MONCEY (Bon-Adrien Jeannot de) - Lot 165

MONCEY (Bon-Adrien Jeannot de) Born in Moncey [Doubs]. 1754-1842. General during the Revolution. Marshal of the Empire. Duke of Conegliano. L.A.S. "Moncey" to "Mon cher conservateur". Mâcon, 16 germinal an 13 [6 avril 1805]. 4 pp. small in-4. Moncey, after giving some news of his trip, explains at length to his correspondent the work and modifications envisaged in his various residences, and gives numerous recommendations.Thus, he says, ...I am only waiting for a word - the keys are handed over - to give some preliminary indications, and to get the work underway, for on my return from the trip I must be able to live in this house; in case circumstances allow me the moment of a rest, it is there that my heart will find it pleasant. This house will be absolutely mine; I want to have complete control over it, and I want Moncey's house to be completely independent of it. This is my home, and my wife will have hers too. It is not my intention that she should not be able to enjoy all that may be pleasant for her thereafter, on the contrary, but I want to take absolute control of it, and live there as I please... In addition, he wishes an inventory ...in all parts of the château, farm, stables et cetera, that he [Mr Ganne] take with him someone strong enough to recognize the means to be taken on the spot to prevent the falling down of the part of the building that is collapsing, and to make it habitable, (...). Let this same person see at the same time and give a note with approximate dimensions of the furniture needed at least provisionally in the living room, dining room, my apartment six to seven master bedrooms and as many for people either mine or other. That a small estimate of the whole be made approximately for my own information, and that all this be sent to me in Lyon without delay... He needs a great deal of information and ...wants it all the more promptly, since once I'm over the Alps I don't really know how much time I'll have to myself; that's when my great obligations of major circumstances and of every minute will begin again, as well as those of my correspondence from Paris and the army throughout the Empire, (...).) Once I know what I have to do, I think I'll ask my elder brother to go to the site (tell me your opinion) and get the work underway with the help of good master builders, and on the basis of the instructions you'll give them for the choice of these builders, who themselves, taking the necessary helpers, will hasten what needs to be done and take care of it. These workmen - masons, carpenters and roofers - would be the ones I would use to maintain the houses I have, and those I would then use to clean up the Moncey house and make it decent... There follows a long enumeration of all the alterations to be made and ...In the shed building you find more lumber than you need for the whole, and just about all the stone you need too. This is what Mr. Le Prieur should have done before the nonsense in the other house, since he didn't put a farmer there, and couldn't see any urgency. He didn't uphold his reputation as a skilful man any more than he responded to the friendly reminder I gave him, treating me like their flock of yesteryear; I forgive him, but to contain oneself in the presence of all the disorder I've just seen, both in the exterior of the house and in the ruin of the heritages; one must know how to control oneself. The unfortunate man knew how to take care of himself, but at least he had to look after the interests that were so abundantly entrusted to him...