Description

AUTOGRAPH LETTER FROM PAUL VERLAINE, signed "P. V." to the publisher Vanier, dated 10 August 1886:

Victor Hugo wrote: "Cette bibliopole auguste et colossale" [L'Âne, verse 289]. Bibliopole is taken here in the sense of a city of books. So it would be prudent to delete the "Bibliopole Vanier" at the end of the book to avoid being made a fool of."
Louise's printer [Leclercq] has taken great pleasure in my second corrected proofs. All the mistakes have been scrupulously kept out.
It will be ready on Thursday, along with the first part of the Memoirs [of a widower]. I shall also have some verses to give you, I think.
Sincerely yours.
P. V.

As publisher of Verlaine and other 'Modern' poets such as Corbière, Laforgue, Mallarmé, Rimbaud and Tailhade, Vanier marked some of his works with the words 'par le Bibliopole Vanier' - the original of Louise Leclerq was published more soberly by "Léon Vanier, éditeur", in November 1886.

In a biographical note, Verlaine describes the publisher's collaboration with the writers of the time - (Correspondence; published from original manuscripts. Paris: Messein. 1922).:

He sounded a rallying call to the new poets, which was heard, and it was not long before they came to him. He did not build them bridges of gold, bridges of gold Even the engineers of the astonishing Ohnet build them only for their "creator" and are the most exclusive specialists, - but decent, honourable conditions, affable manners and perfect procedures completed the work of honest probity. From then on, copies poured into n^o 19 du quai Saint-Michel. One charming edition followed another. The eldest, as led the way, with Huysmans and his astonishing Sketches Paris, Verlaine and his Cursed poets which set fire to quite a few powders that were getting too wet.