Four-piece archive includes two letters, in English, from Lafayette. ALS, signed "Lafayette," one page, 5 x 7.75, no date, but circa 1824. Letter to Dr. Stevenson reads, in full: "The Benevolent plan of our friend has been accepted with deep and lively gratitude, my dear doctor. It has been agreed betwen [sic] my Colleague, a friend to the Servant and myself that this Servant should be at your House tomorrow Thursday at light in the Morning with a letter from me to be by you sent to His New Master."; ALS, signed "Lafayette," one page, 5 x 7.5, no date, but circa 1824. Lafayette writes to Mr. Stevenson. In full: "How are you, dear doctor, by this Hot Weather? I beg you to let me Hear of the Health of poor Mr Jones: Give me also his adress [sic]."
Also included is an ALS from Dr. Samuel Brown, signed "Sam. Brown," one page, both sides, dated October 3, 1824, addressed to Dr. Stevenson. In full: "I regret that I did not see you before I left Paris to thank you for the uncommon attentions & favors I recd from you during my visit to that City. The illness of my son & that of my Brother retarded my preparations for the voyage so much that I had not time to take a formal leave of you & to solicit your correspondence. You are always arguing new Ideas & be assured no one is more disposed to learn than I am or more grateful to those who instruct me. Write then my dear friend by every Packet & tell what our friends are doing–Assure [doctors] Amusat, Cloquet, Rostar & Magendee of the regret with which I have them & the sense of obligations which I shall ever retain. Cultivate their friendship & make them ours. They are all worthy of the esteem of Americans. On my arrival in America I shall send you the necessary papers with a list of our friends &c. We have a very pleasant party & hope to reach home in a month–I wish you were with us. Call often on my Brother & encourage him to sustain the pains of confinement rather than those of Sciatic."
Final piece is an autograph manuscript, three pages on two adjoining sheets, addressed to "Madame Le Breton," in an unknown hand. Penned in an unknown hand on the address leaf: "Le Chanson" ("The Song"), the manuscript contains five stanzas in French, eight lines each. In good to very good overall condition. Lafayette was the last surviving general of the Revolutionary War when he returned to the United States for a visit in 1824 and 1825-a landmark event during the first half of the 19th century America and a trip that marked the first time in 38 years that he had stepped foot on US soil. RRAuction COA.
