The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-24
PAYABLE IN ADVANCE
THE AUTOGRAPH MANIA.

ing world, rapidly increasing interest
in all characteristic objects, illustrating his.
tory i'll any Of its forms. Curiosities-wo
do not mean South Sea war clubs and
dried star-fisll-but curious clics connected
with great men anI events, or setting forth
Art, are eagerly sought for, and bring cnor-
nous prices. Perhaps tho most decided
advance Of this kind has been shown in
the now universal mania for collecting au-
tographs. There was time when only
autographs Of very eminent persons were
sought for. Nowadays The author who is
not frequently besought to give his sign
manual must be very small potatoc in
deed in the tcrary field; so small that 81
the most searching eyes can hardly per-
ceivc him. This is always realized immc-
diatcly after the publication of some Com.
pendulum, or Gallery, or Household Book,
or Biogr: plical Dictionary, when numbers
of those who own The book ut once pro.
cecd to enhance its value 10y obtaining
autographs Of many Of those whose names
are in il.
These autographs, when neatly inter
leavcd, of course, increase the value of tho
work, us has frequently been shown Of late
at auctions anG in catalogues where not
autographs, but even manuscript comments
and newspaper clippings, arc cited with
good effect as increasing value. Since it
has become the fashion thus to give real
market value to books Ivy additions which
frequently cost only postage, the demand
10: autographs has greatly increased So
too, for reviews as well as newspapers, con.
tanning much literary matter, since they all
furnish rich material for illustrating books.
And the fancy or fashion is not without its
excuse. The poems Of some eminent man
invariably draw us nearer to him than do
the works of the artist or musician. A
note in his Handwriting, visiting card, a
photograph, all tend to realize him and
carry out the feeling of personality.
The enormous prices which literary au-
tographs bring, and tho facility ii which
they can be forged by prac. "a hand, to
say nothing Of the fact that they are not
likely to lie tested as tho signatures of
bank presidents arc, has of course led to
eounterfeiting. In Germany this has been
carried OH to an incredible extont. Some
years ago, some rascals set up regular
manufactory Of autograph letter and MS.
which they sold all over Europe. Our
readers may remember a recent case in
which some petty scoundrol distinguished
himself by forging and selling autographs
Of Washington by wholesale. Every year
sees the average price Of autographs rise,
so that many which few years ago were
purchasable by shillings, are now paid for
by dollars. Tho same is true of old and
scarce books, which to use an Americanism,
have "appreciated'' wonderfully of Iate.-
This has beensattributed to many causes, to
American demand for odd matters :" but
the true reason is, that people, as they grow
richer, educate themselves more, and in
forming libraries, like to have in them few
rarities.
The judging of character by hand
writing, an idea which has macy advocates,
has also Of late years attracted much at
tention towards autographs. It may be
true that the "scicnce" which some have
founded in the theory, is just as reliable rs
physognony, not moro or less, and Of
which writer truly says, that while every
body believes that he understands it, those
who really do SO, arc the rarest men in the
world; and yet there is in it a certain de
gree of truth. Look at the careless, clar
acterlcss hands, written by those who have
"no genius for anything" as they them
selves say of those who take no particu.
lar interest in any study, or accomplishment
orpursuit, and see now how they reproduce
life. How seldom the author, though lie
Write much and fast, ever writes business
hand, and how fond some poets are of try
ing to write different hand from that
which is natural to them. All of these DC
culiarities studied out, give to autographs a
value beyond that of mere relics. Possibly
there is good time coming for eminent
children of genius, when the demand for
autographs will rise 80 enormously, that
they will be able to sell their writ ings for
more than their works, and when manu-
script will bring more for its intrinsic me
chanical value than it would for copy
This ia the age. be it remembered, when:
"to be living is sublime" and who .kasws'
but that some sublime extravapances maz.
be included in its future 9-Philadelphia
(Pa) Bulletin. s.,
will you have Daily Sanf said
neWs:boy to Mrs. Darlington:
-. Will you have Daily SOM" Why,
LII