The letters were found enclosed in the outer sheet of a programme for prizegiving at the Ecole Impériale Spéciale de Dessin et de Mathématiques, 1857. The programme is inscribed inside with a note in French by Louise Swanton Belloc, 1871, indicating that the contents were rescued after the siege of Paris (some are fire damaged).
Some of the letters bear no year, but those which are postmarked appear to date from 1831, 1834, 1835 and 1853/55. Five of the eight letters are signed MM [Mary Mohl] and one by Mdme de Montjoye. Several refer to Madame Adelaide.
The letters are as follows:
1. Letter written by Mary Mohl, no date, addressed to a male recipient?: begins ‘Madame Adelaide recevrait avec plaisir...’, talks of ill health and taking ‘bains de vapeur’, also hopes that ‘Louis se remettra promptement comme il appartient à son age’;
2. Letter written by Mary Mohl [?], no addressee, 12 July (no year), middle of letter damaged by fire, again refers to Madame Adelaide;
3. Signature uncertain [Lev. de Doudeauville?], but letter possibly written to Jean Hilaire Belloc? [husband of Louise Swanton Belloc], asking for information on the Ecole Royale de Dessin, dated 22 July 1835;
4. Mary Mohl to ‘Ma Chère Madame’, no date, mentions Mme Adelaide;
5. 21 November (no year), from M D ? to a male recipient;
6. Letter written by Mary Mohl, addressed to Madame L Sw Belloc, Rue de l'Ecole de Méde[cine], appears to be postmarked 1855, headed ‘Dimanche’; approximately 20% of the letter has been destroyed by fire;
7. Letter written by Mdme de Montjoye, addressed to Madame Belloc, Cour du Commerce, appears to be postmarked 1831, headed Jeudi Soir, refers to Madame Adelaide and the Palais Royal (several portions of the letter, approximately 20% in total, have been destroyed by fire);
8. Letter written by Mary Mohl, addressed to Madame L Sw Belloc, address partly burnt, appears to be postmarked 1834 (two portions of the letter, approximately 20%, have been destroyed by fire).