1818 Dr. Guesent’s Letter to Comte de Montmorency Requesting a Vacant Position at the Children’s Hospital
10208On offer is a fine example of a letter requesting patronage sent from a physician to a French nobleman. The letter was written by a Doctor Guesent and addressed to the ‘Comte de Montmorency’. In the letter, Guesent notes the death of a doctor attached to the Children’s Hospital. This is the children’s hospital adjacent to the Necker Hospital, two very important hospitals in Paris because of their patrons. Guesent would like to assume the now-vacant position. He notes his current position as a doctor. He also notes that his father was a doctor in one of the ‘Montmorency hospitals’.
The Vicount is Mathieu Jean Felicité de Montmorency, duc de Montmorency-Laval. Montmorency was a senior member of the French nobility, a prominent statesman, wealthy and importantly for Guesent, a very close friend of Germaine de Stael, the daughter of Jacques and Suzanne Necker. Necker was Minister of Finance for France and his wife was very involved in efforts to provide medical care to the poor and founder of the Necker Hospital – now the Necker – Enfants Malades Hospital. If anyone could argue Guesent’s case, it would be Montmorency.
For a social historian, this is an excellent example of the type of correspondence that would have taken place among those seeking favours and positions. It is also a direct connection to one of France’s great noble families.
The letter measures 9.75 inches by 7.5 inches. It is in good condition with some wear marks along the left side.. The handwriting is legible.
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