FLAUBERT GUSTAVE: (1821-1880) French Novelist of Madame Bovary (1857), the leading exponent of literary realism in ...

FLAUBERT GUSTAVE: (1821-1880) French Novelist of Madame Bovary (1857), the leading exponent of literary realism in France. A fine A.L.S., Gu. Flaubert, two pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d. ('Mardi'; early 1870s), to a friend ('Mon cher ami'), in French. Flaubert announces 'Le Sexe Faible must have been taken to the censors today' and continues 'Weinschenk worries about the minister, but if you delete the word minister, the role no longer exists and the piece becomes incomprehensible. The general can be a Swiss general (Swiss - oh, very well) but minister can not be modified….you have to take it or leave it. Write your father what you think is appropriate. You know the question as well as I do. Your interest is at stake more than mine. If your father and Beauplan support us (and they can support us, since the censors depend only on them and on any one thing that they say about it) we are saved. If they don't, then not. In a last ditch effort I am writing one more time to d'Osmoy! And I will notify R. Duval to speak to his cousin Chabaud-Latour. More I cannot do. I know perfectly well that Weinschenk counts on a big financial success. Le Sexe Faible is his last challenge, and he will do anything I want. But still, if the minister is left out, good night! I am not trying to conceal that I am full of bitterness and that I am getting to the point where I have had enough, or even too much! It would probably not be bad if you made the trip to Paris. Sunday. It's worth it. As for the rest, it's up to you. I suspect your father will not answer you, an easy way to avoid difficult steps, and that Le Sexe Faible will be stopped by the censorship, but they will regret it.' A letter of excellent literary content, not least for its references to censorship which Flaubert had experienced previously when his debut novel and masterpiece Madame Bovary had resulted in a scandal when it was first serialized in 1856-57 with public prosecutors declaring it to have obscene content. Some very light, extremely minor age wear and a few small tears very neatly and professionally repaired. About VG Le Sexe Faible ('The Weaker Sex') was a light comedy originally written by the French poet and dramatist Louis Bouilhet (1822-1869) who was a close friend and mentor to Flaubert. Following Bouilhet's death Flaubert discovered Le Sexe Faible amongst his friend's papers, although it is open to debate whether the piece was a scenario or full text when discovered. Flaubert completed the play, with a sexist and politically incorrect theme, in honour of his late friend and it was scheduled to be produced in early 1873. However, the impresario Leon Carvalho favoured Flaubert's Le Candidat and that was instead chosen, although only survived for four performances before Flaubert himself withdrew it. Le Sexe Faible was again scheduled for production at the Theatre de Cluny in 1874, however shortly before the premiere Flaubert cancelled the production believing it to be unworthy of the play.