Beschreibung:

FRENCH INTERESTS IN AMERICA, INCLUDING LOUISIANA. Autograph and manuscript materials relating to French possessions in America: 1. Holograph Manuscript of a portion of Memoire Historique et Politique sur La Louisiane, published in 1802 and spuriously attributed to le Comte de Vergennes, 19 pp (plus 3 blank), folio (338 x 222 mm), French, late 18th-century, annotated in the upper corner of first page, "No. 7," and again on the recto of final leaf, some sunning to first page, minor foxing, unobtrusive marginal tears. 2. Holograph Manuscript, "Mémoire concernant l'Isle Royale," the flamboyant le Comte de Raymond's reminiscence of his time as Governor of l'Isle de Royale [Cape Breton], 8 pp, folio (374 x 234 mm), with several contemporary annotations in the margins in the same hand, and a contemporary note on the first page, "Ce Mémoire est du comte de Raymond qui paraît un bon homme et voilà tout, ink slightly faded in places, some unobtrusive closed tears, minor creasing. 3. Autograph Letter Signed ("Le cte de Raymond mal de camp commandt de la province d'Angoumois") to Louis-Jules Mancini-Mazarini, Duc of Nivernois, French Ambassador to England, enclosing the manuscript of his memoir, 2 pp, 4to (218 x 268 mm), d'Angoulème, le 12 Septembre 1762, docketed to the first page, "R. 2. 8bre/ Mémoire sur l'isle Royale," small closed tear, trace of seal remaining. AN IMPORTANT ARCHIVE OF MATERIAL SHEDDING LIGHT ON FRENCH INTERESTS IN AMERICA, PARTICULARLY LOUISIANA AND CANADA. Published in 1802, Memoire Historique et Politique sur La Louisiane, attributed to French Foreign Minister de Vergennes, is an important contribution to the literature surrounding negotiations in Louisiana and Canada, as well as the gulf coast and into Texas, and was included by A.S.W. Rosenbach in his Rare Books of Six Centuries (item 493). The present manuscript predates the 1802 publication and contains an early version of part of the section covering Louisiana and Canada, published as pp 100-114, as well as a wealth of additional material (Seconds & Troisieme Moyens). There is an earlier, more complete manuscript version at the Library of Congress, but this copy may provide valuable insight into the source material. Also included is an unpublished manuscript from the Comte de Raymond recounting his time as Governor of L'Isle de France during the 1750s, including a history of French possessions and negotiations with the English and utilizing quotes from letters form Rouillé and Choiseul. "Raymond was the most flamboyant governor of a Canadian colony ... [with] an unbounded ambition and a passion for extravagant living" (Dictionary of Canadian Biography, University of Toronto, http://www.biographi.ca). His governorship would last a tumultuous two years before he returned to France. The manuscript was produced at the request of the French Minister of War, Marechal Belle-Isle to be presented to the King and Council as part of preparations for peace negotiations following the end of the Seven Years War. This copy, according to the accompanying letter, was sent to the Ambassador to London, the Duc de Nevernois, who would negotiate the French end of the Treaty of Paris the following year. An important collection of rare documents relating to American and Canadian history, including an early draft of an important contribution to Louisiana history.