Letter to a cousin in Tours about... (1818)

NRA-L-000679 / 1818

Letter to a cousin in Tours about family news and waterproof cloth

An unnamed writer tells a cousin about a planned return to town, an aunt's solitude, a request for waterproof cloth, and news of relatives.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000679

NRA-L-000679 image 1 showing an address to Tours with a wax-seal remnant. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000679 image 2 showing a French personal letter across several folded sides, text side 1. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000679 image 3 showing a French personal letter across several folded sides, text side 2. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2.

NRA-L-000679 image 4 showing a French personal letter across several folded sides, text side 3. — **Image 4**Letter text - Page 3.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000679
Date: 1818-12-10
Original date: [Vans?] ce 10 Xbre 1818
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Recipient: Madame [Papion?]
Places: Tours, Indre-et-Loire
Extent: 4 documentary sides: Letter page 1; Letter page 2; Letter page 3; Address side; 4 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000679.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Letter page 1

Original transcript

[Vans?] ce 10 Xbre 1818.

tu es bien aimable, ma chere cousine de m'avoir
donné de tes nouvelles tu Sais qu'elles me font
toujours grand plaisir, moins que ta présence
cependant, car je t'assure j'ai été fort aise de
vous voir ici, tous il y avoit bien longtems
que tu n'étois venue voir notre hermitage
et j'espere bien que ce ne Sera pas la derniere
fois.

je Suis encore ici, mais pas pour longtems
nous allons enfin retourner à la ville, je quitte
toujours cet endroit ci avec regret j'ai tant à
[me retourner?], et tout m'y est Si commode pour
mes enfans. mais enfin, ma tante est bien Seule
et ce Sera pour moi une Satisfaction de la
dédomager autant qu'il me Sera possible de
Son isolement. et de lui tenir lieu de tout
ce qui lui manque.

Notes

Editorial notes:
Xbre is a historical abbreviation for December; the place named in the dateline is uncertain.
The writer contrasts the pleasure of receiving news with the greater pleasure of the cousin's presence.
The phrase following 'j'ai tant à' is difficult to read and its meaning remains uncertain.

Letter page 1

English translation

[Vans?], 10 December 1818.

You are very kind, my dear cousin, to have sent me news of yourself. You know it always gives me great pleasure, though less than your presence; for I assure you I was very glad to see you all here. It had been a very long time since you had come to visit our hermitage, and I very much hope it will not be the last time.

I am still here, but not for long. We are finally going back to town. I always leave this place with regret; I have so much [the following expression is uncertain], and everything here is so convenient for my children. But my aunt is very much alone, and it will be a pleasure for me to make up for her isolation as far as I can and to supply all that she lacks.

Notes

Editorial notes:
Xbre is a historical abbreviation for December; the place named in the dateline is uncertain.
The writer contrasts the pleasure of receiving news with the greater pleasure of the cousin's presence.
The phrase following 'j'ai tant à' is difficult to read and its meaning remains uncertain.

Letter page 2

Original transcript

nous étions réunis à la roche aujourdhui et
j'ai fait auprès de Mr de [Merville?] ta commission
et te prie de lui faire l'emplette de toile
imperméable, de quoi lui faire un grand
collet et un tablier de cheval, il a cinq
pied cinq pouces. aussi [statue?] là dessus dans
la demande que tu feras de ces deux objets.
Mme de [Margot?] n'est point encore accouchée,
car elle a écrit à Mme de [Savouniers?] qui
m'a montré la lettre. elle avoit l'air de se
bien porter je ne sais si sa fille s'est décidée à
marcher. il ne faut pas grand chose à Edmond
pour qu'il prenne son parti à cet égard là si
toutefois des doutes qui le tourmentent dans
ce moment ci ne l'en empêchent pas.

adieu ma chere cousine, je vas te quitter pour
écrire à ma tante [envoyant?] demain à la
ville aussi je finis tout Simplement en

Notes

Editorial notes:
The word 'doutes' refers to the doubts troubling Edmond.
Several names are uncertain; 'marcher' may be used figuratively, but its precise meaning here is unclear.
The wording after 'aussi' and the closing reference to the aunt and a journey or dispatch to town remain uncertain.
The final 'en' continues directly to 't'embrassant' on P004; P004 is a continuation, not a separate letter.

Letter page 2

English translation

We were gathered at [La Roche?] today, and I carried out your errand with Mr de [Merville?]. I ask you to buy him waterproof cloth, enough to make a large collar and a horse apron; he is five feet five inches [the reference of this measurement is not certain]. [Please settle?] that in the request you make for these two items. Madame de [Margot?] has not yet given birth, for she wrote to Madame de [Savouniers?], who showed me the letter. She seemed to be in good health. I do not know whether her daughter has decided to take that step [literally, 'to walk']. It would not take much for Edmond to make up his mind about it, provided the doubts troubling him at present do not prevent him.

Goodbye, my dear cousin. I shall leave you now to write to my aunt; [the clause concerning something being sent to town tomorrow is unclear]. So I shall simply end by

Notes

Editorial notes:
The word 'doutes' refers to the doubts troubling Edmond.
Several names are uncertain; 'marcher' may be used figuratively, but its precise meaning here is unclear.
The wording after 'aussi' and the closing reference to the aunt and a journey or dispatch to town remain uncertain.
The final 'en' continues directly to 't'embrassant' on P004; P004 is a continuation, not a separate letter.

Address panel

Original transcript

Madame
[Papion?] rue neuve
à Tours
indre et Loire

Notes

Editorial notes:
The second address line appears to give a surname followed by 'rue neuve'; the surname is uncertain.
'Indre et Loire' is written separately below the principal address lines but belongs to the destination. The postal mark, rate and wax-seal remnant are separate physical/postal evidence, not additional letter prose. No secure letter continuation is visible on this side.

Address panel

English translation

Madam
[Papion?], Rue Neuve
at Tours
Indre-et-Loire

Notes

Editorial notes:
The second address line appears to give a surname followed by 'rue neuve'; the surname is uncertain.
'Indre et Loire' is written separately below the principal address lines but belongs to the destination. The postal mark, rate and wax-seal remnant are separate physical/postal evidence, not additional letter prose. No secure letter continuation is visible on this side.

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Domestic life
Textiles

Transcriptions and English translations are provided as working scholarly aids, not as replacements for the images of the original documents. Some readings may remain uncertain, especially where handwriting, spelling, damage, abbreviations, names or places are difficult.

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