Marceline DESBORDES-VALMORE (Douai 1786-1859, poetess) / Bea - Lot 225

Marceline DESBORDES-VALMORE (Douai 1786-1859, poetess) / Beautiful autograph letter signed, 3 p small in-4 plus address page with postage, Brussels, February 21, 1816, to Monsieur Champion (she was then engaged as an actress at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels) - She was exhausted by the illness of her son Eugène, whom she watched over every night: "I needed this new ordeal, my poor Champion! (Eugène died of the disease on April 10, aged just 6) - She complains of "the spirit of the public", which "becomes more turbulent every day" - Now they've appointed Dubut as stage manager at the theater! the very man she had so much to complain about 8 years ago, he returns like "the prodigal son", after having vegetated in Paris, "men are very funny, it's not probity that binds them, it's not irreproachable conduct", "She asks her friend for news of the Théâtre de l'Odéon, "I find it hard to believe from the rumors that this theater will ever achieve any consistency" - In Brussels, "no tragedy is played at all, since Othello", but on the other hand, "La Pie voleuse" (a play by Baudoin d'Aubigny, from which Rossini produced an opera the following year) "can make all the money you want", and "taste is forming sensitively in this country", I am, as you can see, destined to be lost this year" - "I no longer hear anything about the fickle poet, and it's a blessing to be completely forgotten, I would be tempted to thank him for it" (?) - She says she is frightened by the number of French people taking refuge in Brussels, "Is your France going to become deserted? everything they tell me grips my soul, what a time!" - She concludes: "What's become of Talma, his amorous conduct is beautiful indeed, he has brought happiness to several women who have truly loved him, is he moving to England?", and on the baritone Pierre-Jean Garat "who has just given a concert here", "he has married his beautiful pupil who is still embellished by it".