From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: Dumas' tribute to his old friend the actress, Marie Dorval, who had just died under very sad circumstances. It will be remembered that she was the creator of the role of Adèle d'Hervey in "Antony."
First issued in "Le Mousquetaire" between the dates (both inclusive) of July 17th and 31st, 1855. It was written with the object of enlisting sympathy and subscriptions for the funeral expenses of Madame Dorval, and for the assistance of her dependants. The work was dedicated to Madame Sand, and Dumas gave the manuscript to be sold for the benefit of the fund, to which also went all the profits from the sale of the pamphlet, reprinted from the journal.
The title-page of the brochure reads :—
Alexandre Dumas.
———
La Dernière Année
de
MARIE DORVAL.
———
50 Centimes.
Pour Son Tombeau.
———
Paris,
Librairie Nouvelle,
Boulevard des Italiens, 15, en face de la Maison Dorée.
1855.
It was in 32mo., pp. 96. (Parran says with a portrait, but a copy in the Reed Dumas Collection has none, makes no mention of one, and shows no sign of its inclusion.)
It now forms one of the articles in "Les Morts Vont Vite," in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition (the first eleven chapters only).
The same version as this last is found in Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré," Vol. XXIV.
References :— Glinel: "Alex. Dumas et Son Œuvre," page 435. Parran: "Bibliographie d'Alex. Dumas," page 64.
Laferrière: "Mémoires," Vol. II., pp. 278-287.
Antoine (André): "Marie Dorval."
