Letter from J. Bte Bascle to Charles... (1850)

NRA-L-000422 / 1850

Letter from J. Bte Bascle to Charles Bascle, 1850-10-14

J. Bte Bascle writes to his son Charles about reconciliation between brothers, staffing and commercial travel for the family firm, and the health of Corine and Daniel.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000422

NRA-L-000422 image 1 showing the folded address panel with postal marks and manuscript docketing. — **Image 1**Address panel with postal marks and manuscript docketing.

NRA-L-000422 image 2 showing the first page of a handwritten French family letter dated 14 October 1850. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000422 image 3 showing the continuation and signature of the handwritten French family letter on an unfolded sheet whose right half repeats the address panel shown in image 1. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2 and signature on the unfolded sheet; the right half repeats the address panel visible in Image 1.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000422
Date: 1850-10-14
Original date: Jonzac le 14 8bre 1850
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: J. Bte Bascle
Recipient: Charles Bascle, merchant of Bordeaux
Places: Jonzac / Rouen
Extent: 3 documentary sides: Address panel; Letter text - Page 1; Letter text - Page 2; address panel repeated within full-sheet capture; 3 digital images.
Signature: J. Bte Bascle
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000422.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur Chle Bascle, negt de Bordeaux,
Poste restante,
à Rouen.
Seine infre

Address panel

English translation

Mr Charles Bascle, merchant of Bordeaux,
Poste restante,
in Rouen.
Seine-Inférieure

Letter text - Page 1

Original transcript

Jonzac le 14 8bre 1850.

Mon cher fils,

Ta mère & moi, sommes on ne peut plus satisfaits
du contenu de ta lettre du 11 Ct. tu comprendras combien nous
sommes heureux de voir tes vœux et les notres exhaussés.
Comme toi, nous sentions le besoin d'une explication, qui
d'après tout ne pouvait tourner qu'à ton avantage, avantage que
ta conduite et la force des choses devaient nécessairement amener.
que Dieu, veuille mes chers enfants, vous faire la grace de vous
conserver en bonne harmonie, sans cela point d'heureux succès.

Tant qu'à la perte que vous faites de Mr L.....
tu dois t'en consoller facilement, car d'après ce que tu m'as
souvent dit, il donnait plutot de la perte à la maison que du
profit, ainsi point de regrèt. je pense que Victor, sans
trop se fatiguer pourra bien faire deux ou trois voyages
par an, pour soigner la clientelle de Paris et de ses environs.
Tant qu'au voyageur de la bretagne, tout a concouru pour
qu'il ne fasse rien; (son début, et précédé par armand.) Je pense
que ton frère le remerciera, et qu'il tachera de s'en procurer un
autre, ce qui n'est pas chose facile.

Comme tu me le dis mon bon fils, il faut oblier
tout le passé, et pardonner à ceux qui ont été cause
de tout

Letter text - Page 1

English translation

Jonzac, October 14, 1850

My dear son,

Your mother and I could not be more satisfied with the contents of your letter of the 11th of this month. You will understand how happy we are to see your wishes and ours fulfilled. Like you, we felt the need for an explanation which, all things considered, could only turn to your advantage—an advantage that your conduct and the force of circumstances were bound to bring about. May God grant you, my dear children, the grace to remain in good harmony; without that, there can be no happy outcome.

As for the loss of Mr L....., you should easily console yourself, for according to what you have often told me, he brought the firm more loss than profit; therefore, no regrets. I think Victor, without tiring himself excessively, could very well make two or three trips a year to look after the clientele in Paris and its surroundings. As for the travelling salesman from Brittany, everything conspired to prevent him from accomplishing anything—his beginning, and Armand having gone before him. I think your brother will dismiss him and try to find another, which is not easy.

As you tell me, my good son, we must forget the whole past and forgive those who caused all

Letter text - Page 2; address panel repeated within full-sheet capture

Original transcript

le désagrément que tu as éprouvé, j'ai l'assurance que ton
frère, dont les sentiments généreux ont pûs etres comprimés
à ton égard, sera désormais pour toi ce qu'il doit etre, et
qu'il se trouvera heureux d'avoir pour le seconder un frère
digne de toute son affection.

Hier dimanche, nous avons eus le plaisir de
voir et d'embrasser notre chère fille Corine, ainsi que le bon
petit Daniel, ils se portent l'un et l'autre à merveille,
l'air de la campagne leurs est ont ne peut plus salutaire.

Ta mère se joint à moi, mon cher fils
pour t'embrasser bien tendrement

Ton Père,
J. Bte Bascle

P.S. toute la famille se porte bien.

Letter text - Page 2; address panel repeated within full-sheet capture

English translation

the unpleasantness you experienced. I am confident that your brother, whose generous feelings toward you may have been restrained, will henceforth be to you what he should be, and that he will be happy to have, to assist him, a brother worthy of all his affection.

Yesterday, Sunday, we had the pleasure of seeing and embracing our dear daughter Corine, as well as dear little Daniel. Both are wonderfully well; the country air is extremely beneficial to them.

Your mother joins me, my dear son, in embracing you very tenderly.

Your father,
J. Bte Bascle

P.S. The whole family is well.

Discovery Terms

Family reconciliation
Family business
Commercial travellers
Family correspondence
Jonzac
Rouen

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