FLAUBERT GUSTAVE: (1821-1880) French novelist. A.L.S., Gte. Flaubert, two pages, (written to the first and third ...

FLAUBERT GUSTAVE: (1821-1880) French novelist. A.L.S., Gte. Flaubert, two pages, (written to the first and third sides of the bifolium), 8vo, n.p., n.d. ('Lundi, 3 heures'), to 'Ma Chere Caroline' [Commanville], in French. Flaubert laments the fact that since his correspondent returned to Paris he has wanted to see her, but not been able to, explaining 'Mais je suis surcharge ou plutot surmene de travail. Je me suis jure d'avoir fini mon livre a la fin de la semaine prochaine - et je ne bouge!' (Translation: 'But I am overloaded or rather overworked with work. I swore I'd finish my book by the end of next week - and I'm not moving!'), further adding that Caroline's aunt is alone and bored at Croisset and has asked that Caroline pay her a visit as she had promised to, remarking 'Je n'aime pas a la savoir longtemps dans la solitude et comme je ne peux m'en retourner a Croisset avant un mois, j'aimerais bien a ce que tu passes un peu pres d'elle d'ici-la' (Translation: 'I don't like to know her for long in solitude and since I can't go back to Croisset for a month, I would really like you to pass a little near her by then'). A few light creases and small pinholes and with a neat, small split to the base of the central vertical fold, otherwise VG Caroline Commanville (1846-1931) French painter, niece of Flaubert as the daughter of Flaubert's sister, Caroline (1824-1846) and her husband Emile Hamard (1821-1877). The aunt which Flaubert refers to in the present letter is likely to have been Julie Lormier (1818-1883) who had married Flaubert's elder brother, Achille (1813-1882) in 1839.