JOLY, Maurice (1829–1878). - Lot 170

Lot 170
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JOLY, Maurice (1829–1878). - Lot 170
JOLY, Maurice (1829–1878). Letter from the author, “Maurice Joly,” to Mr. About, Monday, February 8 [1860?], 2 pp., in-8. An interesting polemical letter addressed to Edmond About, in which Maurice Joly responds vigorously to a critique published by his correspondent. Joly opens his letter in an ironic tone: “I am too religious to be completely without witnesses... ” He reproaches About for having passed judgment on his work that he considers unfair and superficial, lamenting an assessment dictated more by first impressions than by a truly careful reading. With biting eloquence, he defends his work and asserts the right to criticism based on serious arguments rather than mere literary flourishes. Referring to the “contradictions” and “inconsistencies” attributed to him, he articulates a veritable intellectual manifesto, concluding with a touch of irony: “You’re unbeatable! And that’s all there is to it. ” This letter perfectly illustrates the combative spirit of Maurice Joly, future author of the famous *Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu*, and bears witness to the fierce literary and journalistic controversies that animated Parisian intellectual circles during the Second Empire. Good condition. Small, old burn mark with slight paper loss, but no significant impact on readability.
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