"This is an illustrated commentary on a popular Annamese poem. The story of Luc Van Tien was published in Annamese and Roman characters with as literal a French translation as possible and explanatory notes by Monsour Abel des Michels. <...> I [Mr. E. Gilbert] took advantage of a two-year-stay in Hue, the political & intellectual center of the Annamese people, to commision a native by the name of Le Duc Trach to produce the famous poem of the story of the so often read love affairs of the student Luc Van Tien and his faithful fiancee Nguyet Nga. <...> The text followed is not exactly the one taken up by Monsieur Abel des Michels: it is the text that is popular in Hue, commonly printed in the areas; it is also the one the majority of Annamese from the North and South sing softly to themselves in their hours of leisure... Paris, May 1899 Eugene Gilbert, Artillery major in the Navy, at Brest, Finistere". (From Foreword of the Publication)