FORT Paul (1872–1960).

Each poem begins with a dedication: to Pierre Frédérix, to Joseph Bourdel, to Maurice Esteva (2), to Georges Wendling (2). – *La France*: ‘Ah! What a life! What freshness, what cheerfulness!’… – *La Ronde autour du Monde*: ‘If all the girls in the world would join hands’… – “I am not a writer. I am the poet who sings”… – Death of the Royal Horses: “Kings of France, in battle, how many horses have died for you!”… – “Socrates / Hamlet”… – “The wild rose of the mountains leapt for joy”… Plus a handwritten letter ‘Paul Fort’, Paris, 1 April 1893, to Léopold LACOUR; 2 pages in-8 on Théâtre d’Art letterhead. As Director of the Théâtre d’Art, Paul Fort thanks Lacour for the addresses and sends his wife to ask him to make part of the payment; he regrets not being able to come himself: “I am very busy with the final rehearsals of MAETERLINCK’s play, which I believe we will be staging. You will be pleased” 43079

[Pelléas et Mélisande premiered on 17 May 1893 at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens].