CHENIER ANDRE: (1762-1794) French Poet of Greek origin. A precursor of the Romantic movement. Chenier was ...

CHENIER ANDRE: (1762-1794) French Poet of Greek origin. A precursor of the Romantic movement. Chenier was guillotined at the early age of 31. Very rare A.L., by André Chenier, one page, small 4to, n.p., n.d., in French. The cleanly and carefully written text being a fragment of a sixteen verses poem by Chenier, stating in part `Quel bras guide les cieux, a quel ordre enchainée le Soleil bienfaisant nos ramène l´année. Quel signe aux ports lointains arrête l´étranger..´, (''What arm guides the heavens, to what chained order the beneficient Sun brings us back the year. What sign at distant ports stops the stranger..´) An excellent elegy by Chenier, further saying `Le moment d´être sage est voisin du tombeau, allons jeune homme, allos, marche, prends ce flambeau, marche, allons, mène-moi chez ma belle déesse..´, (''Time to be wise is close to the grave, let´s go young man, let´s go, walk, take this torch, walk, let´s go, take me to my beautiful goddess..´). Chenier frames the last word of this verse, `goddess´, and annotates alongside the poem another word to replace the first `maitresse´. At the base of the document and annotated in another hand `Fragment of an elegy by André Chénier, written in his hand, and given by the editor to Marceline Valmore. Paris 1819´. Small overall age wear, mostly to edges, otherwise G £2000-3000 At the request of Malesherbes, the defense counsel to King Louis XVI, Chénier provided some arguments for the King's defense. After the King´s execution Chenier sought a secluded retreat at Versailles. He was arrested at Passy by two agents of the Committee of Public Safety who were in search of a Marquise but only found a stranger who they imprisoned on suspicion of being the aristocrat they were searching for. Chenier had only come on a visit. Chénier was one of the last people executed by Robespierre who was himself seized and executed only three days later. Chénier's life was the subject of Umberto Giordano´s opera Andrea Chenier (1896). Pushkin wrote a poem based on Chenier last hours.