autograph

JOHN ADAMS — WRITES GENERAL BENJAMIN LINCOLN — SEEKING AN APPOINTMENT FOR CAPTAIN LEMUEL CLARK WHO LEAD THE FIRST MARINES STATIONED ON BOARD THE “USS CONSTITUTION”
ADAMS, JOHN. (1735-1826). Second President of the United States (1797-1801), Vice President under George Washington; Signer of the Declaration of Independence; U.S. Minister to Holland, France, and England. Autograph Letter Signed, “John Adams”. One full page, quarto. “Quincy”, October 25, 1802. Fine condition. To “General [Benjamin] Lincoln”.

JAMES WATT EXTENDS HIS HEARTFELT THANKS TO HIS DOCTOR FOR KEEPING HIS FAMILY HEALTHY
WATT, JAMES. (1736-1819) Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the Industrial Revolution. Rare Autograph Letter Signed, “James Watt.” One page, quarto. Birmingham, January 9, 1790. To his Doctor.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY EARLY LETTER OF EZRA POUND. — “UNLESS THE DIVINE FIRE DESCENDS WITH UNUSUAL VIGOR…THERE WON’T BE ENOUGH NEW POEMS TO MAKE A VOLUME OUT OF THEM [THOUGH]…THERE ARE A FEW NEW POEMS THAT COULD BE PRINTED WITH IT. NOTABLY THE CANZONI ‘OF VENICE’ (APRIL ENG[LISH] REV[IEW]) & ‘OF ANGELS’. “
POUND, EZRA. (1885-1972). American poet and critic. Wonderful, and extremely uncommon, early Autograph Letter Signed, “Ezra Pound”, on imprinted and illustrated Hotel Eden stationery. Four full pages, large octavo. “Lago di Garda [Italy]”, circa 1910.

W.B. YEATS ON HIS: “PROPOSAL TO FOUND A BODY WITHIN THE FIRST ACADEMY WHICH COULD ACT AS AN ACADEMY OF LETTERS”
YEATS, WILLIAM BUTLER (1865-1939) Irish poet, dramatist, and Nobel laureate. Autograph Letter Signed, “W.B. Yeats,” on imprinted 82, Merrion Square, Dublin letterhead. Two pages, octavo. Dublin.

“THE BARRIER OF PANAMA IS GOING TO FALL, AS FELL THE BARRIER OF EGYPT, BECAUSE THE MOMENT HAS COME IN THE MARCH OF HUMANITY WHEN THIS OBSTACLE MAY NO LONGER REMAIN STANDING.”
LESSEPS, FERDINAND de. (1805-1894). French diplomat and engineer; designer of the Suez Canal. Superb Manuscript Letter Signed, “Ferd. De Lesseps”, on imprinted Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interoceanique letterhead. Four pages, quarto. “46, Rue Caumartin, Paris”, November 11, 1885.

F.D.R, AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY DURING WWI, CAN’T LEAVE WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ATTEND A SPECIAL SERVICE AT NYC’S ST. JOHN THE DEVINE CATHEDRAL
ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN DELANO. (1882-1945). Thirty-second President of the United States (1933-45). Typed Letter boldly Signed, “Franklin D. Roosevelt”, on imprinted Navy Department, Assistant Secretary’s Office letterhead. One page, quarto. Washington, D.C., October 20, 1917.

JOHN AMHERST TO JEFFERY AMHERST — BEST KNOWN FOR HIS SUCCESSFUL SERVICE DURING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, AND DURING THE PONTIAC REBELLION, AMHERST AGREED TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL POX INFECTED BLANKETS AMONG THE NATIVE AMERICAS, THE ONLY RECORDED CASE OF BRITISH SOLDIERS GIVING SMALLPOX-CONTAMINATED BLANKETS TO NATIVE AMERICANS.
AMHERST, JOHN (1718- 1778). Brother of Lord Jeffrey Amherst, Admiral in the British Navy who went on to serve as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed, “John Amherst.” Two very full pages, large quarto. “Thatched House, St. James Street, [London] April 10, 1760”. Very fine condition. To his brother JEFFERY AMHERST, 1ST BARON AMHERST (1717-1797).