The Washington times., 1914-11-20
RARE TREAT OFFERED
LOVERS or IRVING
Isaac N. SeIigman Lends His
Remarkable Collection for
Public Exhibition.

NEW YORK, Nov. M-Lovers OF
Washington Irving have a rare treat in
store for them at the New York Pub
lie Library in the remarkable collection
Of the authors manuscripts and letters
Just placed on exhibition in one Of the
small rooms on the main floor. The COL
lection is owned by. the banker, Isaac
n. Seligman, and he has lent 1t to the
library for few weeks public exhibit
ton.
Mr. selisman has been making, for
several Years. speciality OF Washing
ton Irving books and manuscripts
The manuscripts of Irving and the
pealed strongly to collectors for many
wears. Robert Hoe had some fine
Things end at his sale Mr.. Seligman II
purchased most of the best ones. Bish-
up Hurst had some rareties, including
the original manuscript of Brace
fridge Hail. and this is now In the
Sehsman collection. In the Chamber
leiI library there were some scarce
pieces, including Irving's note book for
his "knfckerbocker History of New
York" which Mr.. Seligman obtained
five years ago. None of the Irving
collections which have been dispersed
IN the auction room within recent years
came anywhere near, ir' respect to COM
pleteness or value, 70 the Seligman COL
lection. In addition TO the manuscripts
ILIcIe are nearly thirty engraved pOr-
traits OF Irving, showing him at diff
ferent periods of his career. and also
number of original drawings by F. Q.
c. Darlev and others TO illustrate the
authors works.
Earliest Signatures.
The collection may be said TO begin
With one of Irving's earliest known sig
natures. 1t Is legal paper signed by
Washington Irving, for William Cut
ting" bearing the date May Il. 1871.
Irving was but eighteen years of age
at the time, and was a student in a
law office.
Following this. in chronological order.
ere two handsomely bound Volumes
containing Irving's journal during mis-
first European trip, 1904 to 1906. 1t is
one of the treasures of the collection,
and the greater part never has been
published.
Irvings first important ~york, which
made him instantly famous. was the
''Knickerbocker History Of New York" :"
issued in 1903. Two memorandum
handwriting show the variety Of sub
5ects treated. and the extent of his
reading in preparing the material for
his humorous history.
The first Of these books was labeled
by Irving, on the cover, Notes from
Knickerbocker." while on the other
cover is pasted sheet of white paper
WIN lHe uGle5 ISpt-lScb. 1neTc arc
'orty-four pages In the book. and W tn
the exception of a few leaves they are
all filled with notes in ink and pencil
This little memorandum volume sold for
$50 in the Chamberlain sale in 1909.
Supplementing this, is a similar note
book with the dates on the cover 1906
1903. containing forty pages.
Among the many editions OF the
"Knickerbocker History" is one OF three
copies printed on drawing paper, o. the
revised edition of 1857. This copy was
In the Hoe library. and is embellished
with several engravings in addition to
the Darley illustrations on India paper.
The largest manuscript is the Life
OF Oliver Goldsmith" This is beaiti-
fully bound in two volumes In full
brown levant. II was formeTlv owned
by Robert Hoe, and brought 81, 20 at the
Hoe sale. 1t is the longest rnapuscript
Of 1rving's In existence. Bound up in
the volumes are the corrected pages OF
the first issue.
Next in Importance. in respect to
length. Is the manuscript OF brace
bridge Hail." containing 155 octave
pages Several chapters are missing.
but this includes all that is known to
be extant 1t brought sl,3l5 when the
Bishop Hurst collection was sold, In
1906. D
Life of Mahomet.
OF Irving's longest work. Life OF
Washington" the manuscript Of only the
fifth volume is extant, the others having
Leen burned Mr. SeiignlaH has the FIRST
three ard the fifth chapters Of the last
volume In the original manuscript. ard
in addition a notebook containing 252
pages of extracts from Washington let
tars and incidents Of his life. in Irving's
handwriting.