A fine collection of 16 autograph letters from Longfellow, James, and others
Collection of 16 autograph letters to John Albee from William James, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Robert Todd Lincoln, Rowland Evans Robinson, Louise Imogen Guiney, A. Bronson Alcott, George Washington Cable, and others.
New Castle, New Hampshire: 1876-1906.
17 leaves, folded, comprising 38 manuscript pages in ink, and 2 addressed and postmarked envelopes. A fine collection of 16 autograph letters from Longfellow, James, and others. All letters have been well kept; a very good collection with interesting associations Item #351937
New Castle historian and poet, John Albee (b.1833 - d.1915), spent several years as a Unitarian minister before writing the 1884 history of New Castle, New Hampshire. He wrote essays on Thoreau and Emerson, a few small collections of poetry, many dealing with local history, and was well respected by other writers of his time, though mostly forgotten.
Albee sent his books along to authors and political figures he liked, becoming acquainted with many of them. His correspondences collected here are from like-minded people, letters mostly about poetry and literature or invitations to visit New Castle. These letters are from known abolitionists and naturalists, several of whom made lasting impressions, if not to the whole of their craft, regionally so. Several were from New England or had at least spent some time there, notably William James who Albee had a long friendship. Also among the correspondents are New Orleans writer George Washington Cable, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Rowland Evans Robinson, and Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of President Abraham Lincoln.
The letters:
* William James; Signed letter dated September 3, 1889. James wrote to Albee about the purchase of the Moulton Place for $700
* William James; Signed letter dated September 14, 1894. James wrote to Albee inquiring about automatic writing.
* William James; Signed letter dated October 19, 1903 regarding the sale of a rug.
* William James; Signed letter dated October 20, 1906 regarding his neglected payment for rugs.
* George Washington Cable; sent from Cable's New Orleans home and dated January 1881, a dicated letter signed "G.W. Cable" from the Creole author responds to Albee's previously sent letter and book.
* Rowland Evans Robinson; sent from Ferrisburgh, Vermont and dated January 18, 1888, a signed letter responding to Albee's letter regarding the yankee accent used in Robinson's writing, and the disdain New Yorkers seem to have for his interpretation.
* Henry W. Longfellow; Signed letter dated December 19, 1876. Longfellow asks Albee about the location of Gerrish Island.
* Henry W. Longfellow; a signed letter dated January 6, 1879 responding to Albee's correction of Longfellow's writing about Gerrish Island.
* A. Bronson Alcott; a signed letter dated Oct 21, 1881. Alcott mentions a magazine article about the Concord Shore.
* John B. Sanborn; a signed letter dated July 8, 1882 from Concord, Mass. Sanborn writes to Albee about the writings of Thoreau and making a collection of his poetry
* William Torrey Harris; Signed letter sent from Concord, Mass. and dated April 30, 1883. Harris writes to Albee expressing regret for missing him at a weekned gathering.
* John Burroughs; Auotograph letter sent from West Park, New York and dated May 26, 1892. The famed naturalist wrote to Albee about some of his "rhymes" as he refers them.
* Louise Imogen Guiney; From Kittery Foreside, Maine, dated August 21, 1886. Signed letter from the poet to Albee and mentions a visit with his wife Esther.
* Thomas Wenworth Higginson; Signed letter dated February 3, 1903 (in an envelope postmarked February 5, 1904) about the whereabouts of Flora McLean.
* William Cullen Bryant; Signed letter sent from New York and dated February 1, 1868, in which Bryant tells Albee he passed his letter on to Simon Stern of the Free Trade League.
* Robert Todd Lincoln; Signed letter dated August 12, 1893. Lincoln sends appologies for not being able to visit Albee in New Castle.
Price: $4,500.00 Free International Delivery
