Letter from Isabelle de Montolieu to Claude Arthus-Bertrand about Le Robinson suisse, 1813-10-28

Isabelle de Montolieu writes to her Paris publisher Claude Arthus-Bertrand about the preparation of Le Robinson suisse: the delivery and scheduling of its volumes, a map of the island, subjects and captions for engravings, the full title and a related collection of novellas. She also describes eye trouble, the pressure of writing, and the inadequacy of her payment of ten louis per volume, and asks for the return of an issue of the Mercure étranger containing the first chapter.

Bussigny, Vaud, Switzerland
Paris, France

Publishing correspondence
Book publishing
Translation and adaptation
Book illustration
Cartography
Author remuneration
Women writers
Eye health
Le Robinson suisse
Mercure étranger

Publishing correspondence
Literary correspondence

Ordinary Lives

NRA-L-000589 - Image 1: Address panel, postal evidence and letter ending

Address panel, postal evidence and letter ending.

NRA-L-000589 image 1 showing the folded address panel to Paris with circular postal marks and the final manuscript lines written above the address.

NRA-L-000589 - Image 2: Letter text - Page 1

Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000589 image 2 showing the dated opening page discussing delayed correspondence from Paris and preparation of a second volume of Robinson.

NRA-L-000589 - Image 3: Letter text - Page 2

Letter text - Page 2.

NRA-L-000589 image 3 showing the second page discussing possible scenes and captions for engravings and giving the full title of Le Robinson suisse.

NRA-L-000589 - Image 4: Letter text - Page 3

Letter text - Page 3.

NRA-L-000589 image 4 showing the third page of the publishing correspondence with the sheet's irregular torn right edge preserved.

[[label: Letter text - Page 1]] Busigny 28 8bre je ne puis comprendre Monsieur, ce qui retarde autant les lettres de Paris — autrefois on les recevoient le cinquieme jour a present je n'ai recu que hier 27 la votre du 16 et j'y reponds aujourd'huy 28 — j'espere que dans l'intervalle mon 2d paquet vous est parvenu . il etoit parti il y a plus de 8 jours à l'adresse de Mr Javot . et j'ai recu une lettre de ce dernier qui me permet de tems en tems cette adresse . mon paquet contenoit le 2d volume du Robinson vous le partagerez egaux comme cela vous conviendra — le 3me est fort avancé mais il vaut mieux ce me semble le faire paroitre dans quelque tems — avec le 4me ou avant comme vous l'aimerez mieux — je vous enverrai en même tems une carte géographique de l'Isle qui sera interessante — mais qui ne doit paroitre qu'avec le dernier volume parce que qu'il y a des endroits nommés d'après les decouvertes et les evenemens . — je voudrois pouvoir faire ce que vous me demandez — et vous envoyer une esquisse des gravures mais en veritte je n'en ai pas le tems — et je serois moi même embarassée sur le choix — votre graveur peut ce me semble le faire aussi bien — que moi — ou peut être Mr Giraud en le lisant voudroit bien vous indiquer les

[[label: Letter text - Page 2]] situations qui se rapprocheroient le plus — pour la 1ere le depart pour l'isle sur le batteau a Cuves — seroit tres joli s'il n'etoit pas tres difficile a composer — il faudroit un dessinateur intelligent qui en faisoit la description — de l'auteur — et qui eut de l'imagination — les 4 petits garçons — leurs deux [strikethrough: ch] gros chiens — le pere la Mere les betes extraordinaires qu'ils rencontrent cette nature etrangere — cet arbre singulier tout fera de jolis tableaux — mais en veritté je ne sçai comment les indiquer — il faudroit que je relise mon brouillon d'un bout a l'autre — quant a la lettre a mettre dessus prenez simplement la phrase — qui indique la situation — Arrivée dans l'isle — etablissement sur l'arbre ... mort du Porc Epi ... voyage de decouverte x x x : ou bien le titre du chapitre . — celui de l'ouvrage sera un peu long — et le voici Le Robinson suisse, ou journal d'un pere de famille naufragé avec ses Enfans . traduit de l'Allemand de mr Wyss . par madame la Bne de Montolieu . vous aurez trouvé aussi la nouvelle dans le paquet le tems m'a manqué pour mettre au net les deux

[[label: Letter text - Page 3]] que je vous avois promis pour les remplacer a tout [illegible crossed out] servez vous en seulement pour le recueil elle sera jointe a un des volumes — comme Sophie d'Altena je ne sçai que vous dire du titre si vous mettiez encore quelques nouvelles — composées imitées ou traduites — par mdme de Montolieu . si vous preferez en designer une seule il faudroit prendre le chalet des Alpes qui est de moi et comme ce n'est pas la plus longue . — on le trouveroit peut etre singulier — aimez vous mieux . — suite du recueil — des nouvelles — de mdme de Montolieu — ou bien nouvelles nouvelles . — — pensez y et choisissez — il me semble bien en effet que vous avez bien peu de tems d'ici au Nouvel an . mes maux de yeux m'ont entierement retardée et j'en souffre encore assez ne pouvant ecrire longtems de suitte . — mon mari dit avec assez de raison que je me tue a peu pres pour rien — il est sur que je ne tire pas de mes ouvrages ce que je devrois en tirer ce Robinson me donne trop de peine pour n'en tirer que 10 louis le volume et je vaguerois plus a toute autre occupation — mais cela m'amuse — et je ne pretends pas revenir sur un prix que j'ai fait — — faites comme vous pourrez [[notes]] Editorial notes: The heavily cancelled words at the start of the second line remain illegible and are not reconstructed.

[[label: Address panel]] A Monsieur Arthus Bertrand Libraire no 23 . rue haute feuille — a Paris

[[label: Letter text - Page 1]] Busigny, 28 October I cannot understand, sir, what delays the letters from Paris so much. Formerly they arrived on the fifth day; now it was only yesterday, the 27th, that I received your letter of the 16th, and I am replying today, the 28th. I hope that in the meantime my second parcel has reached you. It left more than eight days ago, addressed to Mr Javot, and I have received a letter from him permitting me to use his address from time to time. My parcel contained the second volume of Robinson; you will divide it equally, or as best suits you. The third is well advanced, but it seems better to me to publish it after some time, either with the fourth or before it, whichever you prefer. At the same time I shall send you a geographical map of the island, which will be of interest, but which must appear only with the final volume because it contains places named after the discoveries and events. I wish I could do what you ask and send you sketches for the engravings, but in truth I have no time, and I myself would be at a loss over the choice. Your engraver, it seems to me, can do this as well as I can; or perhaps Mr Giraud, on reading it, would kindly indicate the

[[label: Letter text - Page 2]] situations that come closest to it. For the first engraving, the departure for the island in the tub-boat would be very pretty, were it not so difficult to compose. It would require an intelligent artist who could work from the author's description and who possessed imagination. The four little boys, their two big dogs, the father and mother, the extraordinary animals they encounter, this unfamiliar nature, this singular tree—all will make attractive pictures. But in truth I do not know how to specify them. I would have to reread my draft from beginning to end. As for the caption to place beneath each one, simply take the phrase that identifies the situation: "Arrival on the island", "Establishment in the tree", "Death of the porcupine", "Voyage of discovery", and so on—or else use the chapter title. The title of the work will be rather long; here it is: The Swiss Robinson, or Journal of a Father Shipwrecked with His Children. Translated from the German of Mr Wyss by Madame the Baroness de Montolieu. You will also have found the novella in the parcel. I lacked the time to make a fair copy of the two

[[label: Letter text - Page 3]] that I had promised you to replace them. In any event, use it only for the collection; it will be joined to one of the volumes, like Sophie d'Altena. I do not know what to tell you about the title. If you add several more novellas—composed, imitated or translated by Madame de Montolieu—and if you prefer to name only one, you would have to choose Le Chalet des Alpes, which is my own. Since it is not the longest, however, that might perhaps seem odd. Would you prefer "Continuation of the collection of novellas by Madame de Montolieu", or "New Novellas"? Think about it and choose. It does indeed seem to me that you have very little time between now and New Year. My eye troubles have delayed me completely, and I still suffer from them considerably, being unable to write for long at a stretch. My husband says, with some justification, that I am nearly killing myself for nothing. It is certain that I do not receive from my works what I ought to receive. This Robinson gives me too much trouble for me to earn only ten louis per volume, and I would profit more by attending to any other occupation. But it amuses me, and I do not intend to go back on a price I agreed. Do what you can, [[notes]] Editorial notes: The heavily cancelled words at the start of the second line remain illegible and are not reconstructed.

[[label: Address panel]] To Mr Arthus Bertrand, bookseller No. 23, rue Haute-Feuille Paris

All four captures, including the letter ending on the address side, address panel, postal evidence, docketed year, names, publishing context, transcription and translation were checked against the authoritative images. The normalized year and place are explicitly identified as inferred from documentary evidence. Date evidence: The original dateline gives Busigny and 28 October; the address-side docket supplies the year 1813, while the Lausanne postmark confirms 28 October. Origin evidence: The dateline reads Busigny, the contemporary spelling used in the letter for Bussigny; the Lausanne departure mark and independent biographical evidence are consistent with Montolieu's residence at Bussigny. Recipient layers: postal addressee — Arthus Bertrand, bookseller; textual addressee — Claude Arthus-Bertrand, publisher and bookseller.