Marie Jacinthe de Botidoux to Martha Jefferson Randolph
editorial note
The text that follows is part of what Botidoux referred to as one of her “journal” letters. The Editors have broken this manuscript, which spans nearly three months, into sections dated as Botidoux dated them, and grouped each transcription together with its translation. Unless otherwise noted, Botidoux’s original punctuation and spelling have been retained. Links to navigate from one dated section to another appear below.
To “journal” beginning 4 Feb. 1790To previous “journal” entry 15 Feb. 1790
1 Mars [1790]—
nous avons eu deux thès Chez Mde De vergennes, je n’ai pu dancer a Cause de Mon vesicatoire qui m’oblige de porter un Mantelet j’ai fait La Conversation tout Le tems avec un aristocrate qui a Mis tout son esprit a vouloir Me persuader que Mr De La fayette avoit Le Caractere Le plus faux Le plus ambitieux & & qu’il n’etoit pas Capable de Commander un regiment que un Le general Wasington ne L’avoit employé en amerique que pour y attirer d’autres francois et que Les succés qu’il y avoit eu ne Lui appartenoient pas Mais aux officiers [. . .] que Le general Wasington Lui avoit donnés pour Conseils & & & & Cent milles & voyant que j’etois si fort entêtée dans La bonne opinion de mon Cher ami il a fini par me Laisser=au premier thé Mon Charmant aux yeux bleus et Cheveux noirs1 etoit arrivé des premiers Comme Les appartements de La vtesse sont trop petits pour y dancer nous avons [. . .] Montés chez Le Cte, il a Laissé passer tout Le monde sans leur donner La Main (Ce qui etoit assez Marqué) et il me La donnée quoique je fusse La derniere, j’ai été enchantée de Cette petite preference qui me prouvoit que je ne m’etois pas trompée sur son Compte, Lorsque on a Commencé a dancer il m’est venu prier j’avois deja Refusé Le Vte ne voulant pas absolument dancer avec un mantelet devant des etrangers, je L’ai refusé, il a insisté très fortement, [. . .] si fort qu’a La fin je Lui ai Dit très sechement qu’il perdoit son tems. Cela L’a si fort piqué que de tout Le soir il ne m’a pas rapprochée, il passoit quelque fois devant Moi, je ne faisois pas semblant de Le Voir a La fin, il M’a dit que C’etoit bien Mal de n’avoir pas voulu dancer avec Lui, je Lui ai repondu que j’avois refusé Le Vte auparavant, je ne sais Ci Cela La Consolé mais nous Nous sommes raccomodés et tout va Le Mieux du Monde a present La Ma premiere Lettre je te racconterai une bien Meilleure histoire que tout Cela. je te dirai seulement que sr Catherine a gagné son procés et que Ces dames ne veulent pas Lui payer sa pension Malgré L’arrêt—Lançon ne va plus du tout Chez mde De v. ni n’y retournera jamais parsceque L’affaire est restée La mde De v. n’ayant point retracté ses propos. écris moi donc. j’ai bien des reproche a te faire de ne m’avoir pas encore ecrit Malgré Cela je t’aime a La folie et te regrette à chaque instant du jour—embrasse polly pour moi et dis bien des2
editors’ translation
1 March [1790]—
We have been at Mde de Vergennes’s twice for tea. I could not dance because my vesicant obliges me to wear a short cape. Throughout I had a conversation with an aristocrat who wanted to persuade me (and mustered all his wits to do so) that Mr de Lafayette was the most false, most ambitious, etc., etc., that he is incapable of commanding even a regiment, that General Washington had used him in America only to attract other Frenchmen, that the merit of all his achievements there belonged not to him but to the officers that General Washington had assigned to him as advisors, etc., etc., etc., etc., one hundred thousand etceras. Seeing that I so stubbornly maintained my good opinion of my dear friend, he finally left me=During the first tea my charming beau with blue eyes and black hair was among the first to arrive. Because the apartment of the vicomtesse is too small for dancing, we went up to that of the comte. He admitted everyone without proffering his hand (which was quite noticeable) but he offered it to me, although I was the last. I was delighted with this small preference, which proved that I was not wrong about him. When we started dancing, he came to invite me. I had already refused the vicomte, resolved as I was not to dance in front of strangers while wearing a cape. I declined and he insisted forcefully, so much so that I ended by telling him very curtly that he was wasting his time. This so angered him that he avoided me all evening long. He walked past me a few times and I pretended not to see him. At the end of the evening he told me that I had behaved badly in refusing to dance with him. I answered that before his request I had already turned down the vicomte. I do not know whether this consoled him, but we reconciled and now get on famously. In my next letter I will tell you a far better story than all of that. Here I will only tell you that Sister Catherine won her suit and that these ladies do not want to pay her pension despite the court order. Lançon no longer visits Mde de V’s and will never go there again because the whole affair stands unresolved, Mde de V. not having retracted her words. Please write to me. I must reproach you sternly for not yet having written to me. Nonetheless, I love you madly and miss you every minute of the day. Kiss Polly for me and say many
To “journal” beginning 4 Feb. 1790To previous “journal” entry 15 Feb. 1790