Pierre Louÿs

Gide was a close friend of Louÿs from schooldays in Paris, though they eventually quarrelled. Louÿs met Leconte de Lisle at nineteen and Mallarmé at twenty, attending Mallarmé’s salon and later writing a sonnet for his 50th birthday. He visited London with Wilde when Wilde was putting on his play Salomé there, though again they later quarelled. Debussy was another good friend. The magazine Louÿs founded published early work by friends like Valéry and Gide, as well as by himself and established poets like Mallarmé. Valéry had first met Louÿs on military service in Montpellier, and spoke at his graveside.