CHATEAUBRIAND, François-René de (1768–1848).

A beautiful letter following his appointment as ambassador to Sweden. ‘Here I am back in my Valley. Why did I ever leave it? Yesterday, on my arrival, I thought I might die of sadness as I looked at the hillsides and the treetops, already half bare. Then it all came back to me—everything I had done and felt here: I thought of those long days that slipped by in the hope of going to see Natalie [de NOAILLES] for a moment, she too alone in her beautiful valley. How many times had my imagination crossed the woods to travel ever along the same path? I saw myself leaving, returning, going to shut myself away in the tower, to dream of her and the Martyrs, persecuted by the tyrant, glorious in his hatred, dreaming of great works amidst threats, in love, inspired, unhappy, and content. Today an ambassador to Sweden! What a fine end! To leave everything behind—work, dreams and the rest! Poor Vallée! When shall I return? Perhaps never. How old I am! How far all this is from me! I no longer live; what remains is not worth the trouble. I should have died on the day the King entered Paris. Amidst all this, I have worked today on the second act of Moses. I am pleased; Arzane will be a true demon. If I can have eight days to myself, Moses will finally be finished. I therefore invite you to come, dear sister, only next week. […] Do you know that, whilst doing my accounts, I found that of my 33,000 francs, 20 had already been spent on silverware, linen, carriages, porcelain, etc.; ; and certainly, for that sum, I am not living in luxury. I therefore have only 13,000 francs left to live on and to go to Stockholm. That is impossible. The King must grant me a gratuity (he has become so rich since the Budget) or I must sell the Abencerrage. So use your influence and see that I am given 100,000 francs. Here is another small matter: the Buisson de Verrières is a hunting ground belonging to Versailles, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the King’s Household. Ask M. de Blacas for permission 74649

to have some heather taken from the woodland. […] Good day, dearest sister: my affection for you goes back many years and will last as long as I live’. Correspondance générale, vol. II, no. 660.