TOEFL integrated writing: Chevalier de Seingalt

The Chevalier de Seingalt wrote a memoir about his life and adventures. But, the accuracy of the memoir is doubted by some critics. They claim that he invented many events to make his memoir more excited.

First, the chevalier says that he was very rich while living in Switzerland. Also, he spent a lot of money there on parties and gambling. On the other hand, he borrowed considerable sums of money from a Swiss merchant. Professor clarifies that the Chevalier had many properties in order to convert them to money. When he was waiting his money to arrive, he borrowed money. Therefore, it is true that he was wealthy.

Second, critics are doubtful about the accuracy of the conversations which are recorded in the memoir between himself and the famous writer Voltair, because they were written many years after the conversations occurred and remembering exact phrases is impossible. But in fact, he stated in his memoir that each night immediately after conversing with Voltair, he wrote down all of them. When he was composing the memoir, he regularly consulted the notes.

Finally, the Chevalier claimed to have escaped the Venetian prison by making a hole in the ceiling and climbing through the roof. Critics state that a number of his politically well-connected friends in Venice could have offered a bribe to free him from jail. However, it is clear that there were some prisoners which had even more powerful connection to bribe. In addition, based on government document, ceil repaired soon after his escaping!