Le Secrétaire de la Marquise du Deffand; Madame du Deffand; Mémoires d'une aveugle; Confessions de la Marquise
roman/novel, pub:1856-1857, action:1696-1780
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: This is one of the 18th century biographical romances with which la Comtesse Dash was so successful. It is probable that she had more to do with this than Dumas, though doubtless he made suggestions and touched it up. For what has been said with regard to the authorship, see the references below.
It covers the life of the famous Marquise du Deffand, the correspondent of Horace Walpole. Period of the complete work 1696 to 1780.
The earlier part first ran through the pages of "Le Mousquetaire," with a good deal of irregularity, from June 6th to December 3rd, 1855. This portion concludes at the end of Chapter XLI. of "Les Mémoires d'une Aveugle."
Original edition: Paris, Cadot, 8 vois., 8vo., as "Madame du Deffand." 1856-57. (In all probability this was the complete work, as now to be read in four volumes in the Calmann-Lévy edition, since Chapter XLI., with which publication in "Le Mousquetaire" ceased, is there described as Vol. III., Chapter XIII. Moreover, Cadot published the entire work in three volumes in 1858.)
Paris, Cadot, 3 vols., 18mo., 1858.
Paris, Michel Lévy Frères, in two parts, each of two volumes, entitled respectively: "Mémoires d'une Aveugle" and "Les Confessions de la Marquise," 1862.
It is a reprint of this last which is now in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition. This firm also issues it in their "Musée Littéraire," each part in one volume.
Under the last-named two titles it appears in Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré," Vol. XI.
References :—
Dumas: "Causeries" in "Le Mousquetaire" for April 25th, 1855. " Correspondance" for June 15th, 1855.
D'Heilly: "Dictionnaire des Pseudonymes."—Article "Davy." Parran: "Bibliographie d'Alex. Dumas," page 65. Glinel: "Alex. Dumas et Son Œuvre," page 438.
