FR EN
a handwritten letter written in black ink on a piece of paper
Ader

536 - Joseph-Jérôme, Count SIMÉON (1749–1842), lawyer and minister…
See original version (French)

Estimate €250 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Joseph-Jérôme, Count SIMÉON (1749–1842), lawyer and minister. Letter from the author, 18 May [1811], to his son; 1 page, quarto. An interesting letter concerning the affair of Chateaubriand’s speech to the Académie française. Then serving as Minister of State to King Jérôme of Westphalia, he provides some news: the king is leaving for Paris and is taking the queen to the Ems spa; he has purchased ‘Mr de Bülow’s tableware, presumably to give it to someone’. Siméon offers advice on the upbringing of his grandson, who lacks focus: one must insist “that he applies himself, and that within a set time he learns something by heart; he will thereby develop his memory”. He wrote to Granet “asking him to send Mr de Schomberg a selection of colours for the banners”… He then turns to the Chateaubriand affair: “Do you know the story of Mr de Chateaubriand, who was appointed to the Institute to replace Chénier? It is his custom to have the new member’s speech examined before the public session. Mr de Chateaubriand’s speech contained a sentence that led to the postponement of his induction, the date of which had already been set. It is even said that he was ordered to go on a journey. Here is that sentence: ‘No one wished to praise Milton, the great English poet, because he was a regicide. What could I say about Chénier? It would be hard to show less restraint or to defy a section of his new colleagues more boldly’…
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Letters and Autograph Manuscripts – Part II
Auction location
Auction time 10/14/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like