Antedate / postdate/ cross

Question

The divorce from Josephine was pronounced in the middle of December, but the eagerly awaited reply
of Alexander was slow in coming. Napoleon, having become convinced that the tsar's procrastination would be followed by a rejection of his proposal, announced with dramatic suddenness his betrothal to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria (February 6, 1810, N.S.). The Russian court was informed of the decision in two separate messages: an antedated note withdrew Napoleon's marriage demand while a postdated one brought the news of his engagement to the daughter of Francis I. These communications crossed a letter from the tsar which, as Napoleon had anticipated, was a refusal courteously disguised as a deferment for two years because of the youth of the prospective bride.

Colud you please explain the meaning of the bolded word antdated (predated) to what? Antedated (after date) after which date? And what does crossed mean here? Thanks a lot.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

VladvColud you please explain the meaning of the bolded word antdated (predated) to what? Antedated (after date) after which date?

I've never seen the words used this way. I have always thought that to postdate something means to falsify the date, putting a date that hasn't arrived yet.

I guess he means that Napoleon sent two letters, one dated before February 6 (the date of his betrothal to Marie) and another dated after that date.

VladvAnd what does crossed mean here?

Letters can cross in the mail, the same "cross" you see in crossposting on a forum like this one. At the same time Napoleon's letters were moving east, Alexander's letter was moving west. Consequently, neither sender was aware of the other's letter when he sent his. I suppose the post was so slow over such a distance in those days that Napoleon had ample time to compose two letters days apart while Alexander's letter was being carried west.

Antedate / postdate/ cross

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