Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I What are Emotions?
- Part II Emotions in History: France, 1700–1850
- 5 The Flowering of Sentimentalism (1700–1789)
- 6 Sentimentalism in the Making of the French Revolution (1789–1815)
- 7 Liberal Reason, Romantic Passions (1815–1848)
- 8 Personal Destinies: Case Material of the Early Nineteenth Century
- Conclusion
- Appendix A Detailed Review of Anomalous Cases from the Gazette des Tribunaux Sample
- Appendix B Detailed Review of Anomalous Cases from the Tribunal Civil de Versailles Sample
- References
- Index
8 - Personal Destinies: Case Material of the Early Nineteenth Century
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Part I What are Emotions?
- Part II Emotions in History: France, 1700–1850
- 5 The Flowering of Sentimentalism (1700–1789)
- 6 Sentimentalism in the Making of the French Revolution (1789–1815)
- 7 Liberal Reason, Romantic Passions (1815–1848)
- 8 Personal Destinies: Case Material of the Early Nineteenth Century
- Conclusion
- Appendix A Detailed Review of Anomalous Cases from the Gazette des Tribunaux Sample
- Appendix B Detailed Review of Anomalous Cases from the Tribunal Civil de Versailles Sample
- References
- Index
Summary
On 26 January 1826, Mlle Anna de Favancourt signed a will making over her whole fortune (about fifty thousand francs) to her fiancé, Lieutenant Frédéric Descoutures. She was seriously ill. On that same day she wrote to Descoutures begging him to get leave and come to see her in Paris as soon as he could.
I send you all that I desire; no friendly hand will close my eyes; your poor little sister will pronounce your name; you will hear her no more. … The leaves will be reborn, nature will come alive again, and I will leave life! I will walk no more leaning on your arm. I will see you smile at me no more. My happiness will have evaporated like a dream. My friend, you will still be happy. Don't torture yourself too much, I want you to console yourself. Adored Frédéric, you whom I cherish more than life, soul of my soul, sole link that holds me still to existence, you are the only thing I will regret of the life that I will leave so young; never forget that your poor little woman loved you well. … I would be so happy if you could come! I want it! You cannot imagine how much. That thought occupies me night and day. Could it be impossible! Don't think that I'm deceiving you [about how ill I am]; nothing I take passes. If you were here, I would be so happy to see you. […]
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Navigation of FeelingA Framework for the History of Emotions, pp. 257 - 314Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001