HAUTES-PYRÉNÉES. Letter from a Student to his mother, Mrs. D - Lot 405

HAUTES-PYRÉNÉES. Letter from a Student to his mother, Mrs. DARRICAU (née LAMOTTE), in MAUBOURGUET (65), written from SAINT-PÉ (Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre) on July 28, 1814 – 2½ pages, in-8°: “My Dear Mother. It was with the greatest pleasure that I received your letter via the last market in TARBES. I received the pants and the vest at the same time as your letter; the vest is a little too tight and a little too short, but I’ll wear it as is, and I thank you for it, knowing full well what sacrifices you must make to support a family as large as ours. I didn’t receive the hat until last Sunday, and it fits me well. A few days ago, I saw Monsieur de NAYS pass by here with his daughter. I ran up to his carriage and embraced him; he asked me, just for fun, if I wanted to go to Pau; finally, after a few moments of conversation, he took his leave, telling me to always turn to him whenever I needed anything, and that he would provide it for me if it were within his power. In Saint-Pérat, we had the honor of seeing His Royal Highness, the Duke of Angoulême, pass by beneath our windows; but since we had not been notified, the town paid him no tribute—the bells were not rung, and the municipal authorities did not come to greet him. The Prefect himself had gone to wait for him on the other side, so that, despite being a prince, he had no escort other than a general and a few gendarmes, who had been sent here in case he passed through. I hope that Mr. Estarac will finally receive the pension of one hundred pistoles that he so richly deserves; for a general—one of his former students—passed through here the day before yesterday and promised to do everything in his power to assist him with Mr. de Fontanes, the Minister of the Interior, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, saying that it was unworthy that a man so learned and so estimable should not be rewarded for his long years of work. Speaking of Mr. Estarac, he asked me to ask you whether you would prefer a male dog or a female dog. I would not have hesitated to ask for the female dog, but the male dog is smaller and whiter. Please send me several books that Mr. Estirac told me to ask you for, and here is the list: Tables of logarithms, sines, and tangents, in stereotype-printed booklets…are available in TOULOUSE or BORDEAUX. La Fontaine’s Fables—are available everywhere in Tarbes. Horace’s Poems—the latter is available here. There are two copies; please send me the better one. Virgil… is also available here. The Complete Works of Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, or at least all his lyric poems; we only have a selection here, whereas Mr. Estirac is asking for the entire collection. Farewell, my dear Mother; I send you my warmest regards, as well as to the rest of the family. H. DARRICAU—P.S. The tables of logarithms, sines, etc., are not as urgent as the other books. Madame MICOLAU told me she was going to send MARIE-JEANE because of a discussion she had with Mr. Nicolau; I’m sorry to hear that, for she was, after all, a good girl. Mr. Estirac sends his regards; he’s been urging me to start on algebra for several days now.”

Estimate:£83.7

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