Madame Dacier Rare Autographed Letter Signed to Limojon de Saint-Didier. 1719

  
Autographed letter signed, French literature. [Anne Dacier, born Anne Le Fèvre, known as]. [Autographed letter signed by Ignace-François Limojon de Saint-Didier]. RARE AND INTERESTING SIGNED AUTOGRAPH LETTER.

From Anne Dacier, a woman of letters and philologist, author of the first rigorous and faithful translations of Homer, always enriched with erudite and pedagogical remarks, instigator of literary quarrels: it is for her that the word "translator" was introduced into the French language. "The most learned woman who is or ever was" (Gilles Ménage), it is not surprising that the anxious poet seeks her kind advice; she responds here to one of her admirers (and supporters in the "Homeric Quarrel"), Ignace-François Limojon de Saint-Didier, lord of Venasque and Saint-Didier, near Avignon. I had your ode, Sir, along with the letter you honored me by writing, but the state in which Mr. Dacier has been, and that in which I myself have been, did not allow me to respond. I was beginning to feel better when your second letter was returned to me, and I believe it is still time to tell you that I read your ode with much pleasure and greatly appreciated the corrections you made to it.

You can present it as it is, and I am convinced that it will hold its own against the finest. Dacier is such a rigid observer of the Academy's laws that I could not compel him to read it, for if he had read it, he could not be its judge and would be obliged to recuse himself; this forced him to defer the pleasure it would have given him. He no longer has his great pains, but he is still not in a condition to go out; he has asked me to send you his compliments. The second edition of my work will be published on the first day; I have added several remarks and some reflections on part of a preface by Mr.

Pope, who translated Homer into English verse. Goodbye, Sir, we ask you to convey our compliments to Mrs. I am, Sir, with the highest esteem, your very humble and obedient servant. Paris: April 29, 1719; 32 handwritten lines and autograph signature on 1 double sheet of vergé paper 2 pp.; dimensions of the folded sheet: 165 x 225 mm; handwritten address, traces of a wax seal.

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