Adrienne de La Fayette writes George Washington
There are quite a few letters that passed between George Washington and Adrienne de La Fayette. They did not write quite as much as Washington and the Marquis de La Fayette, so I am even more pleased to find a letter in Adrienne’s own handwriting. In her letter, Adrienne replies to letter Washington send her on April 4, 1784. In his letter Washington urged Adrienne to accompany her husband on his journey to America. He wrote:
“Mrs Washington is highly honored by your participations, & feels very sensibly the force of your polite invitation to Paris; but she is too far advanced in life, & is too much immersed in the care of her little progeny to cross the Atlantic. This my Dr Marchioness (indulge me with this freedom) is not the case with you. You have youth (& if you should not incline to bring your children, can leave them with all the advantages to Education)—and must have a curiosity to see the Country, young, rude & uncultivated as it is; for the liberties of which your husband has fought, bled, & acquired much glory—Where every body admires, every body loves him—Come them, let me entreat it, & call my Cottage your home; for your own doors do not open to you with more readiness, than mine wou’d. You will see the plain manner in which we live; & meet the rustic civility, & you shall taste the simplicity of rural life—It will diversify the Scene & may give you a higher relish for the gaieties of the Court, when you return to Versailles.”
Adrienne replied to Washington’s letter on June 18, 1784:
Paris 18 June 1784 sir if I ever had some right, to your indulgence, it’s certainly in this moment; in which I am in the very moment to separate me from mr De La fayette, who is going to see you. I must hope for this indulgence, because I am not in a situation to write tolerably, but I cannot help myself from thanking you, for the kind Letter which you honoured me with. the care of our children obliges me to stay here, and I believe that I could not be so good a mother if their father had not intreated me for. at Least sir I recommend my self to you for obtaining of him, his word to take me with him, at his first journey to america. you see what is my confidence in your Goodness. accept my hommages, sir, and present them for me, to mrs Washington could I have the pleasure to see you both soon in your own Country, or in the our, and to offer my self to you the assurance of the Sentiment of the warmest esteem and regard, with which I am sir, your most humble and very most obedient servant
noailles De la fayette
