"Cose importantissime per le nostre intraprese"

Autograph letter signed addressed to a friend, written from the village of Passy, now Paris, on October 3, 1863.

Having received news from Count Cesare Mattei, he begs his correspondent to come see him as soon as possible regarding a mysterious matter that brings them together. Indeed, during his stay in France, Rossini, who was both patient and friend of Mattei, attempted to patent his potion against rheumatism. For the "alchemist count" was the inventor of a miracle remedy, "electro-homeopathy". This complex technique based on granules and "electric fluids" was the most widely used alternative medicine in the world from 1870 to 1930, and was marketed by Mattei laboratories until 1968. The remedy was even mentioned by Dostoevsky in The Brothers Karamazov, in which the Devil himself claims to be cured by the potion: "Que faire ? J'ai recouru aux remèdes de bonnes femmes ; un médecin allemand me conseilla de me frotter après le bain avec du miel et du sel : j'allai aux bains pour le plaisir et me barbouillai en pure perte. En désespoir de cause, j'ai écrit au comte Mattei, à Milan ; il m'a envoyé un livre et des globules. Que Dieu lui pardonne ! Imagine-toi que l'extrait de malt de Hoff m'a guéri. Je l'avais acheté par hasard, j'en ai pris un flacon et demi, et tout à disparu radicalement. J'étais résolu à publier une attestation, la reconnaissance parlait en moi, mais ce fut une autre histoire : aucun journal ne voulut l'insérer ! "C'est trop réactionnaire, me dit-on, personne n'y croira, le diable n'existe point. Publiez cela anonymement."" ["What to do? I resorted to old wives' remedies; a German doctor advised me to rub myself after bathing with honey and salt: I went to the baths for pleasure and smeared myself to no avail. In desperation, I wrote to Count Mattei in Milan; he sent me a book and globules. God forgive him! Imagine that Hoff's malt extract cured me. I had bought it by chance, took a bottle and a half, and everything disappeared completely. I was resolved to publish a testimonial, gratitude spoke within me, but that was another story: no newspaper would insert it! 'It's too reactionary,' they told me, 'no one will believe it, the devil doesn't exist. Publish it anonymously.'"]
It should also be noted that Rossini gave his piano to Count Mattei (it is now preserved in his castle at Rocchetta).

Fine and rare autograph letter, very visual, mounted on cream-colored mat.