An “extraordinary” letter in which the 19th-century French poet Charles Baudelaire tells his lover of his plans to kill himself has sold at auction for three times more than was anticipated.
Baudelaire, author of the poetry collection Les Fleurs du Mal, was 24 when he wrote the letter, on 30 June 1845. In debt, and unsure about his literary prowess, he told his mistress, Jeanne Duval, who inspired much of his poetry, that “by the time you receive this letter, I will be dead”.
“I am killing myself because I can no longer live, because the exhaustion of going to sleep and the exhaustion of waking up are unbearable to me. I am killing myself because I believe myself to be immortal, and I hope for it,” he wrote.
Baudelaire did attempt suicide that day, but was unsuccessful. The writer went on to live for another 22 years, and died at the age of 46 in 1867.
According to the French auction house Osenat, which sold the letter on 4 November, it is “without doubt the most extraordinary letter from Baudelaire in private hands”. Osenat had estimated that the letter would sell for between €60,000 and €80,000, but it was acquired by a private buyer for €234,000 (£205,000).
In the UK the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
