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WASHINGTON IRVING * PSA * SLEEPY HOLLOW Author SMALLPOX Autograph Letter SIGNED
$1,075.00
Guaranteed Authentic
"Sleepy Hollow" author declines an invitation while tending his nephew with "...a virulent attack of the smallpox".
WASHINGTON IRVING, America’s first great man of letters and the beloved author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle declines an opportunity to visit due to a shocking case of smallpox in his household and concerns over community contagion in an undated, handwritten letter, signed in full at conclusion.
Penned on a single sheet, Irving writes:
"It would give me great pleasure my dear madam to accept Mrs. Fairfax' kind invitation but I have a nephew ill at my lodgings with a virulent attack of the smallpox whom I cannot quit - and indeed under such circumstances it would be improper for me to visit you under the risk of community contagion.
With kind compliments to Dr. and Miss Gilkamp,
I am faithfully
your obliged
Washington Irving
Wednesday, March 10"
In the 19th century, smallpox was a terrible disease; On average, 3 out of every 10 people who got it died. A contemporary account of Irving's personal physician noted he was impressed with "...the gentle way in which [Irving] remained with a relative sick with smallpox, and under the direction of the German physician punctured each pustule with a golden needle, wiped away the poisonous pus frequently, and bathed the face of the sick person."
In his lifetime, Irving was one of the most celebrated authors in the Western world. His works had crossed the Atlantic, earning him renown in both America and Europe, and his Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, published in 1820, had forever changed the landscape of American literature with the introduction of enduring classics like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
The IRVING letter has been thoroughly reviewed and CERTIFIED AUTHENTIC BY PSA/DNA AUTHENTICATION SERVICES EXPERT EXAMINATION, and encapsulated using PSA/DNA's proprietary sonically-sealed technology. GUARANTEED GENUINE - simply one of the finest IRVING autographs available on the market.
Letter measures 4.5" x 5.75", overall encapsulate measures 6.5" x 10". Light toning as to be expected with the letter's 150+ years of age. Pencil annotations on verso in unknown hand.
Own a remarkable, investment-quality piece of American Literary history! The perfect gift for the book collector, Washington Irving or Sleepy Hollow fan, autograph enthusiast, or history buff.
Sold as is, as shown.