Lettre autographe signée adressée à Alphonse Peyrat

Autograph letter signed by George Sand addressed to Alphonse Peyrat, two pages written in black ink on a double sheet. Transverse folds inherent to mailing.
Interesting letter evoking one of her faithful friends: Jean Patureau-Francoeur.
George Sand had published a long obituary article in tribute to this close friend in L'Avenir national on May 2, 1868. She described her late friend with great tenderness: "C'était un simple paysan, un vigneron des faubourgs de Châteauroux. Il avait appris tout seul à écrire, et il écrivait très remarquablement, avec ces naïves incorrections qui sont presque des grâces, dans un style rustique et spontané. [...] Ce petit homme robuste, à grosse tête ronde, au teint coloré, à l'œil bleu étincelant et doux, était doué d'une façon supérieure. Il voyait la nature, il l'observait, il l'aimait et il la savait. [...] Son existence parmi nous fut pénible, agitée, méritante. Naturellement un esprit aussi complet que le sien devait se passionner pour les idées de progrès et de civilisation. Il fut, avant la Révolution, le représentant populaire des aspirations de son milieu, et il travailla à les diriger vers un idéal de justice et d'humanité. [...]" ["He was a simple peasant, a wine-grower from the suburbs of Châteauroux. He had taught himself to write, and he wrote remarkably well, with those naive incorrections that are almost graces, in a rustic and spontaneous style. [...] This sturdy little man, with his large round head, his ruddy complexion, his sparkling and gentle blue eyes, was gifted in a superior way. He saw nature, observed it, loved it and understood it. [...] His existence among us was painful, agitated, meritorious. Naturally a mind as complete as his had to be passionate about ideas of progress and civilization. He was, before the Revolution, the popular representative of his milieu's aspirations, and he worked to direct them toward an ideal of justice and humanity. [...]"] In 1848, Patureau was elected mayor of Châteauroux and became the spokesman for the workers of his commune. "Au moment du coup d'État, il fut poursuivi, mais il se cacha dans des familles amies et échappa à la police. George Sand obtint, difficilement, sa grâce, ce qui lui permit de regagner Châteauroux. Il fut arrêté en janvier 1858, à la suite de la loi de sûreté générale." ["At the time of the coup d'état, he was pursued, but he hid with friendly families and escaped the police. George Sand obtained, with difficulty, his pardon, which allowed him to return to Châteauroux. He was arrested in January 1858, following the general security law."] "Il resta un mois au cachot sur la paille en plein hiver. Quand on le mit dans la voiture cellulaire qui le dirigeait vers l'Afrique, il était presque aveugle, et, depuis, il a toujours souffert cruellement des yeux" ["He remained a month in the dungeon on straw in the middle of winter. When they put him in the prison van that was taking him to Africa, he was almost blind, and since then, he has always suffered cruelly with his eyes"] (George Sand).
In September 1858, following an intervention by George Sand with her friend Jérôme-Napoléon, Napoleon III's cousin, he was released but remained under surveillance. He settled in Algeria, after obtaining permission to come to Châteauroux to sell his house and vineyard and to fetch his family. In Algeria, he lived by his trade as a wine-grower, was part of the Agricultural Society of Philippeville and wrote a treatise on viticulture." (Maintron)
"À présent, je viens vous demander de me payer ce petit article le plus cher que vous pouvez et d'envoyer le prix directement à Joseph Patureau, rue de cluis n°7 à Châteauroux. Indre. Et cela, le plus tôt possible." ["Now, I come to ask you to pay me for this little article as dearly as you can and to send the payment directly to Joseph Patureau, rue de cluis n°7 à Châteauroux. Indre. And this, as soon as possible."] Joseph, son of Jean Patureau "est un vigneron très pauvre, très honnête et très digne, qui n'a pas de quoi faire le voyage." ["is a very poor, very honest and very worthy wine-grower, who does not have the means to make the journey."] "Il faut que le fils aîné de Patureau [...] aille bien vite à Gastonville pour aider ses frères mineurs à régler leurs affaires de famille. Je lui ai fait accepter le prix de l'article sur son père, ce qui joint à quelques économies, lui permettra d'aller remplir son devoir et surveiller ses intérêts." ["The eldest son of Patureau [...] must go quickly to Gastonville to help his minor brothers settle their family affairs. I made him accept the payment for the article about his father, which joined to some savings, will allow him to go fulfill his duty and watch over his interests."]
Interesting testimony to George Sand's generosity and unwavering commitment to social justice.