The following impromptu reminiscence of Lafayette's visit to this country in 1825, and his going over one day to Brooklyn, New York, was given some time since at a meeting of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, in Somerset Street, Boston.

Secretary's Desk,
NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY,
Boston, Mass.

Respectfully returned

This Society listened on 5th October 1881, to a paper from the Rev. A. B. Milzzey, of Cambridge, entitled "Lafayette" which was followed by remarks by several gentlemen relating chiefly to Gen. Lafayette's visit in 1824/5.

7th December 1881, Frederick U. Viaux, them of Boston, read a paper before the Society on "Famous Lafayette"s" being sketches of several distinguished ancestors or relatives of the General. Remarks were made by several gentlemen at the conclusion of the essay.

No mention of Mr. Whitman is found in the record of either meeting.

But the principal incident in my recollection is now to come. They were at that time just commencing the foundation of the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library, and Lafayette had consented to lay the corner-stone, with his own hands - that is to grasp it personally. Some half a mile or over from the ferry, he

* Now the Brooklyn Institute -
This building was on the corner of Cranberry and Henry
Sts, and was pulled down many years ago,

That beautiful sunshiny day,
over sixty years since, the spontaneous effusion of all stages of
humanity, and the occasion, made a picture, which time has continued
to set deeper and deeper in my recollection.