Florimond-Claude, comte de MERCY-ARGENTEAU (1722-1794) Austrian ambassador to France, friend and confidant of Marie-Antoinette. L.A.S., Compiègne September 17, 1766, to a lady; 3pages in-4. On the beginnings of his embassy... "I arrived here at the time I had proposed, and my debut was as pleasant as possible, even beyond what I could have hoped for". He ordered 10,000 florins to be made available to his correspondent, and sent news of his grandson to Mme de La Briche...