To Mr. Prieur, Sr. [Eldest brother and pharmacist]

March 8, 1818

Dear Sir,

I learned from the porter who came to clean my apartment that you had taken the trouble to come to visit me the day I wrote my last letter. I was mortified that I wasn’t at home, I’m sure your reason for visiting was important, but why did you not tell me in writing? I can’t see anything that would have prevented you. 

You told the porter, as a reply to my previous letters, that Dr. Pinel, and your brother as well, was too gallant a man to do me the slightest harm. I have no doubt that in society both are very honest and very polite, but that does not prevent them from working against me. Let me convince you of this. 

When I was being tortured by the magician Madame Vandeval, I saw no other remedy for my sufferings than to throw myself into the arms of the Lord, and to tell his ministers the evils which overwhelmed me. The priests I spoke took pity on me, and advised me to go and see the Grand Penitentiary of Notre-Dame, assuring me that the matter was within his abilities to resolve. They were touched by my torments, but could not let themselves believe that these wretched sinners could take pleasure in doing evil, with no fear of eternal justice. So did they, then, go before the Supreme Being and claim that my pain was caused by an alienated mind, an extravagant imagination which made me believe impossible things? No. At their invitation I met with Dr. Pinel, of whom I have already spoken, who examined me and found nothing unreasonable in my thoughts and ideas, but became convinced that I was tormented by sorcerers. 

You understand, Pinel is well-known in the art of curing illness. He is not someone who sees visions. And so, I must conclude that, I, myself, am not seeing fantasies, and if I’m a madman, Dr. Pinel must be one as well. But he told me that he would see to it that Vandeval and her company would be expelled that very evening.

That night, while I was in bed, I saw a strange and new sort of working, I have no doubt that it was Dr. Pinel’s, since it was unlike that of any of the other sorcerers. It was a kind of landscape in the mirror over my fireplace. I tried to make it disappear, but in vain. Your brothers, Lomin, and others were aware of it. But let me return to Pinel, who with Vandeval and her associates, agreed to work together to torment me. Therefore, yes, I have reason to complain about your brother, and as well about Pinel and all the others. 

Judge my situation for yourself.

Sincerely,

M.B.