MEYERBEER, Giacomo [1791-1864]: Autograph letter in French with signature. Enclosed: photograph of Meyerbeer (17 x 11.5 cm) from ca. 1870 by Friedrich Bruckmann Mchn. & Bln. of a painting by C. Jäger mounted in paspartout. "Dimanche" [1843]. Quarto 25.5 x 19 cm. 1 1/4 pp. Double sheet with blind stamped coat of arms "GM". Traces of double folding, reinforced in fold.

NEW OPERA MATERIAL Meerbeer thanks the unknown addressee for sending him two books and a poem, and reports that he had asked his friend and confidant in Paris, Louis Gouin, to express his thanks for them and to ask permission if he could keep the sent works for a time for examination: "Le jour ou vous avez eu l'extreme complaissance de m'envoyer vos deux livres & votre poeme, je priais notre ami commun Monsieur Gouin de vous exprimer mes remerciements de en meme temps de vous prier à me laisser pendent quelque temps. ..." In the further, M. apologizes as he was informed by Gouin that a payment to the addressee had been forgotten: "Aujourd'hui monsieur Gouin qui a recu une lettre de vous vient de me dire qu'il ha totalement oublié ma comission ..." Louis Guin was Meyerbeer's second self in Paris, managed his treasury, negotiated everything in his absence, and knew everything about everything. The unnamed addressee could be Eugène Scribe as a librettist for Meyerbeer and the sent "poem" could be "Le prohète" or "L'Africaine" (cf. Zimmermann, R.: Giacomo Mayerbeer, p. 334 and 401). An older complete translation of the letter into English is pasted in the paspartout of the enclosed photograph.