SAND George (1804-1876)

2 L.A.S. "G. Sand" and "your aunt", addressed to her niece Léontine SIMONNET in Montgivray. 1859-1862. 2 pages in-8 each in her own handwriting and in blue ink, envelope for the 1st. [George Sand was always interested in her niece, daughter of her half-brother Hippolyte, Léontine Chatiron, Mme Théophile Simonnet, who, as a widow, courageously raised her three sons, René, Edme and Albert, whom Sand always cared for attentively.] November 1, 1859. She sends him the letter for René: "I do not know if the rule allows them other letters than those from father and mother. You will send it to him. I am also sending you the one he wrote me that I wanted to show you. It is very nice and very good. He only makes one mistake, which you will warn him about if he makes it again. He only makes one mistake, which you will warn him about if he makes it again, and that is to remove the ne from certain sentences and say we have that, for we have only. - But otherwise he expresses himself well and clearly, and I assure you that he will become a charming boy. In talking with him I found nothing but uprightness and goodness in his heart, affection for you and nothing that you feared." She asks him to remain free "for the 10th, 11th or 12th of February because we will have a beautiful performance"... 23 January 1862. "Dear child. I am sending you back René's letter and I am keeping his verses as you allow me to do. This is not the age when one makes beautiful verses, and one probably only asks him for them to teach him the rules. So he will have to be told that there is a mistake, and it is better to tell him that there is one, and that he has to find it himself. His letter is kind and good hearted. There was a fear that this gentle nature would be absorbed by the spirit of the priest, and I am pleased to see that his natural generosity prevents this. He is a good and brave child who will make you happy"...