defense) to ["Figaro" editor Gaston] Calmette. Perhaps a phrase here or there will reinforce the overall effect by cutting it. / Forgive me, I am in such pain today that I cannot write I hope that you will be able to read this all the same. I believe that the 'toothpicks' and the 'buttons' are the best, but it's unlike 'Figaro', quite unlike. / Yours / Marcel". 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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