André BRETON (1896-1966). L.A.S. (minute) "AB", Paris Decemb - Lot 182

André BRETON (1896-1966). L.A.S. (minute) "AB", Paris December 11, 1951, to Gaston Gallimard; 2pages in-4 with erasures and corrections on verso on Arts letterhead. Long letter explaining why he will no longer publish with Gallimard. Through René Bertelé, he wanted to submit "a set of proposals concerning the publication of new works by me and the republication of out-of-print works. It seemed to me [...] that through this movement, Editions Gallimard could put my name back in the limelight, and that it was in our common interest". But Gallimard replied "that my account showed a substantial overdraft, resulting from the accumulation of monthly payments you have made to me since July 1949 as director of a collection in which only one work has yet appeared", Maurice Fourré's La Nuit du Rose-Hôtel. Breton lists the four planned works, by Jean Ferry, Arthur Cravan, Pierre Piobb and Alfred Kubin, and explains that he is in no way responsible for the delays in publishing these texts; he refuses the increase in his monthly payments, and returns the last check received. He criticizes the N.R.F. for having "always treated him as a 'poor relation'". He considers that "Editions Gallimard do not support me", and gives figures, notably for Nadja, "totally disproportionate to the literary situation I occupy"... And he concludes with "the impossibility I find myself in of publishing new works with Editions Gallimard without being able to hope that my material situation will improve and without even knowing where I'm going"... Enclosed is an envelope from Librairie Gallimard addressed to André Breton.