A tale set in Villers-Cotterêts, Dumas' home town.
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: A pretty little sylvan story, located at Dumas' loved and well-known birthplace, Villers-Cotterets. They still show there "La Maison Neuve," where this romance of "Catherine Blum" was written, (1). The principal characters are foresters and the wife and niece of one of the head keepers. Period 1829-30.
(1) I owe to the courtesy of M. le Docteur Henry Mouflier, Maire de Villers-Cotterets. a view of this building, also one of "Le Moulin de Wallu," where Dumas composed "Les Gardes Forestiers," and a number of other places of interest in and about Villers-Cotterets.
Dumas had no collaborator for this work ; his heart and mind were alike enthused by his subject. It is however said to have been inspired by Iffland's "Die Jaeger."
Original edition : Paris, Cadot, 2 vols., 8vo., 1854. Vol. I., pp. 319; Vol. II., pp. 320.
It now fills one volume in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition, and one in the same firm's "Musée Littéraire."
In Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré" it forms part of Vol. XX,
References :— Glinel: "Alexandre Dumas et Son Oeuvre," page 435. Parran: "Bibliographie d'Alexandre Dumas," page 63.
English Translations :—
"The Foresters;" New York, Appleton, pp. 226, "translated from the author's original manuscript," 1854.
"Catherine Blum;" London, Routledge, 12mo., pp. iv., 184, 1861. This edition has several times been reprinted.
"Catherine Blum;" London, Methuen (with several short pieces), sewed, 1904. Reprinted, same firm, 18mo., pp. 255, 1922.
