To Benjamin Franklin from Pietro Paolo and Dorothea Mallet de Celesia, [c. 3 December 1781]
From Pietro Paolo and Dorothea Mallet de Celesia2
Printed announcement: American Philosophical Society
Weddings of the children of Parisian nobility and haute bourgeoisie were announced by notices issued by both families. Spare in wording, these coordinated announcements mention neither date nor place. Franklin received at least ten sets of these notices, characterized by a large initial M, often highly decorated, in the upper left corner. The two we print in this volume, the one below and the one of circa February 18, 1782, announce the only two marriages we have so far been able to date.
[c. December 3, 1781]
M
Monsieur & Madame De Celesia ont l’honneur de vous faire part du Mariage de Mademoiselle De Celesia, leur fille, avec Monsieur le Comte De Ginestous.3
2. Pietro Paolo Celesia (XXXIII, 213–14, 454) and his wife Dorothea, daughter of the English poet David Mallet, came from Genoa to Paris in 1780. By Jan. 23, 1781, their elder daughter, Marie-Jérôme-Louise, was engaged to Jean-François, comte de Ginestous (DBF), commandant of the Belsunce regiment of dragoons. They were married on Dec. 3 by the papal nuncio, Prince Giuseppe Doria Pamfili: Jour. de Paris, Dec. 4. See Georges Dulac and Daniel Maggetti, eds., Ferdinando Galiani, Louise d’Epinay: Correspondance (5 vols., Paris, 1992–1997), V, 230, 251; Marc-Marie, marquis de Bombelles, Journal, Jean Grassion and Frans Durif, eds., (4 vols., Geneva, 1977–1998), I, 15n.
3. BF also received an almost identical announcement from the bridegroom.