Donatien-Alphonse-François, marquis de SADE and Barthélemy MESNY (1716-1787) physician and scholar of Lorraine origin, settled in Florence. 7 L.A.S. and 3 P.A. from MESNY, with autograph notes by SADE, and one P.A. from SADE, Florence and La Coste June-December 1776; 52pages in-4, 4addressed to the comte de Mazan (often heavy wetness, with some deterioration and paper tears to the last two). Important file concerning his Voyage d'Italie. [The Marquis de Sade's second trip to Italy lasted almost a year, from July 17, 1775 to the end of June 1776. The writing of his Voyage d'Italie, begun on the spot, was continued at La Coste, after his return, and remained unfinished. In Florence, he had made friends with the renowned scholar and collector Dr. Mesny, whom he interviewed at length during the writing of the Voyage. Sade was to use his Voyage in writing Histoire de Juliette ou les Prospérités du vice (1797). On Dr. Mesny's letters, Sade crossed out with a stroke of his pen the passages he had used. See Maurice Lever's edition of Le Voyage d'Italie (Fayard, 1995), followed by the "Lettres d'Italie", to which we refer (L.)]. Florence June 28. Long letter from Dr. Mesny on the history of the origins of Florence (6p.). [L XXXI] [July]. Long letter from Dr. Mesny on the topography of Florence, its gates, the Arno and its bridges (6p. and address to Count de Mazan). [L. XXXII] [July-August]. Autograph note from Sade setting out five points to be clarified; 3 marginal replies from Mesny. Sade asks: "Ches quelle nation le Carroccio dont vous parles portait il une cloche a la guerre. You didn't say. [...] The article on the baptistery and the dome was obviously too short and not detailed enough, and could not be used as it stands. - Les quatre eglises et les quatre palais, avec un peu d'histoire ancienne et moderne, articles demandés dans ma derniere et puis tout est dit". (1p.). [L. XXXIII] [July-August]. Autograph piece by Sade, entitled: "Nouvelles questions que M. de docteur est prié de vouloir bien renvyer avec reponse en marge". 10 questions, answered at length by Mesny in the margin; the first two are: "Are pheasants still raised at Cascine, and to whom does this farm belong? - est il vrai comme l'assure quelqu'uns de nos voiyageurs modernes, que le pont de la Trinité est tout de marbre"... Next come two questions entitled by Sade: "Questions independendes de Florence, mais auxquels vous m'obligeres egalement de repondre", the last of which: "Question pr ma santé. Can eau de Cologne, in which I have a lot of faith, taken internally and mixed in some liqueurs, soothe stomach pains caused by slow and painful digestion? I am prone to these ailments". (4p.). [L. XXXIV] Florence September 5. Letter from Dr. Mesny on the Etruscans, with Sade's note at the top: "toute sur les etrusques". (6p.). [L. XXXVI] September 13. Letter from Dr. Mesny on the history of the Medicis, with Sade's note at the top: "Sur les Medicis 1ère lettre" (6p. with address to the Comte de Mazan at Château de La Coste). [L. XXXVII] [Late September]. Autograph note from Sade entitled: "Nouvelles questions a Florence"; list of 14 questions: "Quest devenu la biblioteque Pitti est-elle toujours composé de 68 milles volumes comme dit M de Lalande. [...] A word about trade, which we have never mentioned at all". (2p.). [L. XXXVIII] [Late September]. Autograph piece by Sade, entitled: "Questions a repondre en marge en renvoyant la meme feuille". 12 questions (taken from the previous note), answered at length by Mesny in the margin. At the top, Sade wrote: "Il etoit resté en arrierre les objets suivants qu'on ne voulut pas inserer dans le dernier paquet pour ne pas le rendre trop volumineux. I assure my dear doctor of all my feelings and beg him to reply to me as accurately and as soon as possible, and always to have a little friendship for me. He adds at the end: "I embrace you with all my heart and eagerly await Mr. Moldetti's wine. Subito che sara ricevuto, mandero il denaro". (4p.). [L. XXXIX] October 4. Letter from Dr. Mesny on the history of the Medicis, with Sade's note at the top: "Sur les Medicis 2e lettre" (4p. with address to the Comte de Mazan at Château de La Coste). [L. XL] Florence November 15. Letter from Dr. Mesny on the history of the Medicis, with note by Sade at the top: "3rd letter on the Medicis serving as a sequel to n°2" (7p. and address to the Count of Mazan at the Château de La Coste). [L. XLI] December 12. Letter from Dr. Mesny on the history of the Medici and the Palazzo Pitti, with Sade's note at the top: "4th letter on the Medici following on from n°3. - part du palais Pitti" (8p. with address to Comte de Mazan at Château de La Coste). [L. XLII]