DUMESNIEL, ARMAND, MRS.
Recueil de prieres pour les differentes occasions de la vie, [ca.1830]

MANUSCRIPT NUMBER 191

ACCESS: Unrestricted

REPRODUCTION: All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

COPYRIGHT: Information on copyright (literary rights) available from repository.

CITATION:  Mrs. Armand Dumesniel Recueil de prieres pour les differentes occasions de la vie, MSS 191, Archives and Manuscripts Dept.,  Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.

"Recueil de prieres pour les differentes occasions de la vie" appears to have been written by the widow of Armand Dumesniel, Marquis de Sommery.  Near the volume's end is an account, written in English, of the life of Dumesniel.  It reports that Dumesniel had been forced into exile from his native country of France because of "his fidelity to the dictates of religion and honor."  He moved to England and was made "Captain of Horse" in the English Army in 1786.  At forty-five years of age, he died in Bath, England, on April 13, 1814.

The volume, whose title translated into English means, "Collection of prayers for the different occasions of life," is a bound handwritten manuscript.  As its title indicates, it is mostly comprised of prayers, some of which appear to be original while others are standard Catholic prayers.  The book itself appears to have been manufactured for the express purpose of recording prayers, as is evident from the inscription "Prieres" ("Prayers") on its spine.  There are a few passages in the volume, however, that are not prayers.  For instance, the brief description of Armand Dumesniel's life may be of interest to scholars of the French Revolution since Dumesniel seems to have been one of the many aristocrats forced to flee France during that era of political turmoil.

In addition to the handwritten material that comprises the volume's contents, there is an illuminated page portraying Jesus' appearance to the two disciples at Emmaus.  The illumination is entitled, "Les Pélerins d'Émaüs."

The majority of the manuscript is written in French, but there are a few passages written in English.