NRA-L-000787 / 1839
Letter to Jn Mᵉ Frachon, 1839-03-26
A letter from Voiron concerning accounts, family arrangements and a proposed marriage.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000787
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address panel — Image 1
Original transcript
A Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
a Annonay
Address panel — Image 1
English translation
To Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
in Annonay
Letter text — Image 2
Original transcript
Voiron le 26 Mars 1839
Mon bon frère
Ta dernière m'annonce un envoi de chocolat
qui est attendu avec impatience, Les communications entre
anne & voiron directement Sont si Difficiles aujourd'hui
que je te prie d'adresser a Mr [Mounin ?] a lyon tout ceque
tu auras a m'adresser en provision de ménage
J'ai rectifié le Cte d'eugene Canson nous marchons
d'accord. J'avais porté a ton Cte part. ton mt de 71 f 64.
Avez vous Rendu a eugene Son Cte de tutelle, vous
proposés vf de le lui rendre bientot?
Je vai Mon bon ami te faire part secretement
d'une affaire qui te surprendra
Il y a quelques jours que Mde [Coste ?] nous
écrivis pour nous dire qu'on l'avait chargée de nous
demander Laure en mariage. elle nous fit connaitre
le sujet que toute la famille de ma femme connait, dont
le pere était tres lié avec Montgolfier que Jenny n'avait
pas vu depuis son enfance. elle nous engagea beaucoup
a ne pas refuser ce parti. ne voulant pas agir sans avoir
l'avis de mes beauxfreres, j'écrivis à Dugas & à Montgolfier
tous les deux me répondirent les choses les plus avantageuses
sur ce mr qui vit a la campagne a 10 minutes de vienne
qui a sa mere âgée de 70 à 75 ans qui jouit de [10 ou 12 ?] m f de rente.
Letter text — Image 2
English translation
Voiron, 26 March 1839
My good brother,
Your last letter announces a shipment of chocolate to me, which is impatiently awaited. Direct communication between Annonay and Voiron is so disrupted these days that I beg you to address to Mr [Mounin?] in Lyon whatever household provisions you may have to send me.
I corrected the account of Eugène Canson; we are proceeding in agreement. I had charged to your personal account your sum of 71 fr. 64 c.
Have you rendered Eugène his guardianship account; do you propose to render it to him soon?
I am going, my good friend, to share secretly with you a matter that will surprise you.
A few days ago Madame [Coste?] wrote to us to say that she had been commissioned to ask us for Laure's hand in marriage. She introduced the party to us, whom my wife's entire family knows, whose father was very close to Montgolfier, and whom Jenny had not seen since her childhood. She urged us strongly not to refuse this match. Not wishing to act without having the opinion of my brothers-in-law, I wrote to Dugas and to Montgolfier; both replied with the most favorable things about this gentleman, who lives in the country 10 minutes from Vienne, and has his mother, aged 70 to 75, who enjoys an annuity of [10,000 or 12,000?] francs
Letter text — Image 3
Original transcript
^ on ne lui en donnerait que 30 a 32
Ce Monsieur a 35 a 36 ans, [^] il a personnellement
un revenu de 15000 f. qui proviennent d'un domaine
de 300 seterees ou seyterees [mots illisibles] Raporte 7 a 8; [addition : estimé 200 m f] d. de ses
capitaux & de son droit de proprieté dans deux mines de
charbon qu'une compagnie exploite & qui lui raporte
10 mille f par an sans aucune dépense ni embarras.
Il a aussi des actions s/ le Canal. c'est surtout sur
la bonté de son caractere qu'on nous a conseillé
cette alliance. apres ces Renseignemens nous
écrivimes a Mde [Coste ?] que nous verrions avec
plaisir ce mariage, mais qu'avant d'en parler a
Laure il conviendrait qu'elle put voir le Monsieur
sans s'en douter pour lui éviter les ennuys d'une
présentation. elle nous écrivit qu'il nous fallait
pour cela aller a Lyon apres Pâques & que
l'entrevue aurait lieu chez une de nos parentes
sans que le Mr & la demoiselle en fut instruits
tout allait bien jusque là, mais Mr le prétendant
est allé prendre a grenoble un abbé qui prêche
le Carême a la Cathédrale & qui est son parent & Jeudi
ils sont venus avec le Curé de Voiron nous
demander a diner
apres diner nous avons eu un entretien
avec l'abbé duquel il est resulté que je prendrais l'avis de ma
Letter text — Image 3
English translation
^ one would give him only 30 to 32
This gentleman is 35 to 36 years old; [^] he personally has an income of 15,000 fr., which comes from an estate of 300 séterées or seytérées [words illegible] brings in 7 to 8 [interlinear addition: valued at 200,000 francs]; from his capital assets and from his ownership rights in two coal mines that a company exploits and which bring him 10,000 fr. a year without any expense or trouble. He also has shares in the canal. It is especially regarding the goodness of his character that this match was proposed to us. After this information, we wrote to Madame [Coste?] that we would look favorably upon this marriage, but that before speaking of it to Laure, it would be proper that she be able to see the gentleman without suspecting it, to spare her the awkwardness of a formal introduction. She wrote back that for this we would need to go to Lyon after Easter, and that the meeting would take place at the home of one of our relatives without either the gentleman or the young lady being made aware of it. Everything was going well up to that point, but the suitor went to Grenoble to fetch an abbé who is preaching Lent at the Cathedral and is his relative, and on Thursday they came with the parish priest of Voiron to invite themselves to dine with us. After dinner we had a conversation with the abbé, from which it resulted that I would seek the opinion of my
Letter text — Image 4
Original transcript
fille a laquelle je donnerais quelques jours de
reflexions & que je lui ferais part de sa décision que
je ne voulais pas du tout l'influencer malgré que tout dans
cette affaire me fit desirer de la voir conclue
Avant hier soir Laure se décida. hier je
fus a grenoble le faire connaitre a l'abbé qui s'est
occupé de cette affaire; ce que je m'empresse de te
faire connaitre. & que je te prie de garder encore
secrète entre ta femme & toi, le cousin Thomas & Charles
jusqu'a ceque je t'aprenne que Laure a été
demandée officiellement & que cela [sera ?] affaire arrêtée
cequi ira bien a une dizaine de jours peut-etre. tu
sentiras que tant qu'il n'y a rien de plus d'arreté
que les pourparlers n'ont eu lieu que par des tiers
il faut se garder d'ebruiter la chose ainsi n'en
parles pas je t'en conjure. Je te dirai cependant que
Mr l'abbé m'a dit que Mr Maniquet (le prétendant)
avait été enchanté de Laure & de notre maniere
d'être & d'agir
adieu Mon cher ami, je suis bien tracassé
bien ennuyé; dans cette circonstance, je désire dans l'interêt
de ma fille que ce Mariage se fasse parceque toute
la famille de ma femme le conseille mais je m'éloigne
de ma fille qui est si prévenante pour nous, si
gaie enfin elle nous fera un grand vide
adieu embrasse anna & Silence
[monogramme]
Letter text — Image 4
English translation
daughter, to whom I would give a few days for reflection, and that I would communicate her decision to him, as I did not wish to influence her at all, even though everything in this matter made me desire to see it concluded.
The night before last, Laure made up her mind. Yesterday I went to Grenoble to make it known to the abbé who handled this affair; which I hasten to make known to you, and which I beg you to still keep secret between your wife and you, Cousin Thomas, and Charles, until I let you know that Laure has been formally proposed to and that it [will be?] a settled matter, which will likely take about ten days or so. You will understand that as long as nothing further is settled and talks have only occurred through third parties, one must take care not to spread word of the matter, so do not speak of it, I implore you. I will tell you, however, that the abbé told me that Mr. Maniquet (the suitor) was delighted with Laure and with our way of being and behaving.
Farewell, my dear friend; I am very unsettled, very troubled; in this circumstance, I desire for my daughter's sake that this marriage take place because my wife's whole family advises it, but I will be parted from my daughter, who is so considerate to us, so cheerful; in short, she will leave a great void for us.
Farewell; embrace Anna, and keep quiet.
[Monogram]
Discovery Terms
- Frachon Family Correspondence