MÉNARD (Louis) - Vieillard (Roger). Poems and Musings of a M - Lot 234

Lot n° 234
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150 - 200 EUR
MÉNARD (Louis) - Vieillard (Roger). Poems and Musings of a M - Lot 234
MÉNARD (Louis) - Vieillard (Roger). Poems and Musings of a Mystical Pagan. Roger Vieillard’s personal copy, bound with two of his engravings, of one of the most discreetly influential literary works of the late 19th century. Paris, Librairie de “L’Art indépendant,” 1895. Large 8vo, Bradel-style half-vellum, smooth spine with gilt title and author’s name, covers decorated with engravings on heavy paper, original covers preserved. 330 pages; 8 black vignettes. Spine slightly warped, pages foxed, page 130 detached. First edition in simplified spelling. A chemist and man of letters, Louis Ménard converted late in life to the use of a phonetic spelling of French, of which our text is the one and only example. First published in 1876 under the title "Rêveries d'un païen mystique," this collection of mystical poems and philosophical writings had a definite impact on his contemporaries: Barrès, still young at the time of the original edition’s publication, made it the subject of the first chapter of his “Voyage à Sparte” and attributed to it the origin of his fascination with Greek civilization. What makes this copy unique is that Roger Vieillard, whose bookplate adorns the inside front cover, had two of his engravings used to decorate the covers. Ex-libris of Roger and Anita Vieillard, graphite ex-libris on the half-title page. A very fine copy in a highly unusual binding.
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