Les mystifications de Caillot-Duval

Les Mystifications de Caillot‑Duval is a collection of satirical letters written by two army lieutenants who adopted the fanciful name Caillot‑Duval to play elaborate jokes on the Parisian literary and social scene of the late eighteenth century. The book gathers a selection of their most amusing missives, from congratulatory absurdities sent to a provincial prosecutor to elaborate schemes involving a Russian prince’s entourage. Each piece is presented with the victim’s reply, offering a lively back‑and‑forth that reveals the era’s taste for clever deceit.

The correspondence ranges widely— a nervous shoemaker denying a simple stitch, an ornithologist hearing of a curious bird romance, a confectioner defending “love” candies, and many more colorful characters. Written in a witty, slightly pompous style, the letters parody the pomp of scholarly discourse while exposing the human penchant for self‑importance. Listeners will enjoy the playful banter and the glimpse into a forgotten tradition of literary hoaxing that delighted bibliophiles of the time.