Norwich bulletin., 1922-06-26
Great Mems Love Letters
The Marunis to Madams Lafarette


 Very little is known of the private life of the Marquis de Lafayette, and about the only episode of his life with which we are familiar dates from the time he came to this country to assist the struggling colonists to gain their liberty. The mili- tary and political side of his life has so obscured his domestic story that few of us know anything about his family, or that it was his wife, among all his rela- tives and friends, who encouraged him to come to this country and help us in our darkest hour.
 Though Lafayette was left an orphan wit ha large fortune at the age of 13, he did not waste his money, his time, or his affections. He courted the daughter of the Duke de Noaillies, a family of wealth and rank, because he loved her. One of his most charming letters was. written to her from CharleStoWn on June [ HIT:
 T am still floating on this dreary plain, the most wearisome of all human habita- tions. To console myself a little think of you and of my friends I think of the pleasure of seeing you again. How de- lightful will be the moent of my arrival. I shall hasten to surprise and embrace you. I shall perhaps find you with the children.
 gro think only of that happy moment | Is an inexpressible pleasure to me; dc not fancy that it is distant although the 1 time of my absence will appear, I own, very long to me, yet we shall meet sooner l than you can expect, without being able to fix the day or the month of our re- union. l T hope that for my sake you will be come a good American, for that feel l ing is worthy of every noble heart. Int | happiness of America is intimately con nected with the happiness of all man l kind she will become the safe and re sected asylum of virtue, integrity, tol eration, equality and tranquil happiness l "Good-by. Night obliged me to dis continue my letter. as I have recent, forbidden any candles to be used in m! | vessel. See how prudent I have become Once more good-by. If my fingers be a all guided by my heart it is not neces sary to see clearly that love you, ant that I shall love you all my life" All the letters that Lafayette wrot to his wife during his long residence i America were full of affection and ten derness. In his first letter at sea h writes to console her upon his depar ture.
 "If you could know all that I hay suffered while thus flying from all I lov best in the worldi Henrietta is so d. . nghtful that she has made me in lov with little girls
 2 It was easy to write letters in tn cabin of his vessel, but it was by T 5 means easy to send them back, the oces
 being traversed almost entirely by Enl 7 fish cruisers. Henrietta was dead a
 most a year before Madame Lafayett
 received this letter.
 It was year and a half after his d.
 parture that Madame Lafayette enjoye 5 the transport of welcoming her tusbar b home on a leave of absence. After L; = fayette returned to France the your , couple was overwhelmed with fatterir 6 attentions, and the king promoted u e marquis to the rank of field marshal q the French army.
 During the next seven years Madam Q Lafayette was at the height of earth d felicity. Her two daughters and her so : George Washington, were affectiona
 and promising children, and there seer
 ed nothing wanting to complete her ha
 piness However, the French revoluti l. came and Lafayette was imprisoned H e wife shared his confinement, and aft q her release she never regained her hAal " and died on December "A, 1907.