First published 12 June 1896
To Louis d'Albufera and Louisa de Mornand: (October 1903)
[Long dedication/letter translated in Selected Letters 1880-1903.]
"To your reproaches of yesterday evening in Larue's [...] I am responding nobly, with this allegorical gift, in the form of this flowery book, from a greater part of my past. [...] Our books are never anything more than retrospective confidences to those who did not know us."
To André Arnyvelde:
"To Monsieur André Arnyvelde, as a token of friendliness. Marcel Proust."
To Kiki Bartholini:
"To Mademoiselle Kiki Bartholoni.
I love the greenish light of your long eyes,
Sweet beauty.
Respectful homage in remembrance of admiration and the hope of friendship.
Hope comforts us a while, 'tis true,
Lulling our cares with careless laughter,
And yet such joy is full of rue,
My Philis, if nothing follows after.
Marcel Proust."
To Jean Béraud:
"As a token of gratitude and admiration for Jean Béraud.
Marcel Proust.
"Intellectual "genres" mutate like animal species but never
completely die out. In the very midst of the corruption of an age without
faith, in which the theory of art for art's sake gives way to the practice
of art for Pleasure [...] with a generous heart that subordinates Beauty
to the higher purposes that it expresses, in its adoration of Christ, not
as a dilettante curious about every archaism [...] the indifferent and
poetic symbol [...] in spirit and in truth [...] but like a living
reality, like a great moral deed that the conscience redeems little by
little out of the antithetical sphere of lamentable contemporary deeds.
And in such an artist you come to recognize the line of one such as
Angelico who composed a painting as he composed his prayers, out of all of
those who, in every era in art, considered that there was something of
greater importance than art itself and which, when expressed through art,
gives it its worth and its dignity."
(Extract from an old book on aesthetics)."
To Gaston Bérardi:
"To Monsieur Gaston Bérardi, with respectful and profound gratitude. Marcel Proust 14 April 1896."
To Antoine Bibesco:
"To Antione Bibesco, whom I love and admire.
The 30th October 1901, ten o'clock in the evening.
'Goodnight sweet Prince
and flights of angels
sing thee to thy rest.'
(Hamlet!)
Marcel Proust.
Frankly it's only good enough to put in a drawer (this copy)."
[on the back]:
"To Antoine Bibesco. This photograph of me is from an era when he did not know me."
To René Blum: (9 November 1913)
"To René Blum, his very affectionate and grateful friend.
Dear friend,
I would like to think that this book will extend a little into the past
our friendship which began so late and has so few reparations. But I
wouldn't want you neglect for this Marcel that you didn't know and who I
think has "changed" and "grown" the one who with a little attention, and
by not complying to certain prejudices of your single minded nature, you
will discover I think in A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.
Marcel Proust."
To Dr François Boissier:
"To Monsieur Doctor François Boissier. As a token of deepest and most grateful affection. Marcel Proust."
To Madame de Brantes:
"To Madame de Brantes, that she may accept the respectful homage of this book whose sole reward will be that it had pleased her, when it was scattered and formless, and that the benevolence of her sympathy - in this circumstance alone I will not say the clairvoyance of her wit and taste - has distinguished and elected it. Her friend, M.P."
To Madame Arman de Caillavet:
"Friday 12 June 1896.
To Madame Arman de Caillavet.
"One of those women who, nourished by the sweetness of luxury and the
arts... give to life, with the spice of their intelligence... a delicate
flavour which we would not have known without them... She had the soul of
a philosopher... without losing any of her pride or her grace. You could
not meet a sweeter person. There is no more gracious supporter... Her hair
is blonde and luxurious, her chin full and her neck cool" (Anatole France:
La Vie littéraire); in assuring her of my respectful and grateful
friendship, and in constant discussion with her, chosen by the author of Lys
rouge, in the famous line: "The friendship of a great man is a
favour from the Gods".
Marcel Proust."
To Gaston Calmann-Lévy:
"As a token of sincere friendship and in an homage of remembrance to the memory of his brother Paul."
To Gaston Calmette:
"To Monsieur Gaston Calmette. In most sincere and grateful memory of his benevolent and precious support. Marcel Proust."
To Colette:
"To Madame Willy, as a token of admiration and respect. Marcel Proust."
To Nicolas Cottin: (in September 1909)
"To Nicolas Cottin, to cheer ourselves up from the first days of weariness for his wife in Champignol in spite of us.">
[allusion to the play Champignol malgré lui by G. Feydeau & Desvallières, revived at L'Ambigu, 10 June 1909]
To Max Daireaux: (1908)
"If they called me Plantevignes"
(an old song)
To Max Daireaux,
In memory of the sisters in Disappointment, Yvonne and Germaine, in the
society of the ladies M… and M…
Litanies of the Cabourgian aspirant
Oh Lord, I have known in the Hotel de Cabourg, which is more properly the
hill of Jerusalem, the race that you wished to be born. It is not always
pleasant, and the pagans that it gathers for itself neither blossom nor
smell sweet in roses or in graces as in the gardens of Saint Elizabeth of
Hungary. From Hungary there is no Saint Elizabeth here, but Mlle A… Oh
Lord, grant that one fine evening I may see rising over the waves the
pastel and bluish sky out which the eyes of Mlle D… have been cut, taking
from it also two nimble wings that quiver at the corner of her nose. Grant
me that I may write my piece about d’A… and not write it, through the
consciousness which would be pleasing to me in which Mlle C… lives a life
of humility and Mlle d’A… is divested of pride. Grant that I may find a
mistress in Cabourg and that it not be Mme R… (France). Oh Lord, grant me
that I may learn to know the special signs that allow me to distinguish
young W… from young P…, from young D… and young L… so that I may penetrate
to some degree in understanding of the inconstant soul of Mme M… As for
young P… I shall never take him for other than himself, and may thus be
preserved from the fatal error of Mme de L[a T[our] d’A[uvergne]. Oh Lord,
grant it that I may never be introduced to Mme O[rosdi] and that I may
frequently take, without causing displeasure, the path to the villa
Suzanne.
To Alphonse Darlu:
"With grateful admiration and friendship. Your respectful pupil. Marcel Proust."
To Alphonse Daudet:
"To Monsieur Alphonse Daudet. With my boundless admiration before an imagination of genius, a beauty of artistry, a saintly life. His respectful and grateful Marcel Proust."
To Lucien Daudet:
"To my dear little Lucien, painter humourist and writer. His
admirer and his friend, Marcel Proust who is begging him to follow on from
this book with our little jokes that are so much better."
To Lucie Félix-Faure:
"To Mademoiselle Lucie Félix Faure
- of whom one might say like Marcus Aurelius "that she showed to the
highest degree the example of all the virtues and even literary virtues -
with the respectful homage of her servant and friend
Marcel Proust"
To Comtesse de Fitz James:
"To Madame Comtesse Robert de Fitz James, with my admiration for all her delicacies of wit and of her heart. Her respectful and grateful friend, Marcel Proust. Friday 12 June 96."
To Bernard Grasset:
"To Monsieur Grasset. In friendly remembrance. Marcel Proust."
To Vincent Griffon:
"To Monsieur Vincent Griffon as a token of my ardent affection, his grateful and devoted friend, Marcel Proust."
To Étienne Grosclaude:
"To Monsieur Etienne Grosclaude 'A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy' (Hamet). Marcel Proust."
To Armand Duc de Guiche:
"Easter Sunday morning 1906
To the Duc de Guiche, to the true one rather than to the real, to he who
would have been, more than to he who is.
To his other self which I passionately preferred to him.
In true and most affectionate testimony to the rich possibilities that I
have seen revealed in him, I offer this barely resemblant portrait of a
Marcel Proust which he did not know.
With the assurance of my devoted and deep affection. M.P."
To Armand Duc de Guiche: (April 1906)
"To the duc de Guiche
Impromptu genealogy in doggerel:
His friend, Marcel Proust.
To the dear Vicomte de Larbuste
Many good wishes knows Marcel Proust
Because without the good Garcia Sanche
I would not have been able this Sunday
To write the name of Armand d'Aure
And to repeat that in him I adore
The exquisite unniggardly wit
Of the tenth (?) duc de Guiche.
His friend, Marcel Proust."
To Laure Hayman:
"As a token of admiration to Madame Laure Hayman, for the
infinite delicacy of her heart, her beauty and her incomparable wit.
Her friend,
Marcel Proust. June 1896."
To Paul Helleu:
"To Monsieur Paul Helleu. As a token of respectful admiration. Marcel Proust."
To José-Maria de Heredia:
"To Monsieur José Maria de Heredia, as a token of gratitude and admiration. His respectful Marcel Proust. June 1896."
To Monsieur Jules (?):
"To Monsieur Jules. In most sympathetic and most grateful homage from the author. Marcel Proust. 14 February 1903."
To Horace de Landau:
"To Monsieur Horace de Landau, as a token of my respectful, admiring and grateful friendship. Marcel Proust."
To Pièrre Lavallée:
[Long dedication/letter translated in Selected Letters 1880-1903.]
"[...] this particular copy deserves a special dedication. A book read by you, especially a copy of one of my books, is not like any other [...] I say my book as though I were never to write another. You know well enough that that is not true. [...]"
To Pierre Loti:
"To Monsieur Pierre Loti. In memory of Île des rêves which I heard whilst sitting next to him. His respectful admirer, Marcel Proust."
To Émile Mâle:
"To Émile Mâle, as a token of profound admiration, and respectful and ardent gratitude. Marcel Proust."
À Paul Marais :
"To Monsieur Marais
Homage from his respectfully grateful
Marcel Proust"
To Comtesse de Martel de Janville:
"To Madame Comtesse Martin Janville as a token of respectful admiration"
To Clément de Maugny:
[Long dedication dated 13 July 1899 is translated in
Selected Letters 1880-1903.]
On page 198 Chapter XI "Amité" Proust has written:
"On rereading this page I find a sort of 'pre-established harmony' between it and our friendship. I believe it is the expression of a sensibility. Or rather today I find it filled with a presentiment. If I am its author, you are its subject. 'Habet sua fata libelli'. They could not be more fortunate than to fall into the hands of those who, through a distant action, from one unknown to another, have inspired them in advance. So this belongs to you twice over, perhaps not so much as your friend does wholly to you. M.P. To my dear C. de M."
To François Mauriac: (February 1921)
"To François Mauriac
As a token of my profound admiration, and if he will allow it, of my most
affectionate gratitude.
Marcel Proust."
To Madame Carl Meyer:
"To Madame Carl Meyer. As a token of gratitude. Her respectful admirer, Marcel Proust."
To Louis Millet:
"To Monsieur Louis Millet. In respectful remembrance, and with much gratitude for the precious hours spent at Avranches.Your devoted Marcel Proust."
To Paul Morand: (1921)
Les Paisirs et les jours dedication to Paul Morand
To Albert Namhias:
"To Monsieur Albert Namhias. As a token of my ardent gratitude. 6 November 1911. Marcel Proust."
To Albert Nahmias's father: (same as above?)
"As a token of my ardent gratitude. 6 November 1911. Marcel Proust."
To Marie Nordlinger:
"To Marie Nordlinger, sculptress and gold worker, I offer these bas-reliefs."
[This may be incorrectly described in Adam International no 260. Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 1956, exhibit 41: Etudes latines sur les Poésies de Leconte de Lisle was inscribed by Reynaldo Hahn with exactly the same dedication.]
To Gaston Péan: (1915)
"To Monsieur G. Pean. In the hope that in an idle moment he might consent to leaf through this picture book. Might he also consider benevolently the one who is not to be found in it, but little by little is composed in these pages: the portrait of a child who since then (if we refer to Swann) has perhaps grown but has also very much deteriorated. His most grateful Marcel Proust."
To Marcel Plantevignes:
"To my dear Marcel Plantevignes. In memory of dear Cabourg, this Cabourg of happy encounters. Marcel Proust."
To Robert Proust:
"Oh brother, more dear than the light of day (Corneille)."
To Henri de Régnier:
"To Monsieur Henri de Régnier. As a token of admiration and friendship. Marcel Proust."
To Louis de Robert:
"To Louis de Robert. His friend, his admirer, Marcel Proust."
[Followed by quotations from Louis de Robert's Roman du malade]
To Bertrand de Salignac-Fénelon:
"To Bertrand de Salignac Fénelon, in the hope that he will
come to equal the great literary name that he carries, and in the less
certain hope of becoming his friend. Marcel Proust.
30 October 40 minutes past midnight."
To Dr Sollier:
"To Monsieur Doctor Sollier as a token of my profound and respectful gratitude. Marcel Proust."
To Paul Souday:
"To Monsieur Paul Souday
Dear Sir, I am very late getting in touch with you (as too are you with
me, I still don't know whether you have received my "De luxe" Jeunes
filles en fleurs). If I were less ill I would write you a long letter
(felix morbus!) to thank you with all my heart and to defend myself, on
the subject of "style". We are in total agreement in any case as regards
metaphors; as you will see. I am certain that, having no more liking for
fabricated verse than I, even splendidly fabricated, all the same you will
admit that Baudelaire found himself led to endowing with wings a devotion
that he claimed to make rise up into the heavens. The Wright brothers did
the same thing. The wing of death in Renan is something else. And it would
need all your ingenuity to justify that apostolic barque setting sail for
Greece, by the fact that the apostles were fishermen (in fresh water) in
the sea of Galilee. - I offer you this book to show you that at the age of
sixteen, the year of its composition (not of its publication) I had a
little gift for style. A benevolent soothsayer had been able to say to me
"Tu Marcellus eris". But the "aspera fata" have come. Receive with this
book that is looking forward to the honour of one day coming into your
hands (habent sua fata libelli) my admiring, grateful and devoted
respects. Marcel Proust."
To Madame Straus:
"To Madame Straus. In admiring, respectful and grateful homage from her friend, Marcel Proust. 12 June 1896."
To Jacques Truelle:
"To Jacques Truelle the Roman, for whom my friendship was born in the woods of Combray (after Cirre and the Meurice) and that his too lengthy expatriations alone have chilled by enfeeblement the inseparable memory of absences in which the human heart no longer has the strength to make reborn that that he has loved. Marcel Proust. M. Souday will quite rightly find that that expression is not French, something genuinely troubling, addressed as it is to a young inhabitant of the countryside of Sylvie that has the profile of the spire of Senlis seen, in a blue distance, beyond the harvests from the Île de France, from the landing stairs. M.P. (article about les Jeunes filles en fleurs by M. Souday)."
To Comte Walewski:
"To Monsieur Commandant Comte Walewski. As a token of grateful respect and admiration for his commanding officer. Marcel Proust."
To Madame Georges-Denis Weil:
"Versailles, July 1896. Kinship ties connect when they do not divide deeply’ (Balzac?). To my aunt Madame G.D. Weil. With an expression of love, her nephew Marcel Proust".
To Narcisse Weil:
"...before the exhaustions..."
To Gabriel d'Yturri:
"To Monsieur Gabriel d'Yturri
A souvenir of my deep admiration for a dazzling "Parrot Hunt" and for the
extreme and rare subtlety [/aimiability] of his mind.
Marcel Proust."
To unknown recipient [Paul?]:
"To Monsieur Paul[?] [name erased] With the author's respects. Marcel Proust."
Other known dedicatees: Comte Robert de Montesquiou, Colonel Picquart, Louis de Robert, Guy Ferrant, G.A. Borgese (?), Léon Yeatman(?), A. Hermant(?), Jules Massenet(?).
Created 10.11.22
Updated 01.04.24