[Agricol-Hippolyte de Lapierre de Châteauneuf ['Citoyen Châteauneuf '], French author.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Châteauneuf'), in French, to an unnamed individual

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with a thin strip torn away at head, and the bottom right-hand corner detached from the rest of the letter, and repaired with archival tape, the tear running through the signature. The letter begins: 'Parmi Les grands hommes qui ont servi l'Etat, nos anciennes Croniques et L'histoire nomment vos encêtres.' He wishes to include the most celebrated of these 'dans mon histoire des Grands Capitaines de La france depuis Le Connétable du Guesclin jusqu'au maréchal de Saxe, ou dans mon Dictionnaire historique des hommes illustres de La france'. He presumes that as a descendant it will be 'un devoire et un honnoir' to collect 'Les ouvrages et Les manuscrits authentiques ou il est fait mention d'eux'. He asks to be sent them, as his aim in the book he is about to publish is to honour at once 'nos grands hommes et ceux qui peuvent faire remonter jusqu'a eux leur origine'. Each article will be followed by the names of descendants. A prospectus of Châteauneuf's work was published around 1815, and a new edition had appeared by 1820.