‘Monsieur le Baron de Breteuil,—In consideration of the favourable reports I have received with reference to yourself, I have decided upon nominating you my minister plenipotentiary in Russia, and admitting you to a secret correspondence with me, which I have never wished to conduct through my Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Count de Broglio, who will deliver to you this letter, and M. Tercier, are alone concerned in the management, and you will accept whatever they may say to you as coming from me. You will deliver to them the instructions you have already received, and which you will yet receive from the Duke de Choiseul before your departure, and you will communicate to them any verbal instructions you may have received from him, upon the subject of your mission, so that being acquainted thereupon, they may prepare special and secret instructions, from their knowledge of my wishes, on the affairs of Russia and Poland. Those instructions will be supplied to you with all despatch, so soon as I shall have approved them. ‘In the meantime, I order you to postpone your departure until you receive them, under any pretext convenient to yourself, and I charge you, at your peril, to keep this secret from everybody, no matter who, with the exception of the Count de Broglio and M. Tercier, and I rely upon your fidelity and your obedience.[54] LOUIS.’ * * * * * _Louis XV. to M. D’Eon._