Julie de LESPINASSE (1732–1776), woman of letters. L.A., Mon - Lot 53

Julie de LESPINASSE (1732–1776), woman of letters. L.A., Monday, January 17 [1763, to Turgot]; 4 pages, in-quarto. A long and interesting political and literary letter. Tired of waiting for Toulouse’s appointment so she could be the first to write to him with the news, she decides not to delay any longer the pleasure of a conversation with him. She is eager to see him again: “I am very sorry to hear what you tell me about your return; you spoke to me of it in such an uncertain manner—perhaps you now know where you stand”… The Abbé de Cucé is going to write to Turgot: “No doubt he will tell you that the public has given him Condom and that, indeed, the general opinion is that he will still get it—yet this will not be the case, which, in truth, annoys me more than it does him,” who is delighted not to be condemned to this exile 170 leagues from Paris: “Condom is a real backwater.” The Abbé de Cucé should, however, be assigned shortly, and if the Bishop of Orléans had not been ill, the appointment would have taken effect last night… “I imagine you would have been quite pleased to meet Mr. Hume; well then, sir, come quickly, for Madame de Boufflers is expecting him this week and plans to persuade him to return to London with her […] She’s going to spend two months in England, and there are at least as many people there who think of nothing but that; she sees, she understands, she loves all the Englishmen who are here. […] It is said that the final peace treaty between France and England will not be concluded as quickly as was believed, for three reasons: 1) because the English oppose our sending a large number of troops to the colonies […] 2° because there are difficulties regarding the evacuation of Wezel, which is currently blockaded by the troops of the King of Prussia and which we had promised to hand over to the Austrians; 3° because France and England have jointly resolved to bring the war in Germany to an end and to work toward this very earnestly so that the final treaty leaves no threat of war in Europe.” The Austrians concluded an armistice with the King of Prussia [Frederick II], who, during his trip to Gotha, was welcomed by the people as a god, even though he arrived with almost no escort and no luggage. He insisted on sleeping in his small camp bed: “He told the Princess of Gotha that he was a poor, oppressed man who had come to ask her for some help in the form of recruits,” and appeared cheerful and in good health, though aged… She announces the publication of a journal titled *La Renommée littéraire* by a certain Lebrun, in which “Voltaire, M. de Chabanon, and others are severely criticized—not to mention Fréron; it is said to be very spiteful but of little value.” She transcribes some verses she had recently heard and particularly enjoyed, and continues her sharp commentary by taking aim at Collé’s new play: “There is a new play at the Comédie Française today, […] the subject is taken from the *Illustres Françoises*—it is *Desronais et Dupuis*. I doubt that your literary knowledge extends that far, it is a bad novel of execrable taste and style, but it at least has the merit of possessing warmth and passion, whereas those with which we have long been bombarded are scarcely better written and are as cold as ice”… She concludes by emphasizing how much she enjoys corresponding with him, even in writing, and sends him regards from Mr. d’Alembert, whom she will see this evening... Certificate of cultural heritage attached.