Lafayette In Brooklyn

George D. Smith. First Printing. Inscribed by both the Publisher and the Introducer. Limited Edition, Published posthumously. One of 250 copies printed, this being # 32 [one of the copies on American Hand Made Paper] signed by the publisher, Whitman's friend, George D. Smith. Introduction by another of Whitman's friends, noted naturalist John Burroughs, who, in this copy, also inscribed and signed the book on the ffep, Lovely frontisportrait of Whitman. Image of letter in Whitman's hand describing the incident tipped in. B/W image of portrait of LaFayette. Unpaginated. Untrimmed page edges. Hardcover. 8vo. Grey-brown paper-spined over grey-brown paper covered boards with contrasting paper lettering label to front board. Corners bumped and worn. Boards moderately soiled. Tightly bound. Interior clean and sound. This is the first publication of an undated manuscript that Whitman prepared for the publisher describing Whitman's much related reminiscence of his interaction with the Marquis de Lafayette in the latter's noted return to the United States in 1824-5, when Whitman was six years old. The chance interaction of these two great men bridges time from the middle of the Eighteenth Century, through the American Revolution to the waning years of the Nineteenth Century; the publication of the book brings it into the early Twentieth Century. Exceedingly scarce. No institutional copies. This is one of only four known copies to exist. Our copy is the only copy known to exist that is signed by both the publisher and the introducer. The manuscript went through two printings in 1905. Introduced by Whitman's friend, the American naturalist John Burroughs (1837-1921). Uncommon in the trade, particularly with these desirable extras; the last copy at auction appeared in 1992 (Swann Galleries). Myerson A21.1.a; BAL 21458. In archival cover. . Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 1905.