Victor de Riquetti, Marquis de MIRABEAU (1715–1789). Handwritten letter, Paris, March 14, 1775, to Mr. Faucher in Rochechouart (Haute-Vienne); 1½ pages, quarto size, addressed with a red wax seal bearing a broken coat of arms. He did not receive the package that was sent to Mr. de Saint-Paul, “who, not having prepaid postage, flatly refuses to accept packages of any considerable size,” and he provides a reliable address for sending large packages: “that of Mr. de St. Didier, first clerk of the Navy at court.” Regarding his estate at La Morinière, he does not wish to demolish the house: “I much prefer to build than to destroy. “Wouldn’t there be a way to preserve it—or at least part of it—at a better price than what you’re telling me?” he asks, leaving the decision to you since you’re on site. To spare me “such frequent trips to Aigueperse whenever I need some papers, you could entrust Mr. Poisson—in whom, as is only right, I have complete confidence—with the key to my archive, and he would send me the papers I request. You’ll also need to send him the inventory of these papers in case you’ve taken them with you”…