Poésies Fugitives. Octavo manuscript on lined wove paper in French and Latin, containing verse, songs, and poetry, ca. 1818-1868; consisting of approximately 167 inscribed pages, and a similar quantity left blank; the first quarter of the work, dated in the earlier period, contains transcriptions of the works of others, followed by on-and-off use over the subsequent decades including what are likely original works with corrections and edits; the author writes poems for nephews and nieces, comments on current events (attempted assassination of Alexander II of Russia in 1866/67), spiritual subjects, and writes enthusiastic poems in praise of mid-19th century Parisian theatre experiences, mentioning the performers Eugenie Doche (1821-1900), Toussaint-Eugene-Ernest Mocker (1811-1895), Delphine Ugalde (1829-1910), and others, with a short section of translations from Latin; some loose notes inserted, including a letter from a paid transcriber; in full contemporary leather, title taken from spine label, both boards detached, 8 x 4 3/4 in. -

A definite attribution is elusive at time of cataloging. The song, "L'Etoile du Pecheur," is transcribed on page 15, whose author was Thomas Sauvage (1794-1877), and although one correction was made to the text, our writer is unlikely to have been Sauvage himself, as later, Sauvage's own play, "Gilles Ravisseur," is rapturously reviewed, which seems an unlikely move for its author.