From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: Three regular stanzas each of five lines, rhyming a, b, a, a, b.
This was printed as the dedication to "L'Alchimiste," a verse drama of five acts, performed at the Renaissance Theatre on the 10th of April, 1839, and in which Ida Ferrier played the heroine's role, that of Francesca.
The same piece of verse, but with the following variation of the final line, appeared under the title of "Obéissance," in "La Sylphide" for 1841, and in the "Keepsake" published by "La Chronique" in 1842. In the "Keepsake" the verses are dedicated to Madame D. de H.; in "La Sylphide" to Madame E. de H. (La Comtesse de Hanska, née Eveline Rzewuske). See the review in "Le Livre" for April 10th, 1887, page 104.
The variation, referred to, consists of the substitution of the words : "Faites vite pour moi quelques vers."—"Les voilà !" for these: "Faites vite pour moi ce drame."—"Le voilà !"
M. Glinel mentions that he possessed a copy of "Catherine Howard" (acquired at the sale of G. Moreau-Chaslon, April 11th to 13th, 1892), in which is found the poetical dedication to "L'Alchimiste," which latter was first performed five years after "Catherine Howard." It contains one variant. This dedication was in autograph and signed "Alex. Dumas."
These verses may also be read in "Alexandre Dumas et Son Œuvre," by M. Ch. Glinel, pp. 364-65.
