Théodore de BANVILLE (1823-1891). L.A.S., Villa Banville, Lucenay-les-Aix (Nièvre) June 17, 1887, to Paul Meurice; 3 pages in-8. Beautiful letter. He has read with delight the Songe de l'Amour, "among the flowers and in the shade of the leaves. What a delicious idyll you have written, and what a tragedy! What tact and art in the preparations, which in sum are everything! A long time ago, centuries ago, when I read Notre-Dame de Paris for the first time, I composed this formula, which more than ever seems accurate to me: To make a novelist, take a lyric and dramatic poet. I would say as well: to make anything. - I believe that poets alone have in their minds the order without which there is nothing, and which serves as well to create universes as to write a sonnet. [...] Among so many things lived of so much nature, you were not naturalist; you were satisfied to be true and sincere. I, who am old, felt in my element, as in the romantic times"... The bookplate of Théodore de Banville, engraved by Emile Royer, is attached; and his death notice.