

<color><param>0100,0100,0100</param><bigger>A brief visit to Paris this week gave me an opportunity to
peruse the Verne archives belonging to the Société de
Géographie de Paris which are lodged with the BNF, Section
des Cartes et Plans, Rue Richelieu.

Apart from the priceless ms of 20 mille lieues sous les mers
(consultable in photocopy only due to its condition), there are
two other files of interest.

One contains 30 items relevant to the organisation of the
celebrations of the centenary of Verne's birth. The items range
from invitation tickets to letters to ministers, members of the
Académie Nationale etc. and includes detailed
correspondence with Mme M Allotte de la Fuÿe (1 Place
petite Hollande, Nantes) and J-J Verne (Tribunal Civil de
Rouen), especially concerning the date and nature of the
celebration. Proposals for guest lists are also included.(nb this
particular archive is due to be sent to be put on microfiche
shortly).

A second archive is of particular interest in terms of the
evidence it offers concerning his thoughts on, and timing of,
retirement.

Dated, Amiens, 24 Novembre, 1898, the letter, in response
to an invitation from the Président to continue his membership
of the Société de Géographie, reads;

Monsieur,

Je suis arrivé à un âge auquel il me parait indiqué de prendre
la retraite. Ainsi, je me retire peu à peu de toutes les Sociétés
dont j'ai fait partie depuis tant d'années. J'ai donc du donner
ma demission de membre de la Société de Géographie,
n'allant plus jamais à Paris, d'ailleurs.

Je ne puis donc que vous reindiquer mes vifs regrets, et d'y
joins de sincères remerciements pour les temoignages de
sympathie que renferme votre letter.

Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur, l'expression de mes sentiments
les plus devoués.

                                Jules Verne

This suggests that at the age of 70, although continuing to be
productive to the end, Verne was beginning to withdraw from
formal association with learned societies.

Incidentally, the February edition of the literary review, "Lire"
has a 20 page "enquête"  "Qui était vraiment Jules Verne?"
Apart from a "question and answer" type interview with J-P
Dekiss, most of the pages are unchallenging, though there are
some nice illustrations and some notes on forthcoming books.

Ian Thompson