TALLEYRAND Charles-Maurice de (1754-1838) Minute of a letter to General Berthier, with autograph correction and ammendment in margin. Paris, 12 Brumaire year 12 [1803].

Lot 11

Sold

1 pp. ½ in-4 Talleyrand’s objections to the permission granted to Mr Crawford, husband of the Duchess of Newcastle, to return to England. The minister first points out that the official never asked him for such a request, and continues in a cynical tone: (...) Now, I must point out to you that it is undoubtedly to another person of the same name [in Talleyrand’s hand: to whom perhaps] the First Consul wished to grant this favour (...). As this was probably a namesake, a prisoner of war in Valenciennes, Talleyrand added in his own hand that, in his capacity as minister, this person was eligible for exchange for a ship’s captain (...).

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