Letter to the Countess of T. on a Second French Theater in Paris

Companies of entrepreneurs In London, nothing else is done; when a public building or a main road needs to be constructed, a company presents itself, and subscriptions are opened. In truth, this method has been adopted for the new Market, the Railway Station, and the Colosseum; these are facts. to build two or four theaters in our Capital, more or less; and the State could derive advantage from it, as I will explain hereafter. Agree with me, Madame, that it appears the wise Minister who directs our Finances is somewhat entering into my idea; and here are the two presumptions I draw from it. First, upon his arrival at the Ministry, he stopped the construction work on the French Comedy building that was going to be built on the former grounds of the Hôtel-Condé. Second, the Comptroller General has just had the construction work on the Comedy Hall in Bordeaux suspended—both at His Majesty's expense—in order to give them to a Company: several have presented themselves, and more present themselves every day. Madame, let us resume the thread of my letter. "A moment, Monsieur le Chevalier," the Comedians might perhaps say to me; "what words, what phrases, to prove to us that several Theaters are necessary!" I answer you that words are not