Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-22
PRINTS AND |MPR|iTS
Mementoes of the Career of
Benjamin Franklin.
RARE LETTERS ON FILE
Collection on Exhibition at Congress
sional Library.
SOME RESCUED FROM TAILOR
Had Been Pledged in London by
Grandson of Great Philosopher
to Secure Debt.
RARE LETTERS ON FILE
SOME RESCUED FROM TAILOR

A tale of the ups and downs of life is
told in the collection of rare manuscripts,
prints and imprints by or about the great
Benjamin Franklin that Is now on exhibition
In the building of the Library of Congress.
A collection of rare letters written by or to
Franklin. bearing on important matters of
state of the greatest interest in connection
with the early history of the United States,
is shown along with the rare prints. These
letters tell n story of trouble and financial
straits that many young man has known
as a stranger in a great city.
The particular evidence of this trouble is
taHors sleeve pattern cut out of one of
the letters written on fine linen paper of
liberal size that Is preserved in a scrap
book IN one of the glass cases The story
unfolded by this sleeve pattern is of Will
liam Temple Franklin a grandson of the
great philosopher, who, stranded In Lon
don, left with his tailor the collection of
manuscripts that has since become price
less as a guarantee for the payment OF
debt which never was paid and so the rare
documents lay about the tailor shop. How
many of them were cut up into patterns
can only be surmised, as there Is no orig
inal list which would develop what letters
are missing.
One Sample Pattern.
But the presence of at least one of these
rare letters cut into the form of a sleeve
pattern is accepted as proof that the tailor
resorted to them when he needed pattern
paper, which was not so plentiful nor so
cheap as II is today. Many of those who
have seen this evidence of vandalism In the
handling of SUCH rare papers have given
the grandson a sound tongue lashing and
II he could hear what they have said about
MS proHigacy his ghost would probably
turn over several times in the grave
The collection finally drifted from the
hands OF the tailor isto the possession of
Henry stevens. whose collection of Frank
an papers has become famous, and was
nnally purchased by the Library of Com
gress and now forms the nucleus of a col
lection that bids fair to some day rival that
of the Boston library. But, as the Boston IL
brary has long had a special fund, the in
come from which is devoted to the pur-
chase of additions to its collection of Frank
lin relics, II is not likely that the Washing
ton collection Will soon be made it's equal
In this collection there are ninety en-
cravings of the philosopher, and If those
who have long known the popular portrait
OF FRANKLIN that is almost universally used
When an illustration of him is called into
need should look over the collection thew
would have their ideas on that subject yery
much scattered. There are many Franklins
SHOWN in the collection with a variety of
expression that is partly accountable nv the
TACT that they represent him at different
periods OF life. but still more because of the
uiIerent results secured by the artists who
endeavored to preserve the features of the
great man for future generations:
Religious Topics Principally.
One fact in connection with the imprints
that We're turned out by Franklin as a
printer that almost all of them were on
religious subjects. although 1t is we'll known
tSat Franklin himself was not overmuch
given to that line of thought ordinarily. But
ne printed what would sell The Poor Rich
ara almanac is represented in the collection
Dy many samples of that publication
In this collection there are personal let
tiers by Franklin on electricity and impres-
slons OF leaves which were afterward en-
giaVed on continental money. One of the
most ingenious ideas that We're brought out
by Franklin was in connection with the en-
CRAVING OF Impressions of leaves on contI-
mental money In srch way as to make any
effort to counterfeit them difficult
probably the rarest of the books printed
by Franklin and now on exhibition at the
library is the General History of British
Plantations in America 1741.
Contained in Scrap Books.
The manuscripts rescued from the Lon
don tailor are now contained in a dozen
scrap books. They, together with other
portions of the Stevens collection. were pur-
chased by the library for $4,000, and form
ed fortunate find at that price.
The collection on exhibition is about. one
third OF the entire collection In the possess
sion of the library.
II is in the northeastern portion of the
building on the second floor where II win
probably remain for about a month II is
contained in several large exhibition cases
ana provides food for thought for the stu
dent of the life and times of Franklin