[Bibliographical enigma with erotic character] Paul-F. Gérard. La dame aux violettes

Ou l'Amour se paie avec lámour. The Lady of the Violets. Or Love for love. Tours, Rouillé-Ladevèze, 1878, 93,(3) p., text in French on the even-numbered pages and in English on the odd pages, contemporary purple morocco with gilt, ribbed back and abundantly gilt edges of the inside of the boards, with original cover bound along, 4to (small defects).

The author's copy, "Avec les corrections manuscrites de l'auteur [signed:] PF Gerard." As far as we were able to find out this book has never been actually published; this is probably the only copy. On the author, too, we could not find anything, except what the book itself reveals. Several pages contain corrections in the English version and the Byron poem "The Origin of Love" has been added in manuscript on the reverse of the half title. The work is dedicated to Jeanne ("ma chère amie") Gérard/ Jenny ("dear wife") Gérard: "When I arrived at Tours, I, too, laboured under affliction and melancholy. As William, I loved once and had lost her whom I loved, and I also thought my heart was dead. I saw thee. Thou hadst thy sorrows too; nothing can unite two hearts more than sorrow. I attempted to cure thee from them and I... fell in love with thee; and, one day, as sir William, I knelt before thee saying: "Love is only repaired by love" (from the dedication). The story has been laid out as a play in 12 scenes, the 4 characters being Count George de Mailly, his best friend Sir William Lovely, Marchioness of Preuil (young widow and sister of De Mailly) and Fanny ("maid to the lady"). The story is set in Nice and the marchioness plays a double role set up by her brother in order to relieve William of his gloom.