Gérard de NERVAL prepares his trip to Naples.

Gérard de NERVAL (1808.1855)

Autograph letter signed "Gérard Labrunie" to the sculptor Jean Duseigneur.

One page, quarto. Autograph address and postal cancellations. [Aix-en-Provence, September 24, 1834]

"I'm doing very well. I saw the sea."

Nerval, on his way to Naples, asks Duseigneur to urgently settle the inventory after the death of his grandfather Labrunie.

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"My dear Jean, As soon as you receive this letter, you will do me a great service : go and sell half of the coupons you have in your possession, at whatever rate they may be; they will probably be at 17, 18, 20, or 22, it doesn't matter, perhaps lower or higher. You will go or send them to Mr. Moulle, stockbroker on rue Grange Batelière opposite the side entrance of the Opera, or to any other."

You'll leave them the coupons, and the next day they'll give you the money. There are 16 coupons, I think, so that will make 8. Then you'll go to a banker and ask for a letter of credit drawn on Naples for Mr. Gérard Labrunie, who lives there, to be sent to poste restante. You'll use 300 francs of the money you receive for this letter of credit (and the entire sum if you receive less), and the rest (if you receive more) you'll send to Mr. Gautié, the pharmacist successor. I'm mistaken. You'll send me everything by letter of credit drawn on Naples. I know I'm causing you a lot of trouble, but this is a very important matter for me, as I could find myself without the money to get back.

 I am very well. I saw the sea. If you cannot do all this, ask one of our friends. I am counting on you. A letter of credit from a banker for Naples to Mr. Gérard Labrunie, poste restante . If everything doesn't go as I expect, do your best. Your friend, Gérard Labrunie. Greetings to all our friends.