NRA-L-000464 / 1834
Letter from J. A. Berthault to J. Berthault concerning family finances, religion and employment, 1834-09-03
J. A. Berthault writes to Saturnin about family finances, relatives, clerical influence and education, then discusses Champagne wine, employment for his son and the possible sale of an establishment.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000464
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address panel
Original transcript
M. J. Berthault
Rue [Châtuchat?] n.º 3,
A Paris.
Notes
Editorial notes: The street name is not secure and is retained with an explicit question mark rather than normalized conjecturally.
Address panel
English translation
Mr. J. Berthault
Rue [Châtuchat?] No. 3,
Paris.
Notes
Editorial notes: The street name is not secure and is retained with an explicit question mark rather than normalized conjecturally.
Documentary page 2
Original transcript
Degrand, rue ent. coq héron
La R. le 3. 7.bre 1834.
Mon cher Saturnin, J'ai ta lettre du 25. aout
Mad.me Bormeau a également écrit a Yvot pour
qu'il faste quelque chose, tu pourrais
penser que pour l'y engager elle aurait pu
lui dire que tu ferais 1/5.e mais ce a quoi tu
es loin de t'attendre C'est qu'elle a envoyé ta
lettre a Yvot. C'est abominable. Deux phrases
de ta lettre n'ont point échappées a Yvot, Je
partage son mécontentement en ce que tu as été
écrire que j'avais peine a me soutenir. massias
m'a dit que c'étaient ses femmes que le pressaient
pour me retirer ce qu'il a a lui. Yvot a conçu
de l'alarme, & tu sais qu'il ne puis marcher
que par lui; tu es bien imprudent, & mad.me
Bormeau a l'âme bien noire de chercher vous
aigrir d'avantage.
Il est possible qu'Yvot faste quelque chose mais
a la condition expresse que m/ Neveu ne sera pas
élevé sous l'influence des prêtres, & il fera bien.
Tu n'as pas ignoré le passé, & ce qui doit l'y
engager c'est ce que je viens d'apprendre a
l'instant, m/ Neveu va tous les soirs chez le
Curé apprendre a chanter. C'est celui qui
Documentary page 2
English translation
La Rochelle, 3 September 1834.
My dear Saturnin,
I have your letter of 25 August. Madame Bormeau has also written to Yvot so that he might do something; you might think that to encourage him she could have told him that you would do a fifth, but what you are far from expecting is that she sent your letter to Yvot. It is abominable.
Two sentences of your letter did not escape Yvot. I share his dissatisfaction in that you wrote that I was having trouble supporting myself. Massias told me that it was his women who were pressing him to withdraw from me what is his. Yvot has conceived alarm, and you know that I can only proceed through him; you are very imprudent, and Madame Bormeau has a very black soul to seek to embitter you further.
It is possible that Yvot will do something, but on the express condition that my nephew will not be raised under the influence of priests, and he will be right to do so. You have not been ignorant of the past, and what must encourage him to do so is what I have just learned this instant: my nephew goes every evening to the parish priest's to learn to sing. It is he who fanaticised our niece Gabrielle. I am angry about it.
Documentary page 3
Original transcript
a fanatisé notre Nièce Gabrielle. J'en
suis en colère.
Fanny a répondu a mad. B.
qu'elle ne pouvait rien faire, que cela
te faste tous a fait ouvrir les Yeux.
Il a été un temps dans ou les Séminaires l'
Education était aussi bonne qu'ailleurs,
mais alors, les prêtres n'étaient pas ce qu'ils
sont devenus. Je les déteste.
Je n'ai point gouté de ton Vin de
Champagne, & Je n'ai pas revu Massias,
Je ne puis t'en rien dire. - Je verrai Mr
Corelieux & l'engagerai d'en faire venir
quand les chaleurs seront passées.
Si tu vois Mr Jay tache de le faire
causer. demande lui s'il prendrait mon fils
que j'ai mis a la cuite & qui la connait.
la Rochelle ne m'est plus agréable Si Je
trouvais a Vendre mon Etablissem.t Je chercherais
a diriger Un Etablissem.t
Fanny est toujours a Marans.
Quand tu verras notre Nièce dis lui
bien des choses de notre part a tous.
adieu mon cher Ami, porte
toi bien
J. A. Berthault
Documentary page 3
English translation
Fanny replied to Madame B. that she could do nothing; may that completely open your eyes.
There was a time when education in the seminaries was as good as elsewhere, but then, the priests were not what they have become. I hate them.
I have not tasted your Champagne wine, and I have not seen Massias again, I can tell you nothing about it. - I will see Mr Corelieux and will encourage him to have some brought when the heat has passed.
If you see Mr Jay, try to make him talk. Ask him if he would take my son, whom I have put to the production batch and who knows it.
La Rochelle is no longer pleasant to me. If I found a way to sell my establishment, I would seek to manage an establishment.
Fanny is still in Marans.
When you see our niece, give her many kind regards from all of us.
Farewell my dear friend, keep well.
J. A. Berthault
Discovery Terms
- Personal correspondence
- Family correspondence
- Family finances
- Religion
- Clerical influence
- Education
- Champagne wine
- Employment
- Business establishment
- La Rochelle
- Paris