BALZAC Honoré de (1799-1850). Lot n° 17

BALZAC Honoré de (1799-1850). L.A.S. "de Balzac", October 8 [1831], to printer-lithographer Charles MOTTE; 2 pages in-8, addressed (center fold of bifeauillet split). Beautiful letter accompanying the shipment of Romans et contes philosophiques. "My dear Monsieur Motte, I have not lost the memory of the obligations I contracted towards you. You gave me some charming lithographs and I promised to write articles for you. They were not made, and this conduct would constitute a kind of indelicacy far removed from my character; but Fashion changed masters at this time; I fell out with the Tems; and the opportunities to serve you did not fulfill the desire I had for them. This is the story of my apparent carelessness; perdonate mi". He didn't dare ask the price of the album (of lithographs) he received from Motte: "will you allow me to offer you an exchange of our productions; an exchange in which you will lose; but at least with time, the quantity of my products will perhaps end up equaling the quality of yours, and my conscience will be more at peace. Now allow me to add in all seriousness that I offer you my book as a token of our long-standing neighborliness, and as a mmmmmmarque of deep esteem for you, who are not the least artist among those whose works you translate"... [Motte had his studio on rue des Marais-Saint-Germain (now rue Visconti), where Balzac also had his printing works, from 1826 to 1828]. Balzac adds in a postscript: "It goes without saying that, as soon as I can be of use to you in a journalistic capacity, all you have to do is ask. Correspondance (Bibl. de la Pléiade), t. I, p. 413, n° 31-103.