23. MARIE JOSEPH DE LAFAYETTE (1757-1834) French statesman and military officer who served as a major general under Washington and was instrumental in the defeat of Cornwallis at Yorktown. A.L.S. "Lafayette", 1p. oblong 8vo., [n.p., n.d.] in English to Lady Holland. In part: "...I much grieve to hear that Lord Holland is Now my fellow sufferer, and for your Son Henry I grieve more than for us both. Let us postpone our Meeting to better times...the first use of my feet, on their restoration shall be to wait upon you..." Very good, matted with an engraving and framed. Lafayette could only have been referring to an attack of the gout. Interestingly, on July 16, 1824 she wrote her son: "I agree that a fit of the gout would be opportune if it prevented Lafayette from going to U. States. He is too old to move his household goods..." $400-500