Joris-Karl HUYSMANS / Signed Autograph Letter / Violent Attack Against the Church

  
Signed autograph card "GHu smans" [to André Godard] S. In-12° recto / verso Gilded edge Slight angular lack without loss of text, typographical annotation in the upper margin Several words blacked out. Violent attack by Huysmans against the ecclesiastical world. "Thank you, my dear friend, for the article you sent me. It is very brave and very good. I see that the little phrase very poorly received by a bunch of people who judge it heterodox!!!

- 'the Virgin cared very little about the axiom outside the Church, no salvation' ¹ - pleased you. The fact is that I was quite satisfied to be able to provide examples serving to demolish this enormity that has been ringing in our ears for years. I saw Father du Bourg the other day; he tells me that you have a volume following the Routes d'Arles very advanced! That is good and well - Because you give in that regard! Have you read about P [ère] Parisot admitting that he is a Freemason, and currently accused before the courts of an attempted poisoning, repeated, on the little niece from whom he wanted to inherit.

It is definitely raining on the Church and on the Congregation of Solesmes [Huysmans had himself made several retreats there in the past], in particular! I increasingly believe that Heaven wants to sweep away all these people, and that would explain [several words blacked out], but still, what a time! Best regards to you GHu smans." ¹/ Perhaps an allusion to a passage from the sixth chapter of his novel L'Oblat, in a dialogue between Mr. Lampre and his niece: "I compliment you, my niece, Mr.

Lampre said ironically; you are a worthy daughter of the aggregation of France. Outside of it, no salvation; only those who are under Solesmes are Benedictines." After retreating to several monasteries La Salette, Igny, Solesmes, etc., Huysmans left Paris in 1899 to finally settle in the village of Ligugé, near Poitiers, where he had a house built near the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Martin.

Sharing the daily life of the monks, Huysmans prepares to become an oblate. The 1901 law on associations, leading to the dissolution of the community of Saint-Martin, forces the writer to return to Paris. He will recount his experience of monastic life two years later in L'Oblat.