Bidspirit auction | D´ ÉON CHEVALIÈRE: (1728-1810)

D´ ÉON CHEVALIÈRE: (1728-1810) - D´ÉON CHEVALIÈRE: (1728-1810) Charles (or Charlotte) d'Éon de Beaumont. French diplomat, spy and soldier who appeared publicly as a man and pursued masculine occupations for 49 years, although during that time, d'Éon successfully infiltrated the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia by presenting as a woman. A.L.S., La Chre: D´Éon , four pages, 8vo, Versailles, 6th September 1778 ( ´au matin ´), to [Monsieur Calou], in French. The Chevalier states that, were he not obliged to leave that morning for Issy, where he must spend a few days with Monsieur Le President des Bérigny, then ´J´aurais l´honneur d´aller vous presenter moi même le porteur de la présente prieur de l´abbaye des Benedictins de Molasineprés Tonnerre qui est de mes amis particuliers et qui m´a toujours fait une réception Royale dans son Abbaye´ (Translation: ´I would have had the honour of presenting to you myself the bearer of this letter from the Benedictine Abbey of Molasineprés Tonnerre, who is a personal friend of mine and who has always given me a royal welcome at his abbey´ ) and continues to explain ´Il a un parent nommé M. de Laulaine qui est reçu aspirant au departement de Rochefort depuis le mois de fevrier agé 14 à 19 ans seulement, il doit subire son examen dans le courant de ce mois, il ne sait que son 1er cahier & partie du second; malgre cela il a de l´esprit & beaucoup de dispositions les parents désiveraient que M. Devezoux son examinateur ent pour lui de l´indulgence dans son rapport. Le jeune homme de son côté va fait faire les plus grands efforts pour se presser d´apprendre le restant du second cahier´ (Translation: ´He has a relative named Mr. de Laulaine who has been accepted as an aspirant in the department of Rochefort since February, aged only 14 to 19 years old. He must take his exam this month, but he only knows his first notebook and part of the second. Despite this, he is intelligent and very capable, and his parents would like Mr. Devezoux, his examiner, show him leniency in his report. The young man, for his part, will make every effort to learn the rest of the second notebook as quickly as possible´ ), further remarking ´Ils ne connaissent point M. Devezoux, je ne le connais point non plus, vous serait-il possible de recommander ou faire recommander à l´indulgence de M. Devezoux ce jeune homme, je partagerais avec M. le Prieur toute ma sensible reconnaissance´ (Translation: ´They do not know Mr. Devezoux, nor do I. Would it be possible for you to recommend or ask Mr. Devezoux to show leniency towards this young man? I would be most grateful to you and to the Prior´ ). D´Éon also informs his correspondent ´J´ai eu l´honneur de voir hier M. Desartine chez M. le Comte de Vergennes, & je ne puis que me louer des bontés de ces deux ministres à mon egard. M. Desartine toujours aimable et obligeant s´intéresse avec autant de chaleur à moi, que si j´avais en le bonheur de rendre des services dans son département´ (Translation: ´I had the honour of seeing Mr Desartine yesterday at the Count of Vergennes's house, and I cannot praise highly enough the kindness shown to me by these two ministers. Mr Desartine, who is always amiable and obliging, takes as much interest in me as if I had the good fortune to be of service to him in his department´ ). Some very light creasing and minor age wear, otherwise VG Charles Gravier (1719-1787) Comte de Vergennes. French statesman and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs 1774-87 and as Chief Minister of the French Monarch 1781-87 under King Louis XVI. The English physician Havelock Ellis coined the term eonism to describe cases of transgender behaviour similar to that of Chevalière D´Éon, however the term is rarely used today.