Letter from François Frachon to Jean... (1838)

NRA-L-000609 / 1838

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1838-05-16

François Frachon writes to his father about family health, military duties at Versailles, patronage, a visit from his colonel and the best way to send money.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000609

NRA-L-000609 image 1 showing a folded address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with handwritten delivery address, postal marks, sealing evidence, folds and retained annotations. — **Image 1**Address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with postal evidence and retained annotations.

NRA-L-000609 image 2 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000609 image 3 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2.

NRA-L-000609 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing, signature, retained marginal or later annotations, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text, closing and retained annotations.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000609
Date: 1838-05-16
Original date: Versailles le 16 Mai 1838
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Jean Marie Frachon
Places: Versailles / Annonay, Ardèche
Extent: 4 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; Documentary page 3; Documentary page 4; 4 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000609.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Jean Marie Frachon
à Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Jean Marie Frachon
at Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Versailles le 16 Mai 1838

Mon cher pere

J’ai reçu avec beaucoup de plaisir ta lettre
du 24 avril, j'y vois Surtout avec plaisir que
tu vas beaucoup mieux; que tes digestions Sont
meilleures et que tu as bonne esperance dans le
retour du Printemps, pour te retablir, c'est aussi ce
que je desire bien ardemment et espere. je suis
aussi très content que ma mère et ma bonne
Tante aille bien, mais je suis presque faché contr'elle
de ce qu'elle ne m'a pas repondu, elle doit bien
avoir le temps et puis je ne suis pas bien exigeant
Je te remercies beaucoup des nouvelles que tu me
donnes de mon oncle, dont il me tardait d'apprendre
Sa convalescence et le retablissement. j'espere que
Mon oncle Vincent Se porte bien –
D'après ce que tu m'as dit j'attendais ces jours
derniers la visite de Louis Desgrands, mais il parait
qu'il n'aura pas eu le temps de venir à Versailles
mais j'espere qu'a son premiere voyage je pourrai
le voir, Si je suis toujours dans les environs de
Versailles –
J'ai eu le plaisir de voir il y a une disaine de jours
de voir mon Colonel, qui m'a parlé pendant long
temps

Documentary page 2

English translation

Versailles, May 16, 1838

My dear father,

I received your letter of April 24 with great pleasure, I see above all with pleasure that you are doing much better; that your digestion is better and that you have good hope in the return of spring to restore your health, which is also what I desire very ardently and hope for. I am also very glad that my mother and my good Aunt are doing well, but I am almost angry with her that she did not answer me, she must have the time and besides I am not very demanding. I thank you very much for the news you give me of my uncle, whose convalescence and recovery I was longing to hear about. I hope that my uncle Vincent is well.
From what you told me I was expecting Louis Desgrands to visit these last few days, but it seems he did not have time to come to Versailles, but I hope that on his first trip I will be able to see him, if I am still in the vicinity of Versailles.
I had the pleasure of seeing, about ten days ago, of seeing my Colonel, who spoke to me for a long time

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

mais j'aie la certitude que Monsieur
Boissy ny personne ne lui a parlé pour moi
et je suis Sur aussi que Monsieur Boissy l'a
vu, lui a parlé de ses protegés (à Mr Boissy)
et ne lui as pas dit un mot de moi. c'est moi
qui lui a dit que c'etait d'après les conseils de
Mr Boissy, mon compatriote et l'ami de ma
famille que j'avais demandé a entrer dans
Son Regiment. Mais Si Mr Boissy lui avait parlé
il se rappelle trop bien de ceux dont on lui parle
pour ne pas S'en etre ressouvenu. dans tout
les cas Mon commandant a fait ce que mr boissy
avait prormis de faire, et lui a parlé très avantageusement
de moix et lui a donné les meilleurs renseignemens.
j'en ai été très content et il m'a donné les meilleurs
esperance.

Depuis ce matin j'ai cessé les fonctions de
fourrier, le titulaire etant sorti de l'hopital, mais
je continue toujours à faire les fonctions en Second,
et j'ai eté rennomé de suite moniteur à l'école
ce qui continue à m'exempter de corvées, et de monter
ma garde. Mon capitaine n'a pas voulu me faire
laisser coucher dans la chambre des soldats, n'ayant
plus droit à coucher à part, mais il a voulu que je
restas dans la chambre du Sergent major, ce dont
je lui suis très obligé.

Documentary page 3

English translation

but I am certain that neither Monsieur Boissy nor anyone else spoke to him for me, and I am also sure that Monsieur Boissy saw him, spoke to him about his protégés (Mr. Boissy's) and did not say a word to him about me. It was I who told him that it was on the advice of Mr. Boissy, my compatriot and family friend, that I had asked to join his Regiment. But if Mr. Boissy had spoken to him, he remembers those spoken of to him too well not to have remembered it. In any case, my commandant did what Mr. Boissy had promised to do, and spoke very advantageously of me to him and gave him the best information. I was very pleased about it and he gave me the best hopes.

Since this morning I have ceased the duties of quartermaster, the incumbent having left the hospital, but I still continue to perform the duties as second, and I was immediately renamed monitor at the school, which continues to exempt me from fatigues and from mounting guard. My captain did not want to make me sleep in the soldiers' room, as I no longer had the right to sleep separately, but he wanted me to stay in the sergeant major's room, for which I am very obliged to him.

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

Nous faisons aujourdh'hui la fete du roi —
dans l'interieur des casernes, c'est aujourdhui que
nous faisons le repas du corps, nous avons 16 Sous
par homme et 1/2 litre de vin. dimanche
nous ferons la fete avec la ville, nous aurons
Revue et .. et toute Sorte d'ennuis —
nous pourrons par exemple voir jouer les grandes
eaux, qu'il me desirait beaucoup de voir —
j'allais dimanche chez madame Soursés, que
je ne trouvai pas; j'y retournerai un de ces
jours.
j'aie vu avec plaisir que Louis avait reussi dans
ce qu'il desirait, il en doit très content —

Quand à l'argent dont tu me demande la
maniere de me le faire passer, il est beaucoup
beaucoup plus agreable, mais encore plus
economique de me le faire passer par la
poste, car il en coute plus pour aller à Paris, que
pour le droit de peage,

Adieu je vous embrasse tous comme je
vous aime

F. Frachon

[written sideways along the right edge of the paper in another hand:]

Documentary page 4

English translation

We are celebrating the King's birthday today — inside the barracks, it is today that we have the corps meal, we have 16 sous per man and 1/2 liter of wine. Sunday we will celebrate with the town, we will have a review and .. and all sorts of annoyances — we will be able, for example, to see the great fountains play, which I very much wanted to see —
I went on Sunday to Madame Soursés's, whom I did not find; I will go back there one of these days.
I saw with pleasure that Louis had succeeded in what he wanted, he must be very happy about it —

As for the money that you ask me the manner of sending to me, it is much, much more agreeable, but even more economical to send it to me by post, for it costs more to go to Paris than for the toll fee,

Farewell, I embrace you all as I love you

F. Frachon

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military service
Patronage
Finances
Versailles
Frachon Family Correspondence

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