Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-08-10
LONDON. su,,e 2.

I'D down TO the present time, there never
p~rhaps. has been found combination OF
Events so remar kable-an assumption Of
character so various, and in many cases di-
rectiy opposite, as in the life of this extra
orein arv parsonage. After having sustain
ed for the first fifty years, and in the most
disting uished manner, the characters OF
scholar, soldier and a statesman, we sud-
denly and unexpectedly find M. DION as.
Stunning the dress, and apparently with great
reluctan &c submitting to be taken tor wo-
man and it is not till upwards of 80 years
afterwards, that, on his death, bed, are We
ri6ed beyond the possibility of doubt, his
claims to the personal as well as mental dis
tinctions of man. AS some account OF
the principal events which have marked the
life of this mysterious being, may not be
unacceptable to the public, the following
brief sketch is submitted, andcits aushenti-
city may be relied upon:-
!" Charles Genevien Louise Auguste
Andree Timothee Dion de Beaumont,
was born at Tonnere, in Burgundy, on the
9th October, 1927, OF an ancient family.
He received his education at the College
Mazarin, at Paris. After the death of his
father, he was patronized by the prince of
Cont, and was presented by Louis XIV.
with cornetcy OF dragons.
(" In the year 1855, he was employed un-
der the cheva!ier Douglas, in transae,ng a
negotiation of a most delicate and import
ant nature at the court of St. Petersburgh,
which by their means was reconclled to
France.
The chevalier at the time OF his first
coming over to England, was captain of
dragons in the French service, and score.
tary to the duke dc Nivernois, in which
character he behaved so much to the duke
satisfaction, that that nobleman, upon his
departure for France, got M. D'Eon ap"
pointed minister pleniposensiary in his roon:'
In this situation he renamed until super.
coded by the count de Guerchy.
6 From this period until the death Of
Louis XIV. M. D'Eon continued to reside
in England, destitute of any official charac'
ter, but honored with the notice and friend.
ship of the most distinguished persons IN
this country. And here VS. enter upon a
circumstance of D'Eon's life now render ed
as mysterious in its origin, as it is wonder
tul in its successful concealment tor many
wears. S1,-.o r--.-~.o, mat vi, 1spds df
was woman, and in addition to certain fe-
minnie appearances in his voice and person.
still stronger surmise was INDUCED, especi-
ally at Petersburg, on account of the total
indifference, aud even aversion as to all af.
fairs of gallantry constantly exhibited by
D'Eon towards the females of that volup
tuous court, where amorous intrigue is well
known to have mixed itself ON most occa
siuns with political events. Not that the
manners or department. of D'Eon were ei-
ther harsh or forbidding towards women,
but the extreme caution with which he al.
ways avoided any private or particular in
,ercourse with them, gave strength to the
doubts excited as to his Sex. And other
circumstances concurring (the detail of
which our present limits forbid at this time
to place the sexual claim of Dion, as a
woman, on the most absolute footing of
proof, both in France and England, he as
sumed the female dress, and from the year
t777 down to his death was universally re-
garded as woman. The first few years
after this metamorphosis were passed by
nj. D'Eon in France, where, if the merits
of the newly established demoiselle are to
be estimated by the reception she met at
the court of Louis XVI. and the express
sions of esteem made TO her by almost eve.
ny person in the kingdom-she was deserv.
ing OF the highest praise. About the year
1885, M. D'Eon returned to England,
where he has resided ever since.
6 In the year f777, we find such strong
doubts entertained Of his sex as TO produce
wagers to large amount, and curious ;r-
al before lord Mans6eld.'
is now evident that the fraud of the