File TM/1/1/14 - Letter from Thomas Manning, Paris, 11 May 1802

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Paris. He assumes that his brothers, William and Edward, have informed his father of his news from their letters but in case that William's has gone astray asks that Mr Wilkins be put down as a subscriber to Mr Denon's book on Egypt (Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon, 4 January 1747 – 27 April 1825). He writes of people he has met - Mr Taylor who took him to a Conversatione at Mr Smith's, an Englishman of fortune in Paris with his wife and sister. He found the mesdames particularly agreeable. He met a Mr White, a civil engineer, who has survived the revolution with only 3 months imprisonment under Robespierre. Mr Giliet is the name of the man he wrote about in the previous letter. Manning has become "quite a talker in societies" in order to make himself a good guest he engages in conversation with artists, mathematician. physiognomics or metaphysician to draw then out and thus please his hosts. He then writes about a plot to assassinate Bonaparte which took place on 15th Floreal (9th May) by a Colonel Fournier. The plot had been hushed up by Bonaparte so most of Paris did not know about it. He writes more about the political situation. He concludes by asking to be remembered to his friends and by remarking on his change of address. Handwritten, 4 sides, dated Monday 11 May 1802