Robert de MONTESQUIOU.
The Chief of Sweet Smells. Without place or date [Paris, G. Richard imprimeur, 1893].
In-4, half parma morocco with corners, spine decorated with small mosaic flowers, untrimmed, gilt head, covers and spine preserved (Semet & Plumelle).
First edition: it was printed at 200 copies out of trade on laid paper for the author (n° 23).
Exceptional autograph letter signed to Paul Verlaine covering the whole page :
To the Richissime "Poor Lélian !"/"Here are fruits, flowers, leaves and branches..." /
Comte Robert de Montesquiou Fezensac/1893
The quotation is extracted from the poem Green (in Poèmes saturniens): Montesquiou takes it again in his work (p. 517) at the head of his poem Lys visuel by adding the last line: "Et qu'à vos yeux si beaux l'humble présent soit doux."
Verlaine was Montesquiou's master in poetry, who will pay homage to him in his Autels privilégiés (1899) as well as in his Mémoires published in 1921, Les Pas effacés. The "Richissime" poor Lélian to whom he addresses his luxurious volume is, in itself, a tribute to the poetic richness of his master who lived in a black misery. He was to die three years later. (Cf. nº 122: in a letter to Léon Vanier, Verlaine claims his "bouqins du comte de Montesquiou.")
A remarkable copy. Spine faded.
