"La quantité de personnes qui me demandent des rendez-vous me rend très difficile de les recevoir"

Autograph letter dated and signed by Benjamin Constant to Mlle Ginot Desrais, one page in black ink on a bifolium. Autograph address on verso of last leaf.
Lack not touching text on last leaf due to opening, folds inherent to dispatch. Foxing only on address leaf.
Mentioned in the Revue d'Histoire littéraire de la France, 45th Year, No. 2 (1938), p. 287.
Busy in the Chamber of Deputies leading the Independent group, Constant addresses this somewhat disdainful missive to one of his admirers.

"Mademoiselle,
La quantité de personnes qui me demandent des rendez-vous me rend très difficile de les recevoir, surtout quand je n'ai pas l'honneur de les connaître. Si cependant vous voulez m'écrire sur quel objet vous désirez me parler, je verrai si notre entrevue peut avoir quelque objet d'utilité et je serai fort empressé de vous recevoir [...]" ("The number of people who ask me for appointments makes it very difficult for me to receive them, especially when I do not have the honor of knowing them. If however you would like to write me about what matter you wish to speak to me, I will see if our interview might have some useful purpose and I will be most eager to receive you [...]")