54 - LA FAYETTE, Marie Madeleine, Countess of Pioche de la Vergne [Paris, 1634 – ibid., 1693], French writer.

LA FAYETTE, Marie Madeleine, Countess of Pioche de la Vergne [Paris, 1634 – ibid., 1693], French writer. Autograph letter addressed to “Monsieur Ménage at the Cloister of Notre Dame in Paris.” May 11 (undated, circa 1655), 2 pages, in-4°, addressed. The original transcription is attached. She teases her friend, who had sent her two letters. “One is written with such seriousness and formality that it made me hardly recognize Mr. Ménage, but the other brought him back to me as I am accustomed to seeing him—that is, without all the formalities of a proper letter, and as the best of my friends; the only thing I dislike about this second letter is that you promised me at the end to write to me carefully, and you crossed out that promise [...] Let us not dwell on the reasons that prevented you from hearing from me, and me from hearing from you; let us ask each other for forgiveness, like the “big beard,” and remain good friends, as before. Mr. de Limoges (François de La Fayette, Bishop of Limoges, her husband’s great-uncle, who died in 1676) is not in this city and was not here when we arrived, so I cannot tell you how pleased he will be with me; I will let you know through the regular messenger...”