Laurent Angliviel de LA BEAUMELLE (1726-1773). L.A.S., Nîmes April 15, 1758, to a lady; 6 1/2 pages in-4 (tear with paper loss on last page affecting a few words). Long, gallant letter, partly in verse, perhaps addressed to Jeanne Finiels, with whom La Beaumelle (the philosopher had already been twice imprisoned in the Bastille) was considering marriage, between February and April 1758. "Finally, madame, I have seen them and I confess that your brush is most faithful, that you have not cultivated the talent of making portraits; it was up to you to be one of our greatest painters as you are one of our most lovable women. I saw these two charming sisters Suddenly I recognized them; Beautiful bright ingenues Regular features, seductive eyes Faces strewn with flowers Like Iris unfolding on the clouds Her dress of a thousand colors"... Nearly 120 verses are scattered throughout this long, gallant letter, in which Mlle de Saint-Jean and Mlle de Montolieu are also mentioned several times.