Beschreibung:

VIOLET TREFUSIS (1894-1972) A collection of writings and articles by Violet Trefusis in French and English, approx 19pp autograph and typed with numerous autograph amendments, 8° and 4°, touching on various subjects and giving an insight into her character and ideals, consisting of: 1½pp brief biography, describing herself as she is seen in various countries, in Florence as the owner of an ancient villa, in Paris as 'une femme de lettres' and doyenne of society, in England as a writer and 'la fille de cette légendaire Mrs G. Keppel, parure du règne d'Edward VII'. 6pp autograph document in the form of a questionnaire, on Florence, Italy and the Italians, 'The English are scared of Rome, still more of Naples' she says, 'My gardener has no idea that I employed [him] because he reminded me...[of a] Paolo Uccello fresco'. 3pp on headed paper from St. Loup and L'Ombrellino, she writes of love, passion and death, with the verse 'My heart was more disgraceful, more alone, and more courageous than the world has known, O passer by, my heart was like your own', and in another she despairs 'I am eternally shocked by the paucity of our imagination'. Various articles, some typed and annotated, others photocopies, including S.O.S. speaking nostalgically of Scotland, Heureaux qui comme Ulysse...' , talking of travel and her compatriots in France, mentioning amongst others Diana Cooper 'France's most spectacular conquest' and 'The elegant merciless irresistible Nancy Mitford', in another giving her views on cuisine, 'J'ai toujours préféré la qualité à la quantité', and including an amusing article entitled Sister and Sister , undoubtedly drawing on her experiences of the European nobility. Together with a one-page typed letter, signed 'Raymond' [Mortimer], from Long Crichel House, Wimborne, 28 October 1951, to 'Darling Violet', written in verse, 'Is Thursday at six the hour that you fix?'; and a one-page typed letter, signed by Jean Rankin, Lady in Waiting to the Queen, 26 June 1950, thanking her for the books 'I am to tell you that Her Majesty is so looking forward to reading them'; with various invitations. Also included are various informal photographs of her friends, Harold Acton, François Dupré with the Princesse de Polignac (1932), and two depicting Violet with Osbert Sitwell, taken over 30 years apart (the first in 1932, the second taken by Reresby Sitwell in 1965).