To Benjamin Franklin from ——— de Labussiere, 11 May 1779
From ——— de Labussiere9
AL: American Philosophical Society
au Palais Royalle le 11 mai 79
Mr De Labussiere emprêssé de s’aquitér des devoirs que lui impose la reconnoisance des bontéz quil vient de recevoir a Londre de Miss chipley, est au déséspoir que des devoirs le Contrarie sur le desir quil a d’avoir l’honneur de remetre lui mesme a Monsieur Franklin ses Comiscions. Le bonheur eut étté double pour Mr. De Labussiere de joindre les témoignages d’amitié dont il est chargé a seux de réspect et d’estime quil a voué a Monsieur Franklin.1
9. His identity is a puzzle. Both Digges (May 12, below) and Vaughan (May 31, below) refer to him in terms that suggest he may have been Louis-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste de Boissière, comte de Chambors (1756–1820). Later a maréchal de camp in the French army, he was a gentleman of honor to Charles Philippe, comte d’Artois. DBF, under Chambors. In August, 1755, his father had been killed in a hunting accident by the Dauphin who, in remorse, did all he could to aid the widow and her son born the following January: Cröy, Journal, I, 321n. In May the King changed the status of his lands in Chambors to a “comté,” though he was always called marquis de Chambors: Dict. de la noblesse, under Boissière-Chambors.
1. In another letter, undated, Labussiere, who is just leaving for the country, writes that he has received “nouvélles léttres” from Miss Shipley. Unable to deliver them in person, he sends them care of a trustworthy man. Has BF received the first letters he sent? APS.