LAFAYETTE, MARQUIS DE:
Autograph letter signed "Lafayette" adressed to "Monsieur Cooper Rue St. Dominique No. 59 à Paris" in English: "My dear Sir / I dare ... .. ... here to attend the Committee But Have writ(t)en a letter / to the Chairman Which I think deserves Your Attention. I Hope the / Gentlemen Who Have no Better Complacence for to Morrow Morning than / to Attend (?) at a french Wedding will do us the Honor to Be at the .....(?) / Church at twelve o'clock. there I hope to Say to Your family Good / Morning as I now wish you all Good Evening. / Lafayette / My introductory letter and that of general Bernard are printed; they are Waiting for Your Relian(ce) of the translation / and after you have approved it the french (?) proof ... will ... Submitted to You. / We(d)nesday /".
Paris 1832. 8vo. s. 1 page. (36,5x22)cm. Portrait (woodcut) of "Lafayette" (9x12cm.) (Copyright, 1888, by Harper & Bros.) later attached to the letters verso. A few tears.
¶ The French general Marquis Joseph Mortier de Lafayette (1757-1834) wrote this letter to his friend the American author James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) in 1832, during Coopers seven-year stay in Europe to write and to gather material for several travel books. His friendship with the general, who also played a role in the American independance process, led to a conflict with the American public. "A debate had arisen in the French chamber of deputies in which Lafayette referred to the government of the United States as a model of economy and efficiency. ... Cooper, after holding aloof for a time from the discussion, published a pamphlet prefaced by a letter from Lafayette to himself, in which he reviewed the whole subject of government expenditure in the United States. ... The letters on the finance discussion aroused what now seems an altogether inexplicable bitterness against the author. The attacks upon him in the newspapers were excessevily annoying to a proud and sensitive nature, and a distrust of public opinion under the American republic" (www.virtualology.com / virtualpubliclibrary). The above letter seems to be of a more private character and is none of the mentioned, but from the same period. The letter have no accurate date; only "We(d)nesday" and "1832". We know that Cooper lived with his family on the above mentioned address at Hôtel St. Susanne from April 1st until September 4th 1831, and, after an excursion to Belgium and Germany, again from September 28th 1831 until July 17th 1832. Then again, after a new visit to Belgium, Germany and Switzerland from October 11th 1832 until June 14th 1833. Hence this letter must have been written either between January 1st and July 17th or October 11th and December 31st. The mentioned general Bernard, must have been general Simon Bernard (1779-1836), who in the 1830's was entrusted with the preparation of plans for the fortification of Paris. There are several letters from general Lafayette on the market, but few with such a provenience. Tradition connected to this particular letter tells that it was given to "Jacob" by Charles (John) Phinney, the son of Coopers daughter Caroline Martha.
· DRA68884 · Drammen Antikvariat, Drammen (NO) ·
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