New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
4 Graf WITH IN OLD COLLECTOR.
MATTHEW MoRGAN's UNMARRIED SEARCH FOR RABE
BOOKS AND AUTOGRAPHS.

BOOKS AND AUTOGRAPHS.
On the sixth or top floor or handsome,
commodous private house Forty seconds, near the
Grand Central Depot, an extensive library ana CO..
lection of articles antique. curious or artistic known 10
very few New.Yorkers The proprietor OF these rooms
is an old man, probably some seventy years OF age,
ana is a native of New. England He is tall and
thin. has scanty gray locks and beard, and
betrays in his habtual stoop sedentary habit
Matthew Morgan, Autograph Mat as ne Is
Familiarity known to secondhand booksellers, Is an
interesting character, remarkable not only Tor the
uncommon nature of his vocation and his answering
pursuit of and devotion it, but for the extent of his
ourpeyings through the civilized world. and for his
scholarship.
TRIBUNE reporter rec emily paid visit to Mr. Morgan
Having climbed the sixth story OF the large bfoWn-
stone house, a door found heavily covered WIN
green baize and fitted WITH knOcker and DELI In answer
to the reporters summons this door was opened by
vouDg negro whose capacity for smiling was thing Ia
marvel at But grmaces Of the ebony-aced anlt0r
cea.ed 10 attract in the presence OF the contents OF the
room. II was spacious apartment. lighted 10y three
windows commanding partial view OF Fhth-aVe' ana
OF the railway station. The walls from floor to ceiling.
were fitted with shelves bending beneath their burden
of we'll preserved old books. Marble busts OF statesmen
warriors poets and others famous IN the worries history
stood around pedestals delightful eonfusion e" Ola
oil rested upon eases while displayed Ia large
glass table cases standing along the centre of the room
era ivory carvings Of old Italian modern Indian or
Chinese workmanship rare volumes containing auto.
crophs Of eminent persons their y-leavcs laid open
for inspection, and many valuable autograph leuers
carefully preserved between plates OF thin clear glass
An air of antiquity seemed TO pervadc the place ana
appeared a il had suddenly stepped out OF the glare
o,d hustle Of Nev.York 10 the Of the British
Museum. london.
No said the old virtuoso answer TO the reporters
INQUIRY do not receive many visitors here. may
say that hardly anybody ever visits these rooms MY
business transactions conducted almost entrey DIV
mail Then YOU must remember the fact that spend
onIv three months OF each year I'm New-York
and that during the nine months ia which am engaged
I'm ransackng the book markets OF European captais
they are closed and placed under police protection.
Then how do you find BUYERS without either Ret ping
pubc store advertising or even so much rs allowing
vour name and business to be announced in the city
directory"
The nanes and addressed Of the private bookbuyers
and collectors of objects dart throughout the United
states are perfectly well known to me. and regularly
mail them copies OF my periodical catalogue am
equally vel known TO the bOokouyeiH and collectors
and they place implicit. trust in my honor aud integrity
| For instance II in my catalogue j de-
scribe n book as from the Aldine press,
| or produced by any member OF the EHeVlr
family or az being perfect OF certain age OF history
or as bound in particular mannerby particular arts
the man who RENTS its price feels assured that he
will safely receive exactly what has been described to
him and nothing but It. Every of my catalogue Ia
printed in long primer type upon the best Wlre-woVe
paper aud costs about dollar have Issued my
eight catalogues since the beginning OF the year 1905
and I'm them have appeared II is believed for the hrs
time copies OF about 1000 letters by PERSONS
| the originals of which offered for sae'
"Wbat valuable autograph letters have you on hand
| at presentP
"well let me Here are three in the
| handwriting Of Byron, tho poei' one OF
| them quite long, addressed TO his friend
| Mr. Hobaouse II is dated June, 1914. and Is very
| characteristic production. 1t opens thus: why.
Johnny In the name or Ap0lly0n and his master dld
YOU up last night according 10 appointment
81 vo1T race were ever before roundy cursed was
astonshed first your audacity III breaking 50 solemn
had never endured like exercise before and lastly. at
volatility as you arc 81 S ds
appointment, you see, which oceaso1ed TINS leoteF
| an engagement by Hobhouse 10 accompany Byron Ia
| Vauxhall Gardens then place mnch fesOre1
to 9E Gsrc Of London The price Of M
consisting OF three closely niled i1oIscp Pas - go
On no! The other letters are brief, and relate I'M
ply to business matters yet exeeI TO esy Ie
George HerDeIt the old English divine wortg at least
bore his signature Here is a letter written by John
| Wesley. ana here n present alton copy on CoWlef :
Task with the poets writing on the ute psge;
once owned brief letter written by SIR walter Raleigh
while prisoner in The Tower Of London %hch sofa 10
"a wealthy gentleman in Virginia for i,ooV. - ,,o .o
"Are not forgerles sometimes palmed Oh upon the
public ae yeritable literary curlOsitles u .., .
NEVER think, though the trick Is frequently at
tempted. To initiate ano.her's handwrihng is never an
easy task as records of bank fOrgeries prove HOW
much more cult then 10 IL for rogue 70 forge entire
letters manuscriplsl IN the 1rst place, ne must
ac1uIre the skill formulate the handwriting, must master
also the literary style or the llustrous person who1 ne
designs TO impersOnae, and provide himself with blank
paDer OF contemporary cate. Then II IL dc ietter
Iat he forges and he these almost insur-
mountable difficulties. lie can neither Initiate wax seal
nor postmarks, give his spurious production sem
| hlance of the age he desires 10 invest III WIN.
| rben again, none but people who are competent
| iudges OF tho genuineness OF autographs care
| ssudic,entlv for them TO buy them Literary
foreries have frequently been attempted Dut the man
VINO would sell letter which he had himself written
90 an aufoeraph of a modern auh0f-say, Tor e1-
ampe the late Charles Dckens-i wond forgive him his
,mpogfure and present him with 700 over anu above
wat he had swindled me out OF. $50. .oa...
"How about the value OF autograph letters by modern
"Wel brief letter written by Tennyson VIII bring 10
New.York ali the way from Sl5 70 go Dut ia Lonuoh
Il would realize nothing by the same lu5 ~
Longfelow will command as noch 10 Loh1 .Gi ~
here thsx are drug IAftere By CHARLES DleEens sci