Ernest RENAN (Tréguier 1823 - Paris 1892). French writer, hi - Lot 2

Ernest RENAN (Tréguier 1823 - Paris 1892). French writer, historian and philologist specializing in Semitic languages, particularly Hebrew. Author of Histoire des origines du christianisme. - 5 L.a.s. " E. Renan". A letter dated Paris (1856) concerns the interpretation of the Hebrew word "Shaddaï", a transcription of which appears at the bottom of his letter. Another announces the birth of his daughter. Cornélie RENAN (1833 - 1894). Niece of Dutch-born painter Ary SCHEFFER, she married Ernest RENAN in 1856. - L.a.s. "Cornélie Renan", Amschid (anc. Phénicie) January 1, 1861, 3 pp. ½ in-8. Interesting letter addressed to the historian Henri MARTIN, who had become the couple's friend. She tells him that she had just joined her husband at the site of his research: "We are in a village near ancient Byblos ... from our house we see on one side the Syrian Sea, on the other the Lebanon chain with its snow-covered peaks. Nothing equals the beauty of this country, nor the gentleness of its inhabitants, when there hasn't been that mixture of races and religions so fatal to the weakest. The village is populated only by Maronites... the best people in the world. We haven't seen any Druses yet, and we've only found Muslims in the towns. The region we're travelling through is all Christian and all French at heart... Once you've seen this country, you can't help but be frightened at the thought of what would happen if our soldiers left it...". - L.a.s. "Cornélie Renan" Paris November 14, 1873, 3pp. in-8. Beautiful letter in which she recounts her enthusiastic trip to Italy, where they saw Sicily, Rome and Venice. She goes on to talk about what is being done in Versailles, where things seem: "bad for liberalism and progress, but the future is too obscure for us to know where the winners and losers are...". Attached, Jean REYNAUD (Lyon 1806-Neuilly-sur-Seine 1868). Philosopher and statesman. - L.a.s. "J. Raynaud" Seine-Port (Seine-et-Marne). S.d. June 18, 4 pp. in-8, addressed to the French Romantic painter of Dutch origin Ary SCHEFFER, uncle of Cornélie Renan. The letter refers to his portrait of Blaise Pascal. - L.a.s. "Jean Raynaud" Seine-Port (Seine-et-Marne) n.d. October 23, 4 pp in-8, addressed to Ary SCHEFFER. To suggest that he paint subjects taken from the history of Christianity, a Saint Augustine with Pelagius and a Saint Monica. - L.a.s. "J. Raynaud" S.l.n.d. March 21, 4 pp. in-8, addressed to Ary SCHEFFER. He returns to his Saint-Augustin, expressing the emotion he feels for his painting.