FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

Letter 5.
[Letter from Marguerite Marie Le Det de Segrais, in London, to her husband, Jean-
Baptiste Florian, in New Orleans]
April 28, 1809 No. 9
How can it be, my very good friend, that you do not hear from us? I number all my
letters very exactly, and you can see clearly by the number on this one that I have been
very careful to write you. I know that Joseph has done so more often than me, since he
has profited by occasion [?] I did not know about. I judge the misgivings you must suffer
by the pleasure we have in reading your journal. I read and re-read your letters. I would
like to share the discomforts of this long voyage on the Mississippi. If we had been with
you, you would not have noticed the long time it took. We beg you not to worry any
more about us, we are all well, and awaiting with the greatest impatience the moment of
departure to rejoin the one who is so necessary for our happiness. If I can ever attain the
goal of my journey, should you try your fortune at the Antipodes or in the Arctic, 42 I will
never again consent to be separated from you.
We are using all means to put our school on a good footing. I have withdrawn Laura
from Mrs. Dawson’s. Unfortunately she wasted her time there. She is lazy and they
were not able to make anything of her talents. <strong>The</strong> children [of Mrs. Dawson?] are
ignorant, the mother unconcerned. <strong>The</strong>y spent the whole winter in the country, where
Laura had only an old harpsichord to practice on. I would have placed her in another
family, but I fear her carelessness and lack of social graces. I am having her taught
singing – as well as Virginia—by Roselli. <strong>The</strong>y all take lessons from Madame Bartolozzi
and Mr. Ropi [Popi?]. She is also continuing Italian, although I fear it will not be very
useful to them over there. Virginia has made much progress in drawing. Laura is going
to start again. I am also going to start her on the harp, with the best teacher I am able to
obtain.
I was hoping to be able to send you about two hundred pounds; instead I spent the greater
part of it on putting our children in a condition to shine in society. I believe I am
fulfilling your intentions, and if we succeed, we will rejoice.
We arise in the morning and work until midnight. I have placed Eliza with Lady
Kensington. She had left for Wales with all her family a week before my receipt of the
first letter from Miss O. If I had received that earlier, I would have kept Eliza with me,
but the lack of certainty of what will happen to us, and the desire for economies, had
committed me to place her. She had already spent 3 months with Madame Mathis, but
without a salary, and she was not happy. <strong>The</strong>y gave her 3 guineas and her laundry. I
hope she will not lose any of her talents. Lady Kensington has promised to watch after
42 <strong>The</strong> phrase used is “the frigid zone.”
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