Louis-Léon-Félicité Brancas, Duc de Lauraguais, known as BRANCAS-LAURAGUAIS (1733-1824) chemist, philosopher and playwright. L.A.S. "B.L.", [January 1767], to his friend Dupré; 2 pages and a quarter in-4, addressed with red wax seal. Beautiful letter about his passion for Sophie Arnould. ... "Mon pere a voulu me deshonorer, me faire interdire. My wife crushed my head like a snake's, my father Mr de St Florentin buried me, and here I am in France. The city of Strasbourg is my prison, and because I have had the necessary misfortune to fail the King, he forgives me, Mr de St Florentin has solicited for me, I will soon be at Court [...] finally my father has pushed the absurdity of his pretended neutrality, to the point that he is overwhelmed with contempt, this is my work, but you know that it is also of poor Sophie, whom we wanted to lock up because she had the insolence to be interested in me. [...] I have not been fooled by these grand airs, nor have I been so absurd as to believe that her interest had to humiliate me, but my friend, we are going to kiss"... He tells her about the sale of a wood, and concludes: "Je laisse a Mlle Arnoud ce que Mr le Pce de Conti ma payé"...