To John Adams from the Chevalier de La Luzerne, 21 September 1787
From the Chevalier de La Luzerne
A paris ce 21 7bre 1787
Monsieur trumbull ma fait remettre monsieur, la lettre dont la charge votre excellence.1 jai été bien faché de n’etre pas chez moi lors qu’il sest donné la peine d’ÿ passer, mais jvai certainement le chercher, et lui rendre tous les soins que je dois a votre recommendation monsieur, aus vertus de son respectable pere et a ses propres talens. je vous prie d’etre persuade quil ne tiendra pas a moi quil ne reanime dans les vues qui l’ont amméné en france.
Jespere etre en angleterre Vers le douze du mois prochain, et je me fais d’avance un vrai plaisir de renouveller votre connoissance, et de vous rappeller les momens que nous avons passés ensemble sur le meme vaisseau. je seroi tres heureus si le sejour de londres, me procure de nouvelles occassions de vous confirmere du tres sincere at. tachement et de la tres hautte consideration avec la quelle jai l’honneur detre monsieur votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur,
le chr de laluzerne
TRANSLATION
Paris, 21 September 1787
Mr. Trumbull has delivered to me, sir, the letter given to him by your excellency.1 I was quite dismayed to not have been home when he made the effort to stop by, but I will certainly seek him out and give him all of the attentions owed to your recommendation, sir, to the virtues of his esteemed father and to his talents. I beg you be persuaded that, should he not rekindle his views which led him to France, it shall not be for my lack of trying.
I hope to be in England around the twelfth of next month, and I am already delighting in the prospect of renewing our acquaintance and in reminding you of the moments we spent together on the same ship. I will be very happy if my stay in London procures me new opportunities to confirm to you the very sincere attachment and the very high esteem with which I have the honor to be, sir, your most humble and most obedient servant
le chr de laluzerne
RC (Adams Papers).
1. JA’s letter of introduction for the soldier and artist John Trumbull, who was staying with Thomas Jefferson in Paris, has not been found. This letter is JA’s last known correspondence with La Luzerne, who met JA and JQA in 1779 when they sailed from Lorient to Boston aboard La Sensible. AA2 wrote to JQA in early Feb. 1788 of La Luzerne’s arrival in London and his secret marriage to Angran d’Alleray; the French minister died in 1791 (vol. 18:378–379; , 6:129; 8:230, 231).