Letters from Jean Paulhan to Francis Ponge

On [...November 33]
Typed note, probably sent to multiple recipients

My dear friend,

The main fault of the N.R.F. seems to me to be that she speaks, too late, about too few things. Isn't that your feeling? And don't you think that a whole part of the issue, let's say ten to fifteen pages, should be devoted to:

  to the films of the month
  to the play
  exhibitions and art books
  at concerts
    and (why not ?)
  news stories   to conversations
  intimate life events
  at political events (which will be devilishly difficult)

All treated in brief notes, half a page each.
And (coming to the main question) wouldn't you be willing to give me such notes from time to time? Think about it and answer me, please.

Your friend.

*
* *

Monday (January 1934?)

It doesn't quite work yet. It seems to me that your note is too scholarly, too difficult — and too long first of all. If you want, we will give it a note. But please consider some brief tunes of the month for February.

Affectionately, J.P.

*
* *

[Port-Cros. Postcard] "La Vigie" August 3 [1934]

Dear Francis,

Where are you? Are you already on vacation?
We have been in the winds and mists for five to six days.

It seems to me that, if you were more sure of yourself (and therefore more ready to forget yourself) you would give the "Air du Mois" notes, which would be as delicious as Mallarmé's reflections and correspondences of modes.

Kind regards from both of us, to both of you. I have good memories of your coming to Châtenay.

John Port-Cros (Var)

*
* *

[Header Measures] Sunday [January 20, 1935]

We look forward to hearing from you, or rather hearing from you. Keep me posted, won't you?
Imagine that you have to direct Measures: tell me what you think of No. 1, and what to do, in the following ones,

to be very good
to be neither the N.R.F. nor Commerce

We are going to take five or six days of vacation, probably in the snow, towards Colmar (we don't know precisely where).
People talk to me a lot about Cageot.

your J.P.

*
* *

[N.R.F. header] Friday[edi, end of December 1935]

Dear Francis,

Your poems will only appear in Mesures VI, and I am very annoyed about it.
In this issue, there was no space, it was necessary to sacrifice one of the four poets: Fargue, Leiris, Audiberti, you (and, Fargue not being able to be sent back, you were the only one of the "young people" who had already appeared in M.[esures]).
Happy New Year to all three,
your
John

*
* *

[NRF header] Wednesday [end of 1936]

Thank you for the new notebooks.
That you agree so easily to become Brazilian shocks me a little. I said to myself: "it is not out of metaphysical conviction that he became a communist. Rather through a certain taste for brutality (clever mechanisms based on brutality). At least he will benefit from forgetting himself a little, from becoming a little more human: even his texts will become more moving, lose this somewhat brief infallibility, etc." Good. Well not at all. You follow the communists to violence but not to nationalism. (But it’s still the best thing they’ve invented in two years).
It's strange, this sort of inhibition in you, or stiffening, when it comes to "others". Your portraits (Crémieux, Aragon, etc.) are nasty but vague, indifferent. So their wickedness is not even pleasant.
To you J.P.

*
* *

[Header N.R.F.] Thursday [24? February 1938]
In response to the sending of a proof, with handwritten corrections in Ponge's hand, on La Marseillaise by Jean Renoir

I would like to explain to you what is completely wrong.
What Renoir wanted, don't pretend to discover it, we all know it. But the only question to ask (I mean: for the NRF) was: given what he wanted, what did he do?
We must start from the doctrine which is at the origin of the film, not end up there. As for making it ours or not, that's not the question: it's a film (a work) that we judge.
Otherwise, it seems to me that your note turns into a bit of a catechism (which is actually nice). When you say that the film is impartial and gives opponents "all their chances", you're kidding yourself.
Besides, your note is good. You should give it to Commune, or to Europe.
To you
John P.