L E T T E R S

316Letter Nr. 48Paris, January 18, 1838[To J. Arago]Sir,I had the honour of visiting your place lately several times and as I didnot succeed in seeing you and speaking to you I am taking the liberty of askingyou to grant me a few moments of your kind attention and be acquainted withmy business by letter.One of my friends, detained at home because of illness, has intrusted anerrand to me dealing with you. He had already gone to your place nearly amonth ago to present to you a three-act play called Hospitality or Devotion.Since then he has written to Mr. Scribe wanting to give his play at theGymnase. I am enclosing the letter he received in which although assuring himof the success of the play Mr. Scribe advises him to present it at the Vaudevilleand seems not to doubt that will be well received by you, sir. What Mr.Witwicki (that is the name of the author) is doing is again appealing to you, sir.Also he has made a few changes and would like you to revise or have hismanuscript revised.I should advise you, sir, that Mr. Witwicki is one of our mostdistinguished poets and among us enjoys a well deserved reputation. He haswritten for the theatre already even and with remarkable success. That is why Ihave no doubt that his little Ms. For the theatre in French is well conceived andwritten and has a great chance of success. In this conviction I do not hesitate toassure you that tha author and his work although foreign and Polish reallydeserve your distinguished attention. I have the honour of asking you to let meknow if you will agree that we send the Ms. To you again for a newexamination and reading and that you will let him know about a collaborator