[LAFAYETTE, Gilbert du Motier, marquis de] Lettre autographe de John T. Kirkland, Président de Harvard, et document signé par J. T. Kirkland (3) Harvard College, 21 août 1824
Estimation :
5000 / 7000
Adjudication :
Invendu
Description
EXEMPLAIRE DE LAFAYETTE : INVITATION DU PRÉSIDENT DE HARVARD JOINTE À LA DÉCISION DE LA CORPORATION DE L’UNIVERSITÉ, SIGNÉE PAR LE PRÉSIDENT, RECONNAISSANT AU GÉNÉRAL LE MÉRITE D’AVOIR APPORTÉ AUX ÉTATS-UNIS : “THE BLESSING OF EDUCATION IN A LAND OF FREEDOM." LAFAYETTE’S COPY : INVITATION FROM THE DEAN OF HARVARD, ATTACHED TO THE DECISION OF THE HARVARD CORPORATION SIGNED BY THE DEAN, PRAISING THE GENERAL FOR BRINGING TO THE UNITED STATES “THE BLESSING OF EDUCATION IN A LAND OF FREEDOM" Lettre autographe à la troisième personne écrite par le Président de Harvard à Lafayette : “The President of the University has the honor of transmitting to Genl Lafayette the official copy of the Vote of the Corporation inviting him to Commencement, & begs leave to add to it the expression of personal gratification in the duty" ; il lui demande s’il accepterait d’être à Harvard “by nine oClock nearly", adressant son compliment à Georges Washington Lafayette, 1 p. in-4, avec l’adresse au verso (“Major Genl Lafayette") 2. Document signé par John Thornton Kirkland, Président de Harvard : promulgation officielle et certifiée, jointe à la lettre précédente, du vote par la “Corporation of Harvard" invitant Lafayette au moment de la rentrée universitaire “the approaching commencement (...) and thereby favour the University with his company on that occasion ; and thereby afford to the members of the University, & to those, who are candidates for it’s honors, the opportunity of seeing & honoring the distinguished patriot & Soldier, whose willing sacrifices & valuable services were devoted to the cause, which has secured to the successful races of American youth the blessings of education in a land of freedom ; & whose virtuous & glorious career holds forth to the rising generation a bright example of the qualities, which ought to adorn those, who aspire to aid in the councils, or maintain the rights & interests of a free people", signé “John T. Kirkland President", 1 p. in-4 3. [Imprimé ; texte latin]. Illustrissimo Gulielmo Eustis... Honoratissimo Marco Morton... Caeterisque Universitatis Harvardianae Curatoribus... Johanni Thornton Kirkland praesidi... exexercitationes hasce Juvenes in Artibus initiati..., Cambridge, 25 août 1824, 4 pp. in-4 The unnamed author of this letter is John Thornton Kirkland (1770-1840), who served as fifteenth President of Harvard from 1810 to 1828. A period seen as the Augustan Age of Harvard during which its influence was felt throughout the nation and could be said to have attained the pre-eminent reputation that it holds to this day. Lafayette’s son, Georges Washington Lafayette, was a graduate of Harvard ; while Lafayette had received an honorary degree during his earlier return visit of 1784. Miss Quincy followed Lafayette to Harvard and records that : “He paid the strictest attention to each of the speakers and whenever the tenor of an oration showed that a complement was about to be paid to himself, he has a conscious apprehensive, yet pleased expression of countenance which seemed to say, “now it is coming"’ (cf. Klamkin, Return of Lafayette, p. 34).
