Manon Phlipon, Madame ROLAND (1754-1793) the muse of the Gir - Lot 260

Manon Phlipon, Madame ROLAND (1754-1793) the muse of the Girondins, she was guillotined. L.A., Amiens January 14, 1783, to her husband Roland de la Platière; 4pages in-8. Beautiful, intimate letter to her husband, while she is going through withdrawal. The weather is dreadful... "I am overflowing with milk which I don't know what to do with, but except for the painful sensitivity it causes in the udders, I find myself quite well". She then evokes their daughter [Eudora, aged fifteen months]: "The little one is gay to please; she spent her whole night peacefully: her ordinary call made me flinch, but after stretching out her little arms towards me, she let herself be distracted by her maid who made her eat and drink, and the rest of the day passed as usual". She had a visit from the doctor, who claimed that her troubles "come from the stomach, whose indisposition can cause dizziness. [...] Soon it will be necessary to know how people are to judge whether they have common sense. This doctrine seems pleasant; although deep down I believe it to be very well-founded, I would be tempted to fool her: it lends itself admirably to palinody". She gives and asks for news of each other, and expresses her love in Italian "giammai non potro dirti quanto t'amo et sogno a te". She takes up her pen again on Wednesday: her digestive problems worsen: "it's eleven o'clock, my head is tired, I'm still in bed, with my breasts like two stones and only moving my arms with a little pain. I'm waiting for M. d'Hervilly to find out if there's any other way to get the milk out quickly. The little one turns around my bed, pulls back the covers, calls for Mommy, and is only happy when she's within range of a kiss, and then she turns gay. But we have to start all over again ten minutes later, and that's been her train for eight hours, eating without asking to nurse"...