3686. Thomas Carlyle to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 22, 17–20.
Chelsea,
4 decr, 1855–
Dear Browning,
I have not your address; but Forster engages to send you this Note, along with one of his own; [1] and if I get answer within the next six weeks (which is a wide limit), business will not suffer by the delay, whatever other thing may suffer. You permitted me to send you Queries, should such arise, fit for solution in Paris; and this seems to be of the number. Most small and insignificant-looking: only to be answered if you can manage it without too much trouble. [2]
In the Books about the once famed and now forgotten War of the French, in Bohemia &c in 1740–’43, under Belleisle & Broglio, [3] there occurs mention now and then of an Officer called Marquis du Châtelet; [4] —for example, in the following Books, in reference to a bad adventure of his (bombarded at Dingelfingen [5] in Bavaria, by Daun, [6] not yet famous Daun), of date 17 May 1743:
Histoire de la dernière Guerre de Bohème (à Franckfort, chez Paul Lenclume, 1745, 3 voll. small 12mo,—Brunet says it is by Mauvillon; which I doubt: but it is easily found) vol II, p. 226;—item [7]
Journal Historique ou Fastes du règne de Louis XV (Paris, 1766, 2 voll. 12mo), [8] vol II, p. 402 [this Book dates it wrong, “9th May”,—or indeed does not seem to know the date well]; [9] —item, what is by far the best authority.
Baron d’Espagnac: Vie du Maréchal de Saxe [10] (or some equivalent title, a well-known Book,—of which I possess only the German Translation and therefore can only give you my own German page-cipher) vol I, p. 186,—or Livre 6 (where it will be easy to find) under date 17 May 1743; with a reliable description of the affair.
Now I want very much to know (in a small way), was this the Husband of Voltaire’s Madame? [11] I am nearly sure he was; but want to be perfectly sure. If you have an acquaintance in the least a good reader of History, he will be able to ascertain,—by many methods, open to him, and shut here. I add, by way of further ear-mark, that this Du Châtelet, a General Officer seemingly, marched in Belleisle’s Army (towards Austria, August 1741), and not in Maillebois’s [12] do (which went to Westphalia to smite George II); furthermore that he the said Du Châtt had stood siege with Ségur [13] in Linz (jany 1742), and must have gone idle (in France probably) for a year after that adventure, such being the Capitulation Ségur and he made. These marks will abundantly identify him; and I think he will turn out to be as above said.-- Now that my hand is in, let me add two other Little Queries:
1. In the Fastes just cited (vol II,—or indeed by pages they are all one volume,—Fastes &c p. 395bis) an Official Marquis de Breteuil dies, 1 jany 1743:—How is this gentn related to Madame du Châtelet? [14] She, I remember, was a Breteuil;—niece to this man, or how?–
2. In d’Espagnac just cited (Livre 8, very near the beginning of it, II, 26 of my German), a Marquis du Talleyrand [15] and some others are blown up in the Trenches of Tournay, 8–9 May (night-time) 1745,—just before the Battle of Fontenoy. [16] How related to the Talleyrand of our day;—his Uncle, or how?——[If the French had on their old Bookstalls any Book like our old Collins’s Peerage, to be had for half a sovereign, and out of which you can fish all manner of things in the above kind-- But, alas, they are about sure not to have it!]– [17]
Well, at any rate, this is all, dear Browning; & I will leave it with you,—calculating on forgiveness, if I give you labour in vain[.] [18] I send many kind regards to the Lady and you: it is verily one of my sorrows and lasting regrets that you cannot be near from night to night by me, but live on the other side of seas.-- I got glimpse of yr Men and Women; and will not rest till I have read it: there! That old “corregidor” [19] is a diamond,—unequalled since something else of yours I saw.
Courage ever, and stand to yr arms!–
T. Carlyle
Address: Robert Browning Esq / Paris.
Publication: Carlyle, 30, 131–133.
Manuscript: National Library of Scotland.
Enclosure, in hand of John Forster:
Dictionnaire genealogique par La Chenaye Desbois avec supplement. Paris 1767– 7 vols.
Dict. de la noblesse par Do Paris 1770–86– 15 vol.
Dict universel de la noblesse de France par (Jul[l]ien) de Courcelles[.] Paris 1820–22. Tom I–V
Nobiliaire universel de France faisant suite au Dict. de la noblesse par M. Viton de St. Al[l]ais. Paris 1814–43. 21 vol.
Archives genealogiques et historiques de la noblesse de France ou recueil de preuves memoires et notices genealogiques par M. P.-L. Lainé[.] Paris 1828–43 T. I–VIII.
Noms feodaux ou noms de ceux qui ont tenu fiefs en France depuis le XII siecle jusque vers le milieu du XVIII siecle &.&.&. Paris 1826 T. I & II.
Dict. des ennoblissements &.&.&. Paris 1788– 2 vol.
Hist. gen. et her. des pairs de France par J.B.P. Jullien. Chev. de Courcelles. Paris 1822–33– 12 vol.
Histoire [Généalogique] de la maison du Chatelet branche puinée de la maison de Lorraine. par. D. Calmet. Nancy 1741.
1. See enclosure.
2. Carlyle was at work on The History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great (6 vols., 1858–65).
3. François Marie de Broglie (1671–1745), created 1st duc de Broglie in 1742 for his success at Sahay in the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48), was succeeded as Marshall of France by Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet, duc de Belle-Isle (1684–1761), French general and statesman.
4. Florent Claude, Marquis du Châtelet (1695–1766), a French army officer who rose to the rank of lieutenant-general, is best remembered as the husband of Voltaire’s mistress (see note 11 below). RB gives further details of Châtelet’s career in letter 3719.
5. Now known as Dingolfing, a small town on the Isar river, between Landshut and Landau.
6. Count Leopold Joseph von Daun (1705–66) was an Austrian field marshal who “led the advanced guard … in the victorious Danube campaign of 1743” (EB).
7. Carlyle’s reference to Daun in Histoire de la derniere guerre de boheme (3 vols., Francfort, 1745) is correct. Although there is no author listed on the title page, the catalogue of the British Library gives “E[léazar]. de Mauvillon” as the author. Brunet doubtless refers to Jacques Charles Brunet (1780–1867), compiler of French bibliographical works, including an 1802 supplement to Duclos’s Dictionnaire bibliographique … des livres rares (1790), as well as Manuel du libraire et de l’amateur de livres (1810).
8. Jean Baptiste Michel de Lévy, Journal historique, ou, Fastes du règne de Louis XV, surnommé le Bien aimé (2 vols., 1766).
9. The square brackets are Carlyle’s.
10. Jean Baptiste Joseph Sahuguet D’Amarzit (1713–83), Baron d’Espagnac, Histoire de Maurice, comte de Saxe, duc de Courlande et de Sémigalle (2 vols., 1773).
11. Gabrielle-Émilie (née Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, 1706–49), Marquise du Châtelet, married the aforementioned marquis in 1725. She became intimate with Voltaire in 1733, and the two resided together for many years at the Château de Cirey where she conducted studies in mathematics and physics. Her translation of Newton’s Principia Mathematica appeared posthumously in 1756.
12. Jean Baptiste François Desmarets (1682–1762), Marquis de Maillebois.
13. Henri François (1689–1751), Comte de Ségur, served in Bohemia and Bavaria, defeating the Austrians at Lichtenau in 1745.
14. They were first cousins. François Victor Le Tonnelier de Breteuil (1686–1743) was twice minister of war under Louis XV, the last term being from 1741 until his death. His father, François Le Tonnelier de Breteuil (1638–1705), was the elder brother of Émilie du Châtelet’s father, Louis Nicolas Le Tonnelier de Breteuil (1648–1728).
15. Daniel Marie Anne de Talleyrand-Périgord (1706–45), Marquis de Talleyrand, was the grandfather of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838), “the Talleyrand of our day.”
16. A major French victory over the allies in the War of the Austrian Succession (1700–1748) that took place in and around the village of Fontenoy in present day Belgium on 11 May 1745. The allied forces, consisting of British, Dutch, Hanoverian, and Austrian troops led by the Duke of Cumberland (1721–65), had marched to relieve their fortress at Tournai, but were met by the besieging French under the command of Maurice, Comte de Saxe (1696–1750). The total number of casualties amounted to nearly 15,000.
17. The square brackets are Carlyle’s.
18. Cf. Isaiah 65:23.
19. “Magistrate”; cf. “How It Strikes a Contemporary” (1855), line 90.
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