Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-06

Few of our readers are aware of the increas
ing demand Tor autographs in this country
Every man or woman of note is more or les.
bored by the acquisitions Of this class of per
sons, many of whom only collect for the graf
iicaton of an idle curiosity, without reference
to any detailed plan or purpose.
The collection of autographs has been long
in vogue on the other side of the Atlantic, and
many parties have been more illustrious by
their extensive and complete series of letters
and documents Mr.. Upcott of London, and
DR.. Kallles OF Liverpool, are particularly well
known as possessing all of the kings and
queens Of Great Britain and France, also all
OF the authors of eminence, generals, and mil.
itary men, etc, etc. In this country we have
also collectors who have been very sue
cessful, and whose collections would re-
alize, at sale, most extravagant sums
Dr. Sprague of Albany, n Y, Mr..
Teft OF Savannah, aud Mr.. Dreer of Phia
delplIia, may be named as first and foremost in
this specially. With us naturally the letters
of those connected with the history of our
country are most eagerly sought for and
complete set OF the "signers OF the Decartion
OF independence" is considered a sine qua nOn
As our toreiathers were not all of them af
fiicted with the 'cocoethes Scn6endi," 1t is par
tcularly difficult to find specimens of their
chlrography. Our attention has been called to
this matter from the examination of a cata-
logue + a sale at auction, to take place Octo-
Der 3lst, and the following days, by Bangs
Merwin, & Co. Th catalogue, occupying
htty-seven pages, contains over two thousand
distinct letters, documents, and signatures.
From cursory examination, we are able to
refer to IA few OF the most valuable. England
Is represented by the four Georges, William
Ill. and ~, Wellington, Nelson, Moore, BY.
ron, Campbell, Wordsworth, Scott, Dickens,
Brougham, Walpolc, Pitt, North, etc. France
by Louis Kill, XIV, Napoleon, Josephine.
Henri Quatre, Maria Louise Louise. Louis
Philippe, BOssuet Lamartine, D'Aubigne, La
fayette, Lavater, Mirabeau, Marmont, Gu
Tler, Guizot, etc, etc. Germany is rep.
resented by Humboldt, Kossuth, Meyer
beer, Mendelssohn, Meiancthon, Moshem,
Metternich, Neander, etc, etc; and Italy by
BOtta, Catahni, Donizetti, Vierchi, Silvio,
Pellico, Ssmondi, Vcspucci, Giordaui, Pope
Paul Ill, Pope Benedict, etc. 9tc In Amer
lean celebrities we have several of Washington
and Franklin, Fulton, Adams, Paul Jones,
Hancock, Penn, Endicott Boudinot, Stirling
Boone, Stark, Knox, Agassiz, LOngteow,
Prescott, Bancroft, Poe, Willis, Burr, Hamil-
ton, Gates, Arnold, Tarleton, Howe, Clinton
Lee, Lincoln, Webster, Clay, Calhoun, etc.
etc. 1t is not merely the signatures which
give value to this collection. The letters and
documents all teen with matter of real interest
Fulton writes to Commodore Chauncey, en-.
CLOSING plans for the use of ice-boats on the
lakes, in 1872 as flying artillery" Washington
to Colonel Willett, compimenting him highly
on his services during the war; Arnold threat
ening ITO meet a gentleman in London" who
has declined to associate with him in this
country. Sir John Eranklin's signature is
accompanied with some thirty maps and plates
Lord Howe, on board his majesty's ship Eagle,
off the province of Massachusetts Bay,
proffers pardon to all rebels except John
Hancock and Samuel Adams John Hancock
orders a beaver hat. Henry Laurens writes
to Louis XVI. of France, introducing Lafay-
etc. Moore, the poet regrets "the boiled
beef which he shall miss at dinner" Nelson
stat chat the enemy are embarking troops"
Abraham Clark of New Jersey, notifies con-
gress that himself and friends will not disarm
unless deemed dangerous to liberty. Franklin
congratulates Hartley on the signing of the
treaty of peace. Jefferson writes in reference
to the education of his grandgons. Lady
Leigh certities to the fidelity Of Lord Byron's
cook Lord Stirling casks for arms and am
munication." We might In this way fill up
several columns of our paper with extracts of
this character but time will not permit. We
cannot close, however, without referring TO the
printed documents, old newspapers, curious
maps and plans, to be sold at the same time
with the autographs. We find here books
printed by Franklin, proclamations of James
about tobacco curious engravings of Indian
chiefs, early views of New York and Boston.
This entire collection in extent and value will
exceed any sale Of autographs that has ever
taken place in this country.