and foll. Madame Sauvage This letter is

by no means a model of style. It is supposed to be written by a peasant-soldier without much instruction, la présente = la présente lettre; censément, local, for à peu près, pour ainsi dire (so to speak, one might say) ; Vu que, since. *

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46. 18. soldat de 2° classe. Every soldier in entering the French army is "soldat de 2° classe" ; if he distinguishes himself in some fashion or other, especially in time of war, he may be promoted, "soldat de 1° classe."

46. 19. était datée de trois semaines, was dated three weeks back.