JULLIAN, Camille (Marseille, 1859 - Paris, 1933), historian, - Lot 123

Lot 123
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JULLIAN, Camille (Marseille, 1859 - Paris, 1933), historian, - Lot 123
JULLIAN, Camille (Marseille, 1859 - Paris, 1933), historian, philologist and epigraphist. L.A.S. "Camille Jullian" to a colleague. Paris, March 15, 1911. 2 pp. 1/2 in-8 on Revue des Études Anciennes letterhead, with printed management address in Paris and Bordeaux. Interesting letter from Camille Jullian, in which the great historian of Gaul apologizes with great courtesy for not being able to accept a conference offered to him, probably on Normandy. He opens his letter with an almost disarmed admission: he fears he has been misunderstood, and reproaches himself for no longer knowing how to write "even with good pens". He says how pleased he would have been to talk about Normandy in front of his correspondent, but explains that his year is now too busy for him to accept any new obligations. Jullian then describes the precise reasons for this impediment: the demands of teaching at the Collège de France, "with its two public lectures", a task that is both compelling and absorbing for him; a trip to Besançon for a thesis defense; and finally, the "ongoing work" of the Revue des Études Anciennes, which keeps him continually occupied. He adds that he could have made himself available in October or November, but that at the time of writing he must decline any further commitments. The letter closes with a particularly kind wording, expressing both confraternal esteem and sincere regret at having to decline: "Please accept, my dear confrère, all my regrets, my thanks and my feelings of respectful and sympathetic confraternity". A fine piece of work and scholarly sociability, typical of French university life in the early 20th century, from one of France's greatest historians of antiquity. A former student at the École normale supérieure and professor at the Collège de France, Camille Jullian remains famous for his monumental Histoire de la Gaule and for his major role in the historical and archaeological studies of his time. Partial transcript: "My dear Brother, I'm afraid I've been misunderstood, and it's my fault, because I can no longer write, even with good penmanship. It would have been a great pleasure, and I would have taken a legitimate pride in it, to speak about Normandy and to talk about it in front of you; but this year is so busy that I don't feel entitled to accept more tasks than I can accomplish... The Collège de France, with its two public lectures, remains a very pressing and absorbing obligation. I also have to go to Besançon for a thesis defense. And then there's the regular, exhausting work of the Revue... Please accept, my dear colleague, my regrets, my thanks and my respectful and sympathetic confraternity".
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