Une Vie d'artiste; Aventures et tribulations d'un comédien
A Life's Ambition
non-fiction, pub:1854, action:1808-1854
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: A picturesque biography of the early life of the actor Mélingue, who later created so many of Dumas' great stage characters. Unfortunately it stops just on the verge of this part of his career.
Originally it was intended to form part of the "Mémoires," and as such it appeared in "Le Mousquetaire," but outgrowing a reasonable length for such, Dumas later lifted it bodily and made of it a separate work as we now have it.
There is no question that Dumas alone is to be held responsible for this, save of course for the verbal information supplied by Mélingue.
First published in the early numbers of "Le Mousquetaire" between December, 18.53, and March, 1854.
Original edition: Paris, Cadot, 2 vols., 8vo., yellow wrapper, 1854.
Brussels, Méline, Cans et Cie., "Aventures et Tribulations d'un Comédien," 1 vol., 12mo., 185—.
Paris, Calmann-Lévy, edition de luxe, with 31 fine heliogravures by Gaston Mélingue (son), and several vignettes, 1902. Folio, pp. 237.
It now forms one volume in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition, one in their "Musée Littéraire," and a portion of one in their illustrated series.
In Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré" it forms part of Vol. XVI.
References :—
Truffier: "Mélingue;" Paris, Alcan, 1925. Geoffroy: "Nouvelle Galerie des Artistes Dramatiques Vivants;" Paris, Librairie Théâtrale, 1855. De Mirecourt: "Les Contemporains," "Mélingue."
Vapereau: "Dictionnaire Universel des Contemporains " (1865). Parran: "Bibliographie d'Alex. Dumas," page 62. Glinel: "A. Dumas et Son Œuvre," page 434.
English Translations :—
"A Life's Ambition" (with "Mon Odyssey"); London, Stanley Paul, 8vo., translated by R. S. Garnett, 1924.
"A Life's Ambition," reprinted by itself; London, Benman, 1927.
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: (CXCIII.) Chapter II., six lyric lines.
(CXCIV.) Chapter IX., four lyric lines.
