Lettres à une inconnue, Tome Deuxième Précédée d'une étude sur P. Mérimée par H. Taine

A collection of intimate letters written in the 1850s invites listeners into the private world of a cultured yet ailing gentleman. From Paris to Lucerne he chronicles his persistent cold, his yearning for a distant correspondent, and his wry observations on travel and solitude. The voice balances melancholy with gentle humor, making each page feel like a whispered conversation across continents.

Within the letters he interlaces references to Brantôme, Byron, and contemporary literary journals, while sketching Alpine lakes, Venetian gondolas, and Parisian salons with vivid detail. He muses on the cost of books, the quirks of foreign customs, and the quiet ache of evenings spent alone in a chair, revealing a mind torn between duty and desire. This epistolary portrait offers a nuanced glimpse of 19th‑century European life, rewarding listeners who savor thoughtful, lyrical storytelling.