Lot n° 342
Estimation :
100 - 200
EUR
Register for the sale on drouot.com
Leave absentee bid
Your amount
EUR
Bid by phone
Bid by phone
Your amount
EUR
ANCIEN RÉGIME - CONSTANTINOPLE. Unsigned autograph letter. C - Lot 342
ANCIEN RÉGIME - CONSTANTINOPLE. Unsigned autograph letter. Constantinople, January 20, 1747. 7 pp. in-4.
A very amusing and curious letter. The writer, who did not sign the letter, relates a number of sulphurous, saucy or amusing anecdotes to entertain his correspondent. In particular, he recounts a delightful anecdote concerning M. de Campistron, secretary to the Duc de Vendôme, who had recently acquired a marquisate in Italy "je ne sçay comment. The title was the Marquisate of Patropo. He liked to be decorated with it on the superscription of the letters written to him; one day when he was absent, and M. De Vendôme had to write to him, Magnany, his other secretary [...] said M. de Vendôme: we'll fall out with Capistron if we don't put Marquis on the letter; give, said M. de Vendôme; I'll put the address myself; he took up his pen, and wrote in his white hand "a M. Capistron pas-trop marquis". This remark drew so many jokes from Capsitron that he left the Duc de Vendôme's service for a time. [Victor Hugo would have loved to read this anecdote: he who so despised the work and the man who was the playwright and academician Jean Galbert de Campistron, (1656-1723). Hugo felt that Campistron plagiarized Racine. On the dead Racine, Campistron pullulates"].
The author also recounts stories about the Comte de Bonneval, the Comte de Tessa, the Chevalier de Simiane (drunk, spurned by a lady), the Pope and Cardinal Aquaviva, as well as an anecdote about Clément XI (scatophilic anecdotes), and so on. He then moves on to more serious subjects, including the affairs of Constantinople, the Persian King Thamas Kouli Kan and more.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue