CHATEAUBRIAND François-René de. Autograph letter... Lot 27

CHATEAUBRIAND François-René de. Autograph letter [to the Duchesse de Duras?] (London), 28 (April 1822?); 4 pages in-4, split at fold. There is a problem. Chateaubriand, ambassador to London, was troubled by the postscript in his correspondence: "I am convinced that there is no publisher, and that it is this abominable Dentu, who would sell his father for an ecu, who is making this scandalous enterprise". He proposes going to court, buying the edition, writing to Bertin. "But I beg you not to be alarmed [...] who will ever believe in this heap of calumnies in which everyone is buried, from Monsieur (the comted'Artois) to Donnadieu; in letters or Madame (the duchess de Berry) even is not spared [...]. You can be sure that there will only be one cry against this horror and that public indignation will do justice to it. The publishers have so many risks to run that I still doubt publication. However, it was published by Jacques Salgues shortly afterwards by Dentu in 3 volumes under the title Les Mille et une calomnies ou Extraits des correspondances privées insérées dans les journaux anglais, allemands pendant le ministère de M. le Duc Decazes. "By the mail which arrived today from Paris, I am informed that the King is very pleased with my dispatches. I hope that my extraordinary mail has pleased you in the sense that it has learned something important [...] I am not in favor of war, but I believe that we have nothing to fear if it comes...". "It seems that the English are going to recognize the Republic of Colombia. I dined yesterday at Count Lieven's (?) with Lord Liverpool, Lord Westmorland, Lord Harrowby, the Duke of Wellington and various ambassadors [...] the dinner was in my honor. I talked a lot with the ministers...".