th.August 1847.
I dined at my Sons with Mr. Alexander
Vattemare, the twofold personage, as a Stage Player, and
Ventriloquist, and as the projector, of Exchanges of Books, who was
here, in the years 1840. and 41. and then returned to France, and has
now made his second visit to this Country, bringing with him, it is
said, almost 12000. volumes in Exchange, for other books to be collected
from the Public Libraries of the scientific Institutions of the several
States, and the Libraries of the State Legislatures— Just as we were
about to sit down to Table, Mr. Filmore of Buffalo in the
State of New York, came to pay me a visit and dined with us. Mr. Charles
Brooks of Boston came also while we were at dinner. Mr. Vattemare appears to have lost none of
his zeal and enthusiasm for his project and system of exchanging Books.
He professes however, to have abdicated his second 152character of Ventriloquist and stage Player— He is now, no longer Mr. Alexander but simply Mr. Vattemare— He and Mr. Filmore, returned to Boston by the Railroad Cars and both
propose to leave the City tomorrow— I rode with Mrs. Charles
Adams to Milton leaving Mr. George. T. Bigelow with my
Son—