56 - FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821–1880).

FLAUBERT, Gustave (1821–1880). Autograph letter, Carthage, Saturday, May 1 [1858], to Ernest FEYDEAU; 3¼ pages, in-8 format, on blue paper. Description: A superb letter written during his trip to Tunisia to research *Salammbô*. He thanks his “dear old friend” for his letter. “It’s impossible for me to write you anything interesting; that would lead me into descriptions that would require a great deal of work. But one must already be quite virtuous to take notes every evening! I go to bed late and get up early. I sleep like a log, eat like an ogre, drink like a sponge, and—like a donkey! You’ve never seen your uncle on a trip. That’s when he’s at his best! The table d’hôte where I eat has been turned upside down since I arrived, and people who don’t know me surely take me for a traveling salesman. I’m leaving in two hours for Utica, where I’ll stay for two days, after which I’ll settle in for three days in Carthage itself, where there’s plenty to see, whatever anyone says. My third trip will be to El-Jem, Sous, and Sfax—an 8-day expedition—and the fourth to Kieff [El-Kef]. – Ah! My poor old friend, how I miss you, and how much fun you’d have! I haven’t committed any lewd acts yet. But don’t worry—I will. And I’ll fly the French flag high!”… He mentions Feydeau’s novel *Fanny*, believing that Feydeau dedicated it “to Father Ste Beuve,” and adds: “No! For God’s sake, no! One must never write clichés. They’d flay me alive before letting me admit to such a theory. It’s very convenient, I grant you. But that’s all there is to it. The weaker parts of a book must be better written than the others”… Correspondence (Pléiade), vol. II, p. 809 (censored text).