Abraham-Joseph Bénard dit FLEURY (1750-1822), member of the Comédie-Française, of which he was dean. L.A.S., Toulon 16 thermidor [VII: August 3, 1799], to a friend (probably Maherault); 3pages in-4. Beautiful letter written on the occasion of the reopening of the Comédie-Française under the name Théâtre de la République, after the revolutionary turmoil that had dispersed many actors... "I am not as unhappy as Molé since my departure from Paris, since for the past two months I have found the means to pay my son's debts in this city, to live, and to provide my family with three thousand livres, and I still have enough to return to Paris, and this in the worst weather for this country, where the circumstances, and the great heat, are detrimental to the show and do not allow me to perform often, as I do not want to tire myself out; [....] here I am, alas, in the right season for the countries I have to travel to, and according to my agreements, everything foretells me a good harvest; I can even spend hivert in Paris with an assé beau sort, without being at the théâtre de la république [...] You speak to me of reuniting with the French artists"; but he objects: "it was they who prevented the Minister from giving me compensation for the losses I suffered, they wanted to take me by starvation, they reunited at the Théâtre de la république, and each took the place, and the portion of interest that suited them and their friends or relatives"; some took shares for their family or mistress: "so I played the comedy to support the family of one, and to pay for the pleasures of another. You see, my friend, that the position is not advantageous; I was told that they had decided to give Contat six thousand livres for the indemnity of their little arrangements, why don't they offer me some compensation [...] as for pensions, I don't believe in them; the Society needs property to guarantee them, and talents that are renewed to pay them, without which there would be no pensions"...