From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: Six regular four-line stanzas, rhyming a, b, a, b.
This seems to have been one of Dumas' favourite pieces of verse. According to M. André Fossé d'Arcosse, it was first written for Madame Dumas (Ida Ferrier) in 1843, and the above title would apparently support this statement.
It was first published in "Le Foyer," No. 38 for January 8th. 1843.
Next it appeared in "Le Livre," for the 10th of April, 1887, page 107,
"L'Intermédiaire des Chercheurs et Curieux " for the 20th of March, 1898, Column 423, prints it under the title: "Pièce de Vers écrit par Alexandre Dumas père dans l'Album de la Comtesse d'A. . . ."
M. André Fossé d'Arcosse published it in the "Centenaire d'Alexandre Dumas : 1802-1902;" Soissons, "L'Argus Soissonnais," 1902.
The first eight lines (two stanzas) figure in Dumas' autograph, signed, as No. 84 of the "Revue des Autographes," Part 996, January, 1886, published by M. Eugène Charavay (1 page, 18mo.).
They have also appeared, with the variant "notre" (our) instead of "cette" (this) in the first line, in autograph and signed.
1. In the Album of Mlle. Aimée Doze, of the Comédie Française, No. 17321 of the "Bulletin" for September, 1889 ; No. 26 of the "Librairie Damascène Morgand," an album acquired by the Vicomte Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, of Brussels.
2. In the Album of Mlle. Marie Maxime David, bequeathed to the Bibliothèque de Laon, which inscription bears the date March 15th (18)64.
3. In the Catalogue of the Sale of Autograph Letters made by MM. Maurice Delestre and Noel Charavay, at Paris, Salle Drouot, October 15th, 1906, No. 51.
