LA FAYETTE (de), Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne, dite Madame (1634-1693)

LA FAYETTE (de), Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne, dite Madame (1634-1693)

Autograph letter to Gilles Ménage
N.p., [June or July 1662], 2 p. in-12° in brown ink
Autograph address on the verso of the second leaf: “Pour Mr Menage”
Laid paper with watermark, foliation “AA.38.ter.”, two corrections (overwritings) within the text.
Ink smudge, foxing, small hole at the seal tear (without affecting the text), minor loss to the upper margin of the second leaf.

A MAJOR AUTOGRAPH LETTER BY MADAME DE LA FAYETTE — THE VERY FIRST IN WHICH SHE REFERS TO ONE OF HER WORKS

Established as the manifesto of the French nouvelle, La Princesse de Montpensier marks the birth of a new literary genre

« Jenvoye scavoir de vos nouvelles. Je vous prie de me mander quelles sont bonnes et que vous nestes plus dans le chagrin ou je vous vis hier. Je souhaitte de tout mon cœur que cela soit ainsi. Cet honnest Ferrarois [domestique de Mme de La Fayette, qui venait de quitter son emploi] quy estoit a moy ma desrobé une copie de la Princesse de Montpensier et la donnee a vint personnes. Elle court le monde mais par bonheur ce nest pas sous mon nom. Je vous conjure si vous en entendes parler de faire bien comme si vous ne lavies jamais vue et de nier qu’elle vienne de moy si par hasard on le disait. »

FIRST WORK BY MADAME DE LAFAYETTE, LA PRINCESSE DE MONTPENSIER ESTABLISHES ITSELF AS A TRUE MANIFESTO OF THE FRENCH NOUVELLE AND CONSTITUTES ITS FOUNDING ACT.
A short narrative, the nouvelle as conceived by Madame de Lafayette is also characterized by the integration of contemporary historical events. Based on a historical backdrop, the work recounts the tragic journey of a princess torn by her passions, while fully belonging to the realm of the novelistic. Published under a privilege dated 27 July 1662 and with a printing completion dated 20 August of the same year, the work that established Madame de Lafayette as a woman of letters appeared without the author’s name.
However, her work had already circulated prior to publication, against the novelist’s wishes, as evidenced by the present letter addressed to Abbé Gilles Ménage (1613–1692). A distinguished grammarian, poet, and historian in vogue, Ménage had been the tutor of both Madame de Lafayette and Madame de Sévigné. La Princesse de Montpensier was prepared with Ménage’s collaboration, meaning it was reviewed and likely corrected by him for its summer 1662 publication. Their extensive correspondence, full of confidences, attests to their steadfast friendship. Ménage dedicated several of his poems to her, including Le Jardinier and L’Oiseleur.