Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston in Paris offers to assist a young singer Valerie de Rupplin 1846

 

In this short letter to the Marquise de Gabriac Lord Palmerston  offers to assist the young singer Mademoiselle Valerie de Rupplin who is going to London. Both she and the addressee Gabriac were members of the circle of Franz Liszt and Rupplin accompanied Liszt on tours. In London Rupplin later appears in a newspaper announcement as a dinner guest of the Palmerstons.

Both Palmerston and Liszt were known for pursuing young women (Palmerston’s wife knew) and Palmerston’s interest cannot be assumed entirely benign.

Transcription

Addressed to: a Madame La Marquise de Gabriac     Rue de Varennes No. 44

Datelined : Hotel Clarendon [Paris]  27 avril 1846

Smudged Paris postmarks, intact wax seal

[Palmerston dispenses with all but one of the diacritical marks which would be appropriate for this text]

Je n’ai pas manqué de faire part a Lady Palmerston de l’interet que vous prenez au succes de Mad^lle Rupplin et je vous assure que nous serons bien aise de pouvoir lui etre utile a notre retour de Londres.

Nous partons demain matin, enchantes de notre sejour a Paris et de l’accueil bienvaillant et amical qu’on nous y a fait.

Croyez je vous pries aux sentimets avec lesquels j’ai l’honneur d’etre

Votre tres fidele serviteur

Palmerston