DELESSERT (Benjamin, Baron). - Lot 93

DELESSERT (Benjamin, Baron). Born in Lyon, 1773—died in 1847. Naturalist, industrialist, financier, and philanthropist. Baron of the Empire. He contributed to the growth of the sugar industry by developing a method for extracting sugar from beets, and in 1818 founded the Caisses d’épargne in France. Autograph letter, addressed to Mrs. Lawlen, in English. [No place, no date] [January 1]. 1 page, in-8. Address on the envelope. Trace of a red wax seal. A short courtesy letter in which Delessert extends his regards to his correspondent and addresses a matter concerning correspondence: he states that he promised Wilkins he would not part with his original letters, while expressing his willingness to send copies if she so desires. A simple document, yet one that sheds light on epistolary exchanges and the practices surrounding the circulation of manuscripts and copies in the cultured and international circles of the early 19th century.