From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: Nine regular four-line stanzas, rhyming a, b, a, b.
"Antony" was performed for the first time at the Porte Sainte Martin Théâtre on the 3rd of May, 1831, and published the same year by A. Auffray, Paris, 8vo. There, at the head of the verses in question, Dumas says :—
"Here are some verses which I composed two years ago. If I knew of a better explanation of my drama, I would give it.
"Alexandre Dumas."
This statement would indicate 1829 as being the date for the composition of these lines.
They are of the daring, Satanic, "ultra" order, just then so fashionable, and one can well picture Dumas, in later years, and not so much later either, laughing at their false ring.
M. Glinel possessed what appears to be the original MS. Upon its reverse, in a strange hand, is written :—
"Her long fair hair, of which I count the tresses by so many kisses."
M. Glinel records four variants between the MS. and the printed version.
Dumas republished them in his "Mémoires," in Chapter CC.
They are also given by M. Glinel on pp. 293-94 of his "Alexandre Dumas et Son Œuvre."
Naturally, too, they appear at the head of all versions of the drama "Antony."
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: A prose drama in five acts.
It bears this epigraph: "Ils ont dit que Childe Harold, c'est moi . . . Que m'importe!—Byron." (1)
(1) "They said Childe Harold was myself. . . . What care I !—.Byron."
As prefix it bears nine four-line stanzas, preceded by the words : "Here are some verses which I made two years ago. If I knew of a better explanation for my drama, I would give it." (See ante p. 27.)
The play actually grew out of an acute and, for Dumas, lengthy fit of jealousy. The first draft, still in existence, is much more excitable in language, but far less literary in tone. As Dumas' feelings quietened, so did his artistry assume control.
" 'Antony' is not a drama, 'Antony' is not a tragedy, 'Antony' is not a theatrical piece. 'Antony' is a scene of love, jealousy and anger, in five acts. Antony was myself, lacking the assassination ; Adèle was She, less the fault." So writes Dumas in his "Mémoires." Elsewhere he says, comparing this play with "Angèle" and with "Comte Hermann": " 'Antony' is the dream of a madman : Antony dreams, believes in the impossible and dies. . . ." De Mirecourt is hopelessly astray when he suggests Souvestre as the responsible originator of the subject for this drama. It is Dumas' alone.
"Antony" was first performed at the Porte Saint Martin Theatre on the 3rd of May, 1831. It was played a hundred and thirty times in succession, an almost unheard-of thing in those days.
Original edition : Paris. Auguste Auffray, 8vo., grey cover, pp. 116, 1831.
Second edition, with a vignette by Tony Johannot, transferred to wood by Tellier, and engraved by Thompson, representing Antony and Adèle after the episode of the ball (Act IV., Scene viii.); Paris, Auguste Auffray, 8vo., pp. 112, 1832.
In 1884 it was included in the first volume of Charpentier's collected edition of the plays.
In the next year (1835) it appeared in the "Magasin Théâtral," Paris, Marchant, 8vo., of two columns, pp. 26.
It may now be read in Vol. II. of the 15 Vol. series, and in Vol. II. also of that in 25 Vols. as issued by Calmann-Lévy ("Théâtre Complet").
Parody :—
"Batardi, ou le Désagrément de n'Avoir ni père ni mère, existence d'Homme en cinq portions." Paris, Barba, 1831, 8vo., pp. 38. First performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, May 30th, 1831. It was the composition of M. Dupin.
References :—
It would be impossible to give anything like a comprehensive list of references to this play (or indeed to any of Dumas' more popular works), so popular in its day and so much criticised, but the following are of interest :—
Dumas: "Mes Mémoires," especially Chapters CXXXV., CLXXV., CLXXVI, CXCVIII. to CC., CCII., CCIII. and CCIX. Lecomte: "Alexandre Dumas," pp. 232-244. Blaze de Bury: "Alexandre Dumas," pp. 80-82.
Courmeaux: "Alexandre Dumas," pp. 8-9.
Sarcey: "Quarante Ans de Théâtre : Auteurs Contemporains," pp. 77-91.
Parigot: "Le Drame d'Alexandre Dumas," pp. 283-344 in particular.
Séchan: "Homme de Théâtre," pp. 285-288.
Weiss: "Le Drame Historique et le Drame Passionnel," pp. 28-37
"La Nouvelle Revue," May 15th, 1912.—"Mélanie Waldor," by M. C. Croze.
"Moniteur Universel," April 19th, 1884.—An account of the resumption of "Antony " at the Odéon on the previous day.
"Revue de Paris," August 15th, 1898.—"Le Genèse d'Antony," by H. Parigot.
"Revue des Cours et Conférences," 1899. Year VIII.—1, pp. 257-267.—"Le Théâtre Romantique: Antony," by P. Morillot.
"Revue des Deux Mondes," 1884, LXIII., pp. 212-226—"Reprise d'Antony," by L. Ganderax.
"Bretagne" (published at Saint-Brieuc), May-June, 1931.— "Le' Centenaire d'Antony : A. Dumas et Mélanie Waldor."
English Translations :—
Literally rendered, but with the stage directions transformed into narrative, to make the whole read as a story, it formed one of the "Stories from the Plays of Dumas," rendered by H. A. Spurr. Cottingham, near Hull, Tutin, 1904.
