RETTÉ Adolphe. [From the Devil to God]. Story of a conversion. [1906]; small manuscript in-8 in sheets of [1]-103 ff. (incorrectly numbered 99 because of 4 bis or ter leaves) written on the recto in brown ink, contained in a soft basane folder decorated in colour on the upper cover (J. Job). Complete original autograph manuscript of Adolphe Retté's account of his conversion to Catholicism. This is his main work apart from his collections of symbolist and then naturalist poetry. In 1906, in the middle of the Arbonne forest, the anarchist poet converted to Catholicism and began the story of his second birth on the very spot of his conversion. The book was published in 1907 by Messein in Paris under the title Du Diable à Dieu. The last corrected, crossed-out and crossed-out version of the final text. A footnote (page 60) was not printed: "Later, whenever I went up to Notre Dame de Grâce, while crawling like that and almost kissing the ground, I kept repeating to myself Memento quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris. Excellent practice in humility". Enclosed are four autograph letters from the author dated Paris 20 May 1907 (I was operated on Saturday); Belgium 17 September 1907 (The success of my book [Du Diable à Dieu] continues: the 19th and 20th editions are being printed. About 1,200 copies have been sold and new articles are always appearing); Avon 10 June 1912, Marseille 30 November 1914 (Enlisted for the duration of the war, I am currently living at the nurses' depot in Marseille). The letters are addressed to a friend and benefactor (M. Morin?). He asks him for help in heart-rending tones. The poet died in poverty in 1930.