To Benjamin Franklin from the Comtesse de Chinon, [before 9 February 1784]
From the Comtesse de Chinon1
L:2 American Philosophical Society
[before February 9, 1784]3
Made. la Comtesse de Chinon prie Monsieur franklin ministre des Etats unis de vouloir bien lui faire l’honneur de venir au Bal que lui donneront M. et Mde. la Marechale de Richelieu dans leur hotel de Lundi Neuf fevrier, Lequel commencera a quatre heures après midy et finira a dix.
Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur franklin Ministre / des Etats unis / A Passy/.
1. The former Rosalie Rochechouart, who in 1782, at the age of 12, married the 15-year-old comte de Chinon, the grandson of the maréchal de Richelieu. Immediately after the wedding, the comte left with his tutor for a tour of Europe and did not return until 1788 or 1789: Henriette-Lucie Dillon, marquise de La Tour du Pin Gouvernet, Memoirs of Madame de La Tour du Pin, ed. and trans. Felice Harcourt (London, 1969), p. 93.
2. BF’s name and title were inserted by another hand into what was evidently a generic invitation.
3. During BF’s stay in France, Feb. 9 fell on a Monday in 1778 and 1784. In 1778, the comtesse was not yet married.