209 - HÉDOUIN (Pierre) (1789–1868). French lawyer, man of letters, and musician, born in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

HÉDOUIN (Pierre) (1789–1868). French lawyer, man of letters, and musician, born in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Autograph letter signed “P. Hédouin” to Mr. Delrincourt, dean of the Paris Faculty of Law. No place, March 24, 1813. 3 pages, in-4 format. Address on the envelope; remnants of a red wax seal; and a gap in the paper where the seal was torn off. AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM HIS YOUTH IN WHICH HÉDOUIN DISCUSSES HIS PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A BACHELOR’S DEGREE. Pierre Hédouin writes to his correspondent to explain the reasons for his failure, which he attributes to profound emotional turmoil, persistent anxiety, and circumstances that prevented him from taking his exams under favorable conditions. He speaks with great sincerity about the troubles that overwhelm him: “ Extreme situations affect me so strongly that whenever I have to speak in public, a terrible anxiety seizes me, my mind goes blank, my heart races, I feel suffocated, and I believe that if this state were to last even a moment longer, I would not be able to endure it. ” He goes on to explain how much these struggles have paralyzed him and how much he hopes for his correspondent’s understanding, hoping to be able to resume his studies and carry out his plans. A TOUCHING AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF THE ANXIETIES AND DIFFICULTIES FACED BY A YOUNG STUDENT IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY. Some old creases, a few stains, and a tear with a missing section of paper where the stamp was, but no major damage to the text.