FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

Letter 13.
[Letter from an anonymous member of a (Masonic) society, to Madame Florian, after the
death of her husband, Jean-Baptiste Florian.]
[November 23, 1811, New Orleans]
Madame:
I am requested by a certain responsible Society of this city to which your husband
belonged, alas, for only too short a time, to consecrate soon in a special session, your
regrets, and ours, retracing on the hearts which, as that of yours, Madame, deplore the
loss of the late deceased, Monsieur Florian Jolly, those qualities, which, as with you,
have already rendered him so dear to us, and the salient epochs of the too short career of
our worth Brother and Friend. I fear to add to your unhappiness, but am forced, in our
desire to have recourse to you for accurate knowledge of the traits about which I must
write, regarding the late deceased, not only as a Friend, Literateur and Citizen, but
especially as a Son, Father and Husband.
If I may be permitted to add, Madame, that a request so delicate, and which may seem
rash on my part, especially to anyone deprived of the honor of being known to you
personally, must nevertheless find grace before you, and by his motive and by the
mediation of a respectable friend, that you will forgive me at present, especially since it is
impossible for me to believe that you suppose that I have made bold to make this request,
from any other than the purest motive.
Accept the respectful homage, Madame, of your very humble and very obedient servant,
New Orleans, November 23, 1811
To Madame Florian Jolly
By Mr. Tricorn
Essential items of information:
118
ANONYMOUS
From what family he descended
With what family he was allied
Place and date of birth
Profession in Europe
Events of which he was the victim, here and elsewhere
<strong>The</strong> cause of his premature end.
It is their desire to have this information as soon as possible. <strong>The</strong> funeral oration
is to be on the 15 th December.