Letter from François Guizot to his daughter Henriette on punctuation. My dear Henriette, I'm going to war with you again over punctuation; there is none, or almost none, in your letters. Sentences follow each other without any distinction or separation, like words in the same sentence. When this would have no other disadvantage than to cause a sort of embarrassment and surprise at every moment when reading your letters, it would be reason enough to correct yourself and to punctuate like everyone else. But there is a more important reason, which I am sure you will understand. You have a very quick mind; you understand and you do things quickly. And as soon as you've understood or done something, you don't stop at all; you want to move on to something else right away. […]
Pauline Guizot's account of her flight to England. I wanted, my dear sister, to write down for you our memories of those sad days we spent together, from 22 February to the end of March; there was enough in that month to fill many years, and I thought that ten years from now you would like to find a trace of the emotions, the worries and the joys we experienced. I know that when I say my impressions, I'm more or less saying yours, because as Mrs Tastu told us[1] «We have the same faith, the same hope, the same love»; and I like to think that later, whether we are separated or reunited, you will enjoy seeing this little notebook written by someone who loves you more than she says, perhaps more than you think. […]
«My Family», by Cornelis de Witt. In the following pages, I have grouped together a few recollections relating to my parents, both from the point of view of their family and intimate life and the role they played, during the second half of the nineteenth century, in the general life of the country. If I have included in this account a few details relating to my own life, it is because they are linked to the history of a cause whose success my ancestors had taught me would hasten the recovery of France, and of a Prince, the representative of this cause, to whom, with the respect he inspired and with all my heart, I gave my ardent devotion».»[…]
Bibliographical essay on Henriette de Witt-Guizot, written by Catherine Coste, a descendant of François Guizot. Through this introductory text to the publication of the correspondence between François Guizot and his daughter Henriette (published by Perrin in 2002), we can discover François Guizot as he was in the intimacy of his family, sensitive, generous and attentive.
