MÉRIMÉE (Prosper). Notes from a trip to Corsica.... Lot 50

MÉRIMÉE (Prosper). Notes from a trip to Corsica. Paris, Fournier jeune, 1840. In-8, (4 of which the last is blank)-236 pp, blue-green half-maroquin, smooth cloisonné spine decorated with green motifs and gilded dots, gilded fillet on the edge of the leather on the boards, gilded head, covers preserved; spine faded, spines and corners rubbed (F. Saulnier rel., 1944). FIRST EDITION. 11 lithographed plates hors texte. PROSPER MERIMEE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF HISTORIC MONUMENTS. In this capacity, from 1834 to 1852, he traveled all over France, writing numerous official reports. He also published four collections of Notes de voyage, pieces of history and literature in a lively, sharp style, devoted to the Midi (1835), the West (1836), Auvergne (1838) and Corsica (1840). IN CORSICA. The present volume gathers the observations Prosper Mérimée recorded during his trip to the island from August 16 to October 7, 1839, an excursion added to his tour at the request of the minister Adrien de Gasparin (of Corsican origin), on the report of the Corsican prefect Honoré Jourdan. In the end, he showed little interest in the island's beauties or monuments, but he did take a particular interest in dolmens and menhirs - making him one of the precursors of prehistoric science. Above all, unlike the other volumes of Notes de voyages he published, Prosper Mérimée includes observations on local customs, popular superstitions and Corsican songs, several of which he appends with French translations (including lamentations on the death of people murdered by vendetta). This trip reinforced his interest in Corsica (to which he had already dedicated the short story Matteo Falcone in 1829), and provided him with much material for Colomba (1840). COPY ENRICHED WITH AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY PROSPER MERIMEE AND WRITTEN DURING HIS STAY IN CORSICA. To Pierre Vogin. Murato, October 2 [1839]. "A thousand and one abuses of your complaisance! We arrive this evening around 8 o'clock in Bastia from St-Florent. Would you be so kind as to send my excellent friend Valentin to Tellier's [hotelier in Bastia]. As he is the only one who seems to know the address of the horse I have the honor of riding, he is also the only one who can bring it back home. Local color is found here almost as often as bedbugs. When I left yesterday, the owner of the horse you provided told me that the guide who provided the rest of our cavalry was so nemico [i.e. "his enemy"] and that to all appearances his intention was to take the barley away from his horse. I told him to fuck off, since my principles wouldn't allow me to interfere in national quarrels, but since I love animals, I made sure the horse ate. THE REPORT OF MY TRIP IS SHORT. I SAW 3 VERY CURIOUS CHURCHES. I FELL INTO A PRECIPICE where I tore my frock coat and damaged my nose. The uncertainty of the weather and the wind made me think that I would be a great serin to go and see a block of granite of which I have a sample. Finally, PRINCE LOUIS-NAPOLEON HAVING FEW CHANCES OF REIGNING, I THOUGHT THAT THE JOURNEY TO ALGAJOLA COULD NOT HELP MY ADVANCEMENT. Adieu, Monsieur, excuse me if I take you for my victim..." (2 pp. 1/4, marginal tears with damage to one word). IN THE PRESENT NOTES D'UN VOYAGE EN CORSE, PROSPER MERIMEE EVOQUES PIERRE VOGIN (1809-1882), then engineer of the Ponts-et-Chaussée in Corsica, about discoveries of archaeological remains: "More fortunate than I, M. Vogin [...] has found a small white marble statue of fairly good workmanship, probably from the Late Period" (pp. 66-67 of present edition). A fine copy, washed and free of foxing. Provenance: LLR (bookplate). - Xavier Versini (triple handwritten bookplate, i.e. his signature on the title and p. 11, then his initials on p. 26). An autograph note by the latter is included.