NRA-L-000008 / 1806
Administrative notice from Coutain to Madame Hüe de Grandrüe, 1806-08-13
Private-collection record for an administrative notice dated 1806-08-13 from Coutain to Madame Hüe de Grandrüe. Related places: Lisieux, Calvados, France; Caen, Calvados, France. Source language: French.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000008
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address Panel
Original transcript
A Madame
Madame Hüe de Grandrüe rue de
la fermeté N°. 85.
a Caën
Dept. du Calvados
Address Panel
English translation
To Madame
Madame Hüe de Grandrüe, rue de
la fermeté No. 85.
in Caen
Dept. of Calvados
Notes
Address selection: At the editor's instruction, the address panel contains only: "A Madame / Madame Hüe de Grandrüe rue de / la fermeté N°. 85. / a Caën / Dept. du Calvados". Exterior marks: The source review records the pencilled archival mark [26 r 10] and the postal stamp LISIEUX. These marks are not included in the address transcription at the editor's instruction.
Letter Text - Page 1
Original transcript
Lisieux le 13. aout 1806.
Madame
J'aurois repondu plutot aux lettres que vous m'avez fait l'honneur
de m'ecrire si je n'en avois été empéché par un evenement cruel
qui m'est arrivé et a la suite duquel j'ai essuyé une maladie qui
m'a retenu au lit pendant plusieurs jours, j'ai eu le malheur de
perdre un de mes enfants auquel j'etois fort attaché, il est mort
de la maladie au ventre après avoir eprouvé des convulsions
terribles, cet evenement m'a beaucoup affecté et alteré singulierement
ma santé, je comptois bien avoir l'avantage de vous ecrire il y a
plusieurs jours, mais j'attendois pour le faire que le Receveur de
l'Enreg.t eut mis son avis sur les pieces des heritiers Couture qui lui
etoient envoyées depuis long temps par Mr. le Tourneur son
Directeur, malgré les instances que j'ai faites et fait faire je
n'ai pu parvenir a lui faire donner son avis que hier, il me
l'a fait voir et il est a l'avantage des heritiers Couture, il l'a
joint aux pieces dont il a fait un paquet a l'adresse de Mr.
le Tourneur il m'a remis ce paquet que j'ai fait mettre ce
jour d'hui a la poste, il parviendra demain a Mr. le Tourneur
vous pouvez donc, Madame, voir Mr. le Tourneur au recu
Letter Text - Page 1
English translation
Lisieux, 13 August 1806.
Madame,
I would have replied sooner to the letters you did me the honor of writing to me, had I not been prevented by a cruel event that befell me, following which I suffered an illness that kept me in bed for several days. I had the misfortune of losing one of my children to whom I was deeply attached; he died of a stomach illness after experiencing terrible convulsions. This event has greatly affected me and singularly altered my health. I fully intended to have the advantage of writing to you several days ago, but I was waiting to do so until the Receiver of Registration (Receveur de l'Enregistrement) had appended his opinion to the documents of the Couture heirs, which had been sent to him a long time ago by Mr. le Tourneur, his Director. Despite the entreaties I made and had made, I was unable to get him to give his opinion until yesterday. He showed it to me, and it is to the advantage of the Couture heirs. He attached it to the documents, which he made into a parcel addressed to Mr. le Tourneur. He handed this parcel to me, which I had put in the post today; it will reach Mr. le Tourneur tomorrow. You may therefore, Madame, see Mr. le Tourneur upon receipt
Notes
Terms: Receveur de l'Enregistrement is translated as Receiver of Registration, and Conseil de Préfecture as Prefecture Council. Maladie au ventre is translated literally as stomach illness because it is a broad historical medical description.
Letter Text - Page 2
Original transcript
de la presente et l'engager de renvoyer de suite au Conseil
de Prefecture toutes les pieces, il est très probable que d'après
l'avis du Receveur de l'Enreg.t on obtiendra une prompte decision
en faveur des heritiers Couture, Je vous supplie, Madame, de
continuer vos soins pour amener la fin de cette maudite -
affaire,
J'ai recu la lettre de Mad.e De Cabre votre amie que vous avez
eu la complaisance de me faire passer, je lui ai ecrit pour
l'assurer que je me chargerai avec plaisir de son affaire, elle
m'a fait l'honneur de me repondre qu'elle me feroit passer
[ses] papiers incessamment, il suffit que cette Dame soit de
votre connoissance et que vous vous y interessiez, pour que
je mette le plus grand soin et le plus grand zele a suivre
son affaire,
M.r Defroudeville ne m'a point encore repondu relativement
a l'affaire de Mad.e des Pommarez, je vais lui en ecrire
de nouveau -
Recevez les nouvelles assurances du devouement le
plus respectueux avec lequel j'ai l'honneur d'etre
Madame Votre très humble et
obeissant serviteur
Coutain
Letter Text - Page 2
English translation
of this letter and urge him to immediately forward all the documents to the Prefecture Council (Conseil de Préfecture). It is highly probable that, based on the opinion of the Receiver of Registration, a prompt decision will be obtained in favor of the Couture heirs. I beg you, Madame, to continue your efforts to bring an end to this cursed affair.
I received the letter from Mme De Cabre, your friend, which you had the kindness to pass on to me. I wrote to her to assure her that I will gladly take charge of her affair. She did me the honor of replying that she would send me [her] papers shortly. It is enough that this Lady is an acquaintance of yours and that you take an interest in her, for me to apply the greatest care and the greatest zeal in following her affair.
Mr. Defroudeville has not yet replied to me regarding the affair of Mme des Pommarez; I am going to write to him again.
Please accept the renewed assurances of the most respectful devotion with which I have the honor to be,
Madame, your very humble and obedient servant,
Coutain
Notes
Uncertain reading: The italicized bracketed word [ses] marks a heavily inked or overwritten reading that is strongly supported by context. Orthography: The French transcription preserves the writer's historical spelling and omitted accents, including aout, repondu, avois, evenement, etois, recu, ecrit, connoissance, and zele.
Discovery Terms
- Historical correspondence
- Private collection
- Administrative notice
- French language