Letter from Gustave Flaubert, Croisset, to Louise Colet, 1851 November 3? : autograph manuscript.

Flaubert begins by apologizing for not replying sooner to Colet's letter. He goes on to say that he cannot speak objectively about Louis Bouilhet's Melaenis, which she has recently read and liked. He had too much involvement in the writing of it. He thinks the author, a friend, shows much promise, and speaks of their wild shared youth. He speaks to Colet about his self-doubts as a writer. He is concerned about taking Colet's advice [to come lead the literary life in Paris] because he doesn't want to cater to the crowd, descending to its level in order to please it. Nevertheless, he is making slow progress on Madame Bovary and is frustrated by how difficult the process of writing it is.