Excerpt from The Life of Gilbert Motier De Lafayette: A Marquis of France; A General in the American and French Revolutions; The Compatriot and Friend of Washington; The Champion of American Independence, and of the Rights and Liberties of Mankind; From Numerous and Authentick Sources From these numerous sources I have endeavoured to cull the most interesting facts; to reconcile and correct their dis. Crepancies and contradictions; and to weave from the materi als thus gathered, a faithful narrative of the life and character of lafayette, with a strict regard to truth and justice, and to correct chronological and historical order. To state in each instance to which author I may be indebted for an inci dent, a thought, or a narrative sentence, would be impracti cable. Where I um deserving of credit, for originality of arrangement, of diction or of sentiment, the reader will award it where I am not, that credit will be withheld, or awarded to others. I have no pride or ambition of author ship. 1 claim no merit for this volume, except that of a faithful compilation - And what else is all History - all Biography? If this work shall be deemed worthy to rank with the useful publications of the day - if it shall contrib ute to elevate the taste and sentiments of the American people, and increase in them the desire ofinvestigating the history 'and biography of their own country; and ifit shall lead them justly to appreciate the services and merits of one to whom they are so much indebted for the privileges they enjoy - my object will be attained - I shall be amply rewarded. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.