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 12 Mar. 1790To previous “journal” entry 14 Apr. 1790To next “journal” entry 18 Apr. 1790
Samedi 17 [April 1790]—
j’ai été hier Chez Mde Du blanc avec La Pte et ses trois amies il signor N. y etoit comme a L’ordinaire, Mais de plus qu’a L’ordinaire il a dancé, C’etoit avec
Lançon j’etois vis a vis Mais je faisois L’homme ainsi je pouvois Le regarder, tu n’as jamais
rien Vu de si ridicule il s’etoit d’abord essayé par un petit prelude d’entrechats
et de battements. tu Connois sa tournure, elle est encore plus gauche Lors qu’il dance
ensuite il a toujours La jambe pliée de Maniere que son talon [. . .] est sur La même Ligne que son jarret. pour t’en donner une idée sans aucune exageration je vais te Le dessiner
enfin C’etoit si ridicule que je n’ai pas pu Le regarder une 2e fois peur d’eclater je Crois que Lancon a des pretentions sur Lui Car elle s’est etablie son Champion et elle pretend qu’il
n’est pas Mal du tout, C’est une plaisanterie Mais au fait, je Crois que il Lui a fait quelques
Compliments à sa Manière sur sa taille et que par reconnoissance elle le Defend il a un grand amour pour Les
habits Long hier il en avoit un tout neuf gris descendant jusquau grandes jambes, un gilet noir faisant La veste (et tu sais
que tout Le Monde Les porte très Courts, Mais il n’est pas fait pour agir Comme Le
Commun) et par dessus tout Cela des Culottes de peau jaunes du reste parfaitement
frisé et poudré, Mais sans epée et par Consequent sans son gros Nœud qui Lui alloit si bien. tu voudras bien faire
attention que pendant tout Le tems qu’il dancoit il avoit toujours La jambe en L’air
ainsi que je te L’ai Mis Car il ne faisoit que des battements ou autres pas brillants==
editors’ translation
Saturday 17 [April 1790]—
Yesterday I went to Mde Dublanc’s with the Little One and her three friends. Signor N. was there, as usual, but more than usual, he danced. He danced with Lançon. I was across from him, and since I was dancing in the man’s place, I could look at him. You have never seen anything so ridiculous. First he tried a little prelude of entrechats and battements. You know how he looks. He is even clumsier when he dances. And then he always has one leg bent so that his heel is at the same level as the back of his knee. I will draw him for you so as to give you an idea without any exaggeration. To sum it up, it was so ridiculous that I could not look at him a second time for fear of bursting out laughing. I believe that Lançon has some claims on him, because she has set herself up as his champion and claims that he is not bad at all. It is a joke but, as a matter of fact, I think he complimented her, in his own way, about her waistline, and out of gratitude she defends him. He has a great love of long clothes. Yesterday he wore a brand new grey suit that came all the way down his long legs, a black waistcoat like a jacket (and you know that everyone wears them very short, but he is not one to act like a commoner). To top it all, he wore yellow leather pants. For the rest, he was perfectly coiffed and powdered, but without a sword, and consequently, without the big tassel that fits him so well. Mind you, throughout the time that he danced, he always kept his leg in the air, just as I drew, because he did only battements or other less brilliant steps==
To next “journal” entry 18 Apr. 1790